[TOMAHAWK9521]

Got a SITREP yesterday. Dad was transferred into hospice care as of yesterday. Mom called late last night to talk about it. My guess is that she had been talking to all my siblings throughout the day and I was probably the last, considering how worn out she sounded as well as how unusually late it was for her to call. His O2 is very low and he is no longer really hungry for anything. Due to WuFlu, they can’t move him to another facility so they just moved him to a different part of the current facility and the folks from hospice have taken over.

We thought this was happening last week when Mom got the call on Tuesday that Dad had declined. The nurse was very apologetic when mom and one of my sisters arrived on Wednesday morning, explaining that Dad had rallied and was practically doing PLFs from his bed. Mom and my sister had to go into MOPP-level 4 while they visited with him. He slept for most of the time they were there, which was less than an hour. When they were leaving, Dad said, “You seem like nice people. We should do this again.” He made it to his 92nd birthday with gas still in the tank, which was Thanksgiving.

Now, it is a waiting game and is in God’s hands. I have to agree with Mom that I pray he goes peacefully, painlessly and soon. My late wife was under hospice care for more than 3 weeks after our 4th anniversary but it was all gravy because despite the rage, anger and frustration unleashed upon me that came with her regaining her cognition, she had returned to me before she left, so I got to spend our last days together with my best friend and she didn’t die alone. She passed away in my arms.
My dad is alone and knows/remembers no one. It would be horrifying to pass in any kind of discomfort and not be able to call or reach out to a familiar face, or even the memory of someone, anyone, for comfort as you face your last moments.

May God move peacefully, swiftly, and quietly.

Amen.