Thursday, June 22, 2017

More on Dad...


It has been too long since I posted. Much of our focus has been on caring for Pop, since Mom's needs are being met at the nursing home.

  I will try to get you all up to date.

  After one week at my house and two at Darwin's we decided to give it a shot to let Dad go back home so that he could sleep in his own bed. He seems to be doing fine with that. I felt like he never totally relaxed at my house so when he went back home I think we were both relieved.

  So now Angie and I take 3 days of the week and split them up to be responsible to take him in to see mom and then make sure he gets supper. Darwin's take three days as well. He eats lunch at Darwin's most every day and then on Sunday we take turns again.

  His biggest health issue right now is shortness of breath and his ankles and feet swell up very bad. He gained 14lb in fluid weight since he left the hospital. So the DR. put him on a fluid pill and when I took him back to the DR a week later he had lost 4 lb of fluid. They did a blood test and found that he is very anemic, so then on Wed I took him to the hospital where they admitted him as an outpatient and gave him 2 units of blood.

  I didn't check in with him today but he was more alert and talkative on the way home when I picked him up after his transfusion, so I am thinking he may have more energy for awhile.

   Life at it's best is unpredictable........

  As I was typing these words my phone rang. It was my dad's phone number on my caller ID, but when I picked up it wasn't his voice I heard but Ellamae's saying Grandpa was in intence pain and they had called the ambulance.

  I got there on the heels of the ambulance, she was right, he was in extreme pain. At the ER they gave him 12ml of Morphine before it let up but then it was still almost more than he could take.

  They did an xray and found he had a perferated bowel that the DR said would take emergency surgery to correct. He wanted to transfer him by medflight but the weather was so bad that they had to use ground ambulance.

   We ran home to change and get more clothes because I anticipated a long hospital stay. Darwin's opted to stay home because they have so much going with the Haiti Benefit Auction coming up this weekend.

By the time we reached the hospital at LaCrosse Pop was unconscious and barely breathing. It was hard to believe when they told us it would be only minutes until he was gone. We stood there beside his bed Steve and I and held his hand. His breathing slowed way down and his heart rate was dropping. Steve prayed a short simple prayer asking God to take him into glory and then he was gone.

  It's all so fresh right now as I write. I know there will be many sweet memories and tears, but for now, I'm just so glad I could be there as he left this old world behind. Just as he was longing to do and begging God to take him home in these last few weeks.

  Till we meet again Pop.......I look forward to seeing you on the far side of Jordan. I love you. You finished well. Rest in peace.


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2 comments:

  1. Oh Dawn my heart cries with you. I just talked with Eunice. It happened so fast at the end. I'm soooo glad you and Steve could be with him his last few minutes.
    May God comfort you and be your source of strength as you all face life without Pop.
    PTL! No more pain or suffering for your Pop.
    Praying for you all.
    Robert and Lois Loewen

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    1. Thank you Lois, I appreciate your love and prayers very much

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