Two days after my surgery, Rand sat at my side, took my hand and said "I don't know an easy way to tell you this Cathie, but your Daddy passed" I wept until I couldn't breathe. How could this have happened? I saw a picture of him taken just a few days ago of him sitting up in his hospital bed eating breakfast and smiling for Christ's sake! He had a heart attack and was admitted to the hospital in Paducah Ky., in the wee hours of Saturday morning. He was released on the 19th into the care of Hospice and died 8 hours later surrounded by 3 of my sisters and his wife Debbie.
Daddy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a couple of years ago and he was getting increasingly worse mentally. He fought and won his diagnosis of Prostate Cancer several years prior and as far as I knew was doing ok physically.
A week and half after my surgery, my daughters Tiffany and Lyndsay took me to Paducah for my Daddy's funeral. It was an emotional trip and full of regret and guilt for not being more available to him as he declined. Debbie took such good care of him and loved him through it all. My Paducah sisters Cyndi and Lisa assisted in his care and my sisters from Indiana made trips down to help every chance they had. Thank God for our large family. Unfortunately, even with large families, the majority of the "care burden" falls on a chosen few. Thank you my dear and precious sisters for being there for Daddy on my behalf, for loving him and always showing strength and devotion throughout his journey. Thank you Debbie for loving Daddy like you did (and still do), for being a partner, friend, nurse, caregiver, and wife. For making his life one of happiness and fulfillment.
When accepting my Daddy's death, I was smacked in the face with my own mortality. So many questions re-surfaced, so much fear, so much sadness...
Daddy was diagnosed with Alzheimer's a couple of years ago and he was getting increasingly worse mentally. He fought and won his diagnosis of Prostate Cancer several years prior and as far as I knew was doing ok physically.
A week and half after my surgery, my daughters Tiffany and Lyndsay took me to Paducah for my Daddy's funeral. It was an emotional trip and full of regret and guilt for not being more available to him as he declined. Debbie took such good care of him and loved him through it all. My Paducah sisters Cyndi and Lisa assisted in his care and my sisters from Indiana made trips down to help every chance they had. Thank God for our large family. Unfortunately, even with large families, the majority of the "care burden" falls on a chosen few. Thank you my dear and precious sisters for being there for Daddy on my behalf, for loving him and always showing strength and devotion throughout his journey. Thank you Debbie for loving Daddy like you did (and still do), for being a partner, friend, nurse, caregiver, and wife. For making his life one of happiness and fulfillment.
When accepting my Daddy's death, I was smacked in the face with my own mortality. So many questions re-surfaced, so much fear, so much sadness...
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| Daddy and Debbie |
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