def prepareToRemove(self):
        """
        Handles any code that needs to run to cleanup the connection \
        before it gets removed from the scene.
        
        :return     <bool> success
        """
        # disconnect the signals from the input and output nodes
        for node in (self._outputNode, self._inputNode):
            self.disconnectSignals(node)

        # clear the pointers to the nodes
        self._inputNode = None
        self._outputNode = None

        return True