Saturday, April 19, 2008

Saturday Grampa Update

The hospice book says a person may have a surge of energy before passing.

I believe he had that yesterday. 

[Plus your prayers truly helped too...]
 
Grampa was more talkative than the day before... Maybe talkative is not the right word... Lets see how can I put it? Okay... Grampa seemed to be in this world with us a little bit more than in the other world with his Momma...
 
Sam asked him if he would like some ice cream... We thought he would say no because he has difficulty swallowing... but Grampa shook his head yes...
 
[Grampa has always LOVED his sweets... at his house there is always a drawer full of cracker jacks and candy bars. He also LOVES those little cokes in a bottle! You'd think with his love of sweets he would have dentures.. but I am happy to report Grampa at 84 years old has ALL his own teeth! Amazing huh!]
 
So...Sam's sister Lisa rushed out and bought Grampa some vanilla ice cream... he LOVED it! He actually said "tastes good"!  Whoo Hoo...  He also told our daughter Candice he loved her and goodbye the night before...
She said she lost it when she got in her car...
 
Anyway... after Grampa ate his ice cream [about 6 teaspoons] Sam sat next to his bed and said "Hey Dad... I gotta tell ya about a crazy dream I had the other night...
I took the Pope to a motocross race with me"
 
Grampa smiled... he thought that was funny.
 
He kept trying to talk to us but he just doesn't have the energy to do it.
Sam told him "Dad, I know you want to visit and talk with us, we know your tired of laying in this bed, we know your trying really hard but your body is not co-operating"
Grampa shook his head yes.
"We know Dad, We know that you love us all, just try to relax there is nothing you could say that we don't already know Dad, We love you too, Just try to relax, we are here with you" Grampa shook his head yes.
 
Today... Saturday he is not drinking water, he is not talking [so to speak]
 
Last night the nurse gave him a sedative because it seemed like Grampa was having an anxiety attack because he couldn't breathe [even tho he is on oxygen]
 
Grampa has a will to live like no other hospice patients they have ever seen!
They told us he would be gone by the weekend and we are in the middle of the weekend and he is still here with us...
 
Watching him breathe and fight to live is so frustrating. This is a battle he will not win and a part of me wishes he would just surrender... Maybe that will come in the next few days...
 
I am happy he is at home and not in some hospital...  I am also happy he was able to tell our daughter Candice he loved her and goodbye the other night...
 
Well... that is the Grampa update for today...
I will let you know the minute anything changes...
 
Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all the thoughts and prayers being sent from all of you...
 
Prayers are powerful!

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thanks for the update.  I'm glad to hear his final days are filled with love.  Everyone should be so lucky.  Take care and prayers are still coming yours and his way.

Phil

Anonymous said...

Oh Kendra, you know me, i'm so glad that i got to see him last week, i will miss him terribly...........you know that..............its so refreshing to know that he did take that ice cream...........WOO HOO!!!!!!!!!.......i hope that if and when my time comes that i will have the will to live like he does...............NO PROBLEM I WILL!!...we are so fortunate to have you Kendra as well...............who else would keep this family so informed as to whats happening...............you are my angel, my sister and my BEST FRIEND!!.......Kendra, you and Sam and the rest of your family, make me feel so blessed to have you in my life.........i love you all and those prayers are working

Pam

Anonymous said...

He is so blessed to be so loved by you all. Have you thought of giving him "permission" to go on? Sometimes patients I've cared for seemed to need to know that their family is OK with them leaving them. They need to hear that the family will miss them, but they understand and that it's OK to go. Also.... at the end like this keep your sentences short, and speak a bit louder than usual. Don't yell...but speak a bit louder and clearer than usual.
Don't be alarmed when he stops taking food/water. It's the body shutting down. He doesn't feel hungry...or thirsty anymore.
Anyway, I'm sure I'm not saying anything that Hospice hasn't already told you. I am keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.
Hugs..Pam xoxox

Anonymous said...

Still praying.
Did you get my text message yesterday ?
Stay strong
E.

Anonymous said...

WooHoo I am special ....I have finally graduated to the PRIVATE ...GET THE REAL SCOOP JOURNAL!!!



Yippee...

~~Emma~~