Just a fast update. Mom became stable enough to leave the hospital late on
Thursday and was moved back to a local long term care facility. She has altered between that
agitated state she gets into and being calm (sedated). She still is on the vent,
feeding tube and cannot talk. She appears to know us at times, while at other
times, she appears to be in a zone of her own. She still has traces of the
pneumonia in her lungs but this is typical as it takes a while to clear up
(weeks). We continue to visit with her each day but our visits sometimes agitate
her rather than comfort her now. Perhaps this is her way of trying to
communicate? She has had 4 major life-threatening incidences since November. She
has been through a lot but continues to hang on. She is a strong woman.
Dad is remarkable. What else can I say? He is the picture of courage and
model of how to take life as it comes and move through it each day in a holy
way. He has bought a life alert button to wear (I don't think he hooked it up
yet! but he has it), and no one even told him to do this. He said he just felt
it was time and a smart thing to do since he now lives alone. Unbelievable. He
cries a bit each day for mom. He continues to visit her multiple times each day,
greeting her with, "How's my girl?" He never leaves her side physically or
emotionally. He took a giant step last weekend (4th of July) and went upstate
with most of us, just like we all used to do (Terry stayed home to be with mom).
I mostly try to be strong around him and have adopted the role of social
director--going on short trips upstate with him or out to dinner or a
movie...helping him to fill each day in the most joyful way possible (when I am
not working). Anthony and Claudia go see mom each day with him. Being with dad
is to be in the presence of such strength and courage and love. Dad is just
amazing because you can see that it is far from easy for him to do these things
but he does them because "it is what it is" and he knows "who he is" and who are
to be before God.
Today is Mom and Dad's 56th wedding anniversary. Dad is feeling really
down. I can only imagine that he is reliving the joyful events of this day as it
was 56 years ago today. Please hold him and mom up in prayer today. Thanks so
much.
"This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in
it." Psalm 118:24
