My dad turned 81 in October. He is already a medical miracle, as he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 9 - just a few years after insulin became commercially available. He was given 15 years to live, as they knew so little about diabetes back then. Well, he followed a strict diet and basically practiced what is now called "tight regulation." He did have a heart attack at 64, and required quintuple by-pass surgery. He slowly developed many of the side-effects from the toll that diabetes takes on the body over time. :heart2: His motor skills slowed down, and 1.5 years ago he slipped and fell. This caused his brain to swell, and he lost the ability to do pretty much anything for himself. My mom and dad live in a wonderful assisted living condo place that has different levels of care. At that point, my dad was moved into the full time assisted living facility - which is just down the hall from their condo apartment.
He made it quite clear, when he was still of full mental capacity, that he did not want his end of life extended by artificial means: no kidney dialysis, no tube feeding, etc. A month or so ago, what motor control he had left declined, and he became unable to feed himself using even just his hands. At that point, my mom decided to engage the hospice care workers who come in to provide complete assistance and manage the palliative care.
As of about two weeks ago, my dad began having issues swallowing, which is usually the beginning of the end. One week ago, he began coughing, and couldn't stop. They put him on oxygen and that helped quite a bit, but he had fluid in his lungs, and was running a fever. He didn't recognize my mom at that point. My mom called me then to tell me that my dad was dying. :heart2:
Being the fighter and survivor he is, there is no surprise that he was awake and alert the next day. He recognized my mom, though he couldn't really talk more than one or two words at a time. He did say her name. She would sit and read to him. He listened to a chapter of one of the James Herriot books said, "No more." That was Friday.
Yesterday she went for her morning visit. He recognized her, and said "Hi Marty."
When she left, she told him she loves him, and he said "Love." :heart2:
That was the last thing he said.
She wasn't with him when he passed. He had a heart attack.
My dad was blessed to have a peaceful, comfortable death. :heart2:
My mom and sister have planned for months to come up here next week. We were all a little bit up in the air about what to do because of the developments with dad. As he didn't really know anyone where he lives, and all of the family are up here, they are keeping their plans. He wanted to be cremated; there will be no funeral. We will have a small family gathering as a memorial for my daddy. :heart2:
My mom and dad in 2004.
He made it quite clear, when he was still of full mental capacity, that he did not want his end of life extended by artificial means: no kidney dialysis, no tube feeding, etc. A month or so ago, what motor control he had left declined, and he became unable to feed himself using even just his hands. At that point, my mom decided to engage the hospice care workers who come in to provide complete assistance and manage the palliative care.
As of about two weeks ago, my dad began having issues swallowing, which is usually the beginning of the end. One week ago, he began coughing, and couldn't stop. They put him on oxygen and that helped quite a bit, but he had fluid in his lungs, and was running a fever. He didn't recognize my mom at that point. My mom called me then to tell me that my dad was dying. :heart2:
Being the fighter and survivor he is, there is no surprise that he was awake and alert the next day. He recognized my mom, though he couldn't really talk more than one or two words at a time. He did say her name. She would sit and read to him. He listened to a chapter of one of the James Herriot books said, "No more." That was Friday.
Yesterday she went for her morning visit. He recognized her, and said "Hi Marty."
When she left, she told him she loves him, and he said "Love." :heart2:That was the last thing he said.
She wasn't with him when he passed. He had a heart attack.
My dad was blessed to have a peaceful, comfortable death. :heart2:
My mom and sister have planned for months to come up here next week. We were all a little bit up in the air about what to do because of the developments with dad. As he didn't really know anyone where he lives, and all of the family are up here, they are keeping their plans. He wanted to be cremated; there will be no funeral. We will have a small family gathering as a memorial for my daddy. :heart2:
My mom and dad in 2004.
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