The Other Side....

It's been an overwhelming few days and I'll try and catch up a bit now that I feel able to do so...As you know, my Dad was taken to a hospice unit and I was prepared to actually see him improve, since his breathing was regular and unlabored when I saw him on Friday, his first full day there...I honestly thought, "Oh boy, we may have to check on nursing home services because he looks so stable." As I toodled around on Saturday with my usual busy life activities, I organized a visit to the hospice after supper. A while later, I thought perhaps I'd go in the before supper, because I anticipated making waffles for my visiting adult children. My oldest daughter said she'd accompany me. On the way, we stopped for coffee for some artificial energy and headed up to the hospice.

As I walked in Dad's room at 3:30 pm , I knew the scenario had changed. His respirations were wet and gurgley. They were so markedly different from the day before. My mother said the staff had been in regularly to clean him, place a line for automatic pain medication administration, and that he'd been "sleeping" comfortably all day. They were also regularly giving him a solution to dry the secretions...His body was relaxed and his face was sunken. We sat and talked with my mother and reminisced about growing up with him as my father and as my daughter's grandfather. We laughed as we remembered so many fun and funny moments throughout our lives with Dad. The grandkids called him "the Fun Guy" and we couldn't remember how he had gotten that nickname. He was always ready to go to the park, or teach them to steer the car in later years. He and Mom were active and fun grandparents to all of their grandchildren.

Here I was...his oldest daughter, with my oldest daughter, and I know that my life is richer because of him as my Father. As a teenager, I would ask my Dad questions about why the world is as it is, and what did he think of it? We would have conversations about life, politics, religion and problems. His faith always permeated his answers, and he spoke freely about Jesus. His faith directed his actions in all things...whether a gentle discussion with me or standing up to a boss that was stealing from the corporation and the subsequent trial he was part of...His strength was his faith, knowing that the the Heavenly Father would guide and protect him in life.

As we sat there, out of the corner of my eye, I saw his chest stop for a second...then start a bit and then stop one last time. I alerted my mother, who looked over as she sat on the foot of his bed. She remarked, "Oh, his color just changed..." and he was gone to Heaven that fast. We had arrived less than an hour before he passed away. It was the 4th anniversary of his own mother's death. She had also been stricken with Alzheimer's, but wasn't granted such an early exit from it, living to the age of 89. My Dad had been a daily visitor to his Mother's bedside in the nursing home as Alzheimer's stripped her of every familiar feature. I had begged God to take Dad without having to live in that extended misery and He said "Yes.." by taking Dad now. I also realized that God wanted me there to witness His mercy by seeing my Dad relieved of his illness. I know the angels ushered him to Heaven and I will see him again up there when I reach my Heavenly home.

So, he walked into the hospital 2 weeks ago. Here's the last picture taken of him. His mood had been so foul, but I asked him to smile for an identifying picture for the staff, and he smiled his familiar smile. We'll have his memorial service on Friday and we'll have many more pictures to recall all the special times we've had as a family.

Hug your loved ones. Life is short. I'm so grateful to be Jim & Kay's daughter.