Hope you find your paradise
Sep. 29th, 2014 10:30 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
alee_grrlAfter a very long few days where my Dad was massively uncomfortable but not really saying he was massively uncomfortable, we moved my father to one of the Hospice care houses here in Spokane. He had been getting worse over this past week and we just could not get him comfortable and his symptoms under control. They came out Saturday morning to put in a pain-med pump, and Dad fainted shortly after the meds hit. We were watching and caught him, but it and other things made us realize that we could not care for him all on our own at this stage. So I drew on my social work experience and put things matter-of-factly for Dad so that he would understand our decision. At this point all he really wanted was rest, so he was thankful someone else made the decision. We called Hospice and they arranged for us to move to the Hospice house, which thankfully had an open bed and we were able to get him there without trouble.
It took some doing, but they excellent and amazing Hospice staff were finally able to get Dad comfortable. My brother and I stayed with him throughout, taking turns as needed to run errands. We had an small air mattress and there was a chair that folded out into a bed. So we just stayed. My niece and sister-in-law were there for a while, but then had to come back to the house to get some rest before their very early flight home. We sat with him and did our best to help Hospice keep him comfortable and just love him. We made sure to reiterate our goodbyes and love and permissions to go. After my brother got back from the airport we both laid down to rest a bit. Sometime in the morning hours when we were all quietly sleeping together, my dad passed.
My brother and I said our goodbyes, told him to kick some serious ass in whatever life he chose next and that we would see him on the flip side. The finality of it hits of in brief moments, but mostly we are both at peace with things. We miss him, and it is hard, but we are also happy that he didn't have to suffer long and so extremely grateful for the last month we had with him and with each other. We came home yesterday and just rested and enjoyed each other's company. We started the extended Lord of the Rings, which was my father's favorite movie series, and celebrated my father's life and our love for him. Today we are doing similar things. The work of the next few weeks does not have to begin today.
Title of post comes from Supertramp's "Goodbye, Stranger"
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Date: 2014-09-30 02:12 am (UTC)That icon is gorgeous btw.
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Date: 2014-10-03 10:21 am (UTC)What gifts you have given each other; what sacred time.
<3
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Date: 2014-10-03 05:23 pm (UTC)