Losing both your parents so close together is tough.Well hello everyone. Yes I've been away for a long time. Where do I start OMG?
In December 2017 my parents were in a bad accident. Although they had many health concerns they were very stable and very independent. The accident started their decline. My fathers was under control for kidney and congested heart failure both connected issues.His health deteriorated and from Dec 2017 until I retired in December 2019 I had him to the hospital 23 times. Sometimes by ambulance. His stays were everything from many hours in ER to 3, 5, 6, 10-14 days until they got his congested heart failure (fluids) under control. I really wanted to wait until 2020 to retire but they needed me.
In 2020 Dad and I had many more trips to the ER and Dr appointments, dad's kidneys stopped working and he had to start Dialysis. We had to sell their home and liquidate everything they gathered over 65 years of marriage. We moved them into an apartment.
March 2021 Dad ended up with 2 stents and a pacemaker defibrillator. September 2021 Dad broke his hip got home for 5 days and broke it again. He left the hospital Dec 23/2021. Dialysis 2-3 times a week depending how he felt was his life.
2022 was more of the same. We were fortunate and thankful they qualified for in home care with cleaning etc. Our Provincial Medical Care was fantastic. Several times a month Extramural nursing and Physio visited them to meet their needs.
2023 was the beginning of the end First my mother was diagnosed with poor circulation and was ready to loose her leg but her Vascular surgeon opened up the circulation and all her open leg wounds cleared up after many months.
A month later dad was afflicted with the very same thing. On June 14/2023 he entered the ER where a CT scan revealed the blockages in his leg and sadly Liver cancer. To shorten this story after months of suffering with open wounds on his legs, catching Covid in the hospital and beating it I held a bed pan for him while he vomited for 3 days. On Thursday evening and Friday morning September 28&29/2023 My wife held his had all night while I went home to sleep, My wife called me and told me You father says he is dying today and he wants for here to tell you. We had great conversation I listened to his every word. I even recorded videos of his last bits of wisdom. He went to palliative care after assuring everyone who would listen he was done and was dying today! He passed away on September 30/2023. He is missed by all.
Backing up to April 2023 my mother and father were deemed by their medical providers to require nursing care 24 hours. August 14/2023 a room in their first choice home became available but sadly Dad was in the hospital and was never able to join his wife of 69 years. Mother came down with Covid(we did not know) in the nursing home we took her to see dad the night before and the day he passed. Unwittingly mother passed Covid to my wife, myself and my sister In-law and my sister. We couldn't attend the funeral, Thankfully 4 of my siblings were there from out of town. My sister and I watched from the car at the cemetery.
Mom was settling in to the nursing home routine and we took her on outings to appointments shopping and lunches. She missed her man but couldn't go to the cemetery. Mom was taken to the ER and with a infection and Pneumonia and died 10 days later on March 14/2024. I believe it was 166 days they were apart but now are together again.
If it sounds I was living in a dream it was more of a nightmare but I have no regrets, I did everything a son could have done. Remember if you love someone TELL THEM! If you've done something you regret make it right.
So whats good in my life everything I have 2 beautiful Granddaughters that make me smile. I have a over wintered my first honey bee hive and I'm about to make some splits from it. Woohoo yesterday I picked up 6 Bovan brown pullets, what's not to love about that?
I say thank you for reaching out with this post. Your timing is spot on.
Enjoy your granddaughters, they grow SO fast!
enjoy all those babies!
