Dad has been moved back to the Cottage.  I am afraid that his end is very near.  I am amazed that he has lasted over the last years.

Half his heart is scar tissue, he had a colostomy years ago, his kidneys operate at about 10% of normal, his lungs are nearly useless, his BP is marginal, his appetite is none existent, he hasn't eaten anything apprciable in weeks.   I wear that he is surviving on will power alone.

He has said that he is comfortable and is not in need of anything.  It is still a difficult and awkward situation for me.  I am not used to dealing with this kind of stuff.

I still tend to think of my Dad as a hard-working man, interested in problems, fishing, growing stuff, building and fixing almost anything.  He has had both a difficult and interesting life.  I am privileged to have been a part of it.

Well, Mom has all the stuff set up for her "left over" garage sale tomorrow.  I took what is the legendary "last load" over to her new place.  She will have a fair bit of unpacking to do tomorrow/next week.


We were just having dinner and I got a call from Mom. 

She is at the Hospital.  The nurse has told her that Dad will make it through the night.  But, tomorrow will probably not make it through tomorrow.

I am going over, to the Hospital, now.  I will hang out there for a while, with Mom.

Dad is 95, but, that still doesn't make all this any easier.  Even though he has been declining for the last few years, it is still very difficult to imagine the end being so near.

Went to visit Dad, in the hospital, yesterday afternoon.  Had Mom and Anne with me.
Of course he saw Mom first. 
When I went to his side, he said hello and the usual first comments.
Then, he says: "Did Mom get moved OK?"  I could hardly hear, but, even in his very poor condition, he is still worried about Mom.

Took her shopping and then back to her new place.

She says that she is very comfortable and feels like it is really her home.
It is almost like she has had a great weight removed.  The travel to visit Dad will be harder for her, but, I think that her overall environment will increase her "quality of life".  Man, I dis-like that phrase!

Dropped in to see Mom at her new place.  While she was gone today, I did some re-arranging of the furniture and tried to put some of the stuff away.

We got there and she had visitors already. 

It was really nice to see her laughing and joking, she seems very happy and much more relaxed than she has been for a long time.

Unfortunately Dad is still not doing well.   I really doubt that he will even get out of the Hospital and back to the Cottage.

Another week is done.

Mom has nearly gotten moved.  She is in her new place, here in Mission.  Seems very nice to me.  Lots of people and they all seem happy and busy.  She should be quite comfortable.  Her phone should get hooked up this morning, and thankfully, her tv was on last afternoon.

We have the majority of her stuff there, we just have to clean up and get rid of the rest of her stuff in
Abbotsford.

Mom, and I, went to visit Dad yesterday at the Abby Hospital.

He does not look very good.  The still have the drain tubes into his lungs.  The nurses say that he is quite quiet and calm.  However, he hasn't eaten anything for three, maybe four days.

I think that he is staying alive on his own will power and the fact that he has a pacemaker.
He may well be hanging on "to make sure" that Mom gets moved and settled properly.

We are all resigned to him just going to sleep, one evening, and not waking up in the morning.

He is very skinny and extremely weak, but, you can still see the vestiges of a hard working guy inside him.

His passing is going to leave a big hole in our family.  He has been a central part of many great events and decisions over a great number of years.

Not really all that "upbeat" the last couple of days.  Last Friday night Dad was taken to Abby Gen with a "spontaneous pneumothorax", to me a collapsed lung.  He also had pneumonia in the other.

He just had a second "procedure" this afternoon, late.  Apparently he looks better now.  He looked really bad when he first got there on Friday evening.

However, there is no denying that he is in the final stages.  He has been deteriorating consistently over the last year.  He has been bed-ridden since his arrival at the Cottage.

I know that for both my Mom and myself, his eventual passing will be a "life changing" moment.

Dad never finished school, never had an "upper level" job, always worked with his hands and his back.  But, I would consider him amongst the "successful" crowd.  Well respected, generally liked, had definite beliefs and opinions,  out-lived three entire sets of friends, dis-liked debt (never had a mortgage), and among many other traits, he loved Mom and his family.

I am so grateful to have "Awesome Lady" with me.  Just got back from an excellent dinner, steak/baked potatoe/garlic prawns/clam chowder!!  Blizzards for dessert!!  Can't get better.

Not a bad day. 

Mowed the lawn, went to the gym, did the laundry, dinner, visit Dad.  Glad to be alive.

Hurray, Friday Off!!!!!!

Do some yard work, empty out my van, go to the Gym (first appointment with a "personal trainer"), visit Dad and Mom, have a second cup of coffee.  Gotta love that second cup of coffee!!

Mom has moved up her "move date", she now hopes to be moved by the middle of May.  Lots of work for an 88 year old lady.  And she has done it mostly herself! 

It has been an experience, being a part of the process over the last ten years, as this couple has moved and downsized from a large place in Qualicum Beach into what will basically be a one bedroom apartment. 

Amazing how much "life" has to be compressed, disposed off, sold, tossed, etc.  A tremendous shame really.

The entire process has been trying, frustrating, enjoyable, time consuming, joyful, enlightening, and .......

At any rate, off to do the laundry.