Goodbye 2010

The year is coming to a close and I must reflect back on one major event that occurred this year.

Dad passed away on December 12th, 2010, the Wednesday after his 89th birthday.

Dad had not been doing that well for the past few years with Alzheimer’s, but never did I think his time had come to an end. The last 2 weeks of his life consisted of a mild heart attack, that he probably would not have even mentioned if my sister Janet had not been there to see him feeling bad.

He went in the hospital on a Wed night and the Dr’s could not decide what had happened to him. He checked out Friday night with the shock to all of us having been told, after 2 days, that he had congestive heart failure and did not have that long to live. They said weeks or months.

I saw him a week later on Thursday. Although he was not the strong dad he had been, he did not look that bad to me talking and walking. Well, 2 days later on Saturday, he could not get out of bed nor could he talk very well as he was struggling to breath.

He had hospice this last week and basically said there was nothing else we could do for him but make him feel comfortable. How do you make someone that is struggling on every breath comfortable? I don’t know, but I know I sat with him that day and talked to him, told him I loved him for the last time.

In some respects I wish I had not seen the man I knew deteriorate to such a state. It was depressing. However, I think seeing him in such a sad state made his passing much easier to handle. To know that he is at peace now and no longer suffering is much better than seeing a man that was so proud, so strong, so independent, become so dependent, weak, and in pain. I think the whole family feels this way, but I would not make an assumption to speak for any of them.

Dad, we all love you and miss you dearly.