Goodbye Dad......

Dad passed last Monday evening at about 6:55 p.m.  His passing was very peaceful and he was surrounded by people that loved him.  In the ten days that he was at home, he was talkative, alert and got in a lot of visiting with friends and family and I hope was able to put his personal affairs all in order. Dad never lost even one brain cell as he aged and even at the end he was very alert and knew exactly what was going on.  Although he did lose his ability to speak the last 24 hours or so and even though the medications made him weak the last couple of days, he could squeeze our hands in response and I know he heard us right up until the end. 

I am thankful for the approximate two weeks we had with him.   I am also thankful that he did not appear to be in any pain, at least he denied being in any pain.  He did become restless and found it hard to stay in bed but his doctor provided us with medications designed to relieve him.  If I had to lose my Dad, this was the best way I can think of for it to happen.

We are now busily planning his funeral which will be next Tuesday, January 29, 2013. There is so much more that I could say about him, but I will leave it for another time.  Thank you all for your prayers and for keeping us in your thoughts.  What a thoughtful, loving and supportive community of people we have.  Love you all!

This Is A Tough Post To Write.....

Even though I had made a commitment to keep blogging regularly this year, things don't always turn out as we had planned.

I began the year by taking a trip with five of my siblings, their spouses, my Mom and some of my nieces and nephews.  We took a road trip to San Antonio, TX where we stayed in the Grand Hyatt and had a wonderful time exploring close-by attractions, the Alamo, the Alamo Bowl, the Nutcracker, the River Walk, the LBJ Texas White House and other really fun things to do.  Dad and Joyce, Dad's significant other, had planned to go with us but on Christmas Day both of them were feeling bad and decided not to go. 

My Mom and I returned home with the flu (we had roomed together and I swear we caught it in the motel room although I can't prove it) which turned into pneumonia for both of us.  Nothing we did with the flu seemed to help, but once it turned to pneumonia we got on to antibiotics and are both back to normal now.

Then on Sunday, January 6, my Dad was admitted to a Springfield hospital with pneumonia like symptoms.  After having him transferred to a better hospital and days of testing it was determined that he has lymphoma.  At first, he was going to try to fight it, but we learned that his kidney's are failing.  In fact, all three of the systems that clear toxins and waste from our bodies are failing him.  After a family meeting with Dad, Joyce, my Mom and we seven kids, its was decided that, with the help of Hospice, Dad would return home.  All of us, along with grandchildren, friends, and others, have made a commitment to care for Dad so that he can pass at home.  He requires two people at all times with eyes on him 24/7.  His legs and arms are still strong so he is able to provide us much assistance, but caring for him is difficult at best.

The folks from Hospice are great, very friendly, and they have been a great help to us.  I am not ready to get into too much detail about this, but I do want to put it out into the universe that all has been forgiven and I am thankful for this time that we have left.  If he is lucky, he may have another week or two, but probably not much more -- knowing that none of us know the time.

Anyway, I apologize for not blogging about jewelry the last month.  I just have something much bigger and more important in the larger scheme of things to take care of and honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way right now.  Your prayers will be appreciated.  Please pray that if his time to pass is now, that it be peaceful.

So if I am a bit "absent" please forgive me.  I will rejoin you after we have completed this journey as a family and once again go back to our "normal" daily lives.  I think of you all often.