Just needed to share and just let stuff out…
I got the call this morning that Dad wasn’t doing well - labored breathing, eyes rolling back. He just quit eating, drinking and taking meds Friday. I told them - no excessive means to keep him alive, just keep him comfortable. They did. They called back about an hour and a half later and said he was gone. He was not uncomfortable. We couldn’t go see him for the ice, so I just had him moved.
My dad had Alzheimers. He had other conditions (heart problems and aortic aneurism), but his final Alzheimers stages had come on so fast, that it took him. It was so sad and horrible that he had to go through this. He was at home until the last 6 weeks. My brother moved in with my parents over a year ago to care for my dad. I helped as much as possible and handled the paperwork and the emotional support when I couldn’t be there. I am the baby of the family and the one with my own family and the only full time worker in the entire family. Dad fought this disease and didn’t want to live like this. Right before the holidays, he had gotten hard to handle and occasionally violent. That would hurt his feelings if he had known. He was also falling a lot and light headed. We put him in the hospital at the first of the year to figure out our options and what was wrong. He stayed in the hospital for 2 weeks and quit walking or eating much. Then he went to a nursing facility for about 3 weeks with a week in another hospital.
This disease is horrible. I encourage people to volunteer or give money to find a way to combat it and parkinsons. I also encourage people to volunteer in nursing facilities.The staff and the residents cheer up so much when someone just stops to chat. The facility we were at had the most caring people. They would offer comfort, hugs, prayers and anything else they could think of to the resident and the family. I thank them. I actually have some wonderful memories from his last days that are close to my heart:
>>My sweet little girl stroking his hair and cheek then patting him on the hand. She loved grandpa.
>>The man next door that makes no sense when he talks just sitting their in the room with me and dad in the semi dark. I just sat between dad and his window overlooking a farm while holding hands with dad. This man that we don’t know, just started making sense, talking about the scene out the window. Then he started singing a spiritual song.I found peace at that time.
My daddy was the kindest, most gentle, loving, caring husband, father and grandpa imaginable. I am proud to be his daughter. I am proud that he and my mother had 47 years together. I am proud that people have been walking up to us and telling us how great our parents are, even before today.
I miss my dad. I love him.
I am supposed to be the strong one in the family. I have to handle everything now. I am strongest in the family…I have Tygr and the tygr cub for support.
Thanks for listening (reading).Sorry if it is a bit of a ramble.
