THE SHOCK FAMILY

Kathy and family flew in last night.  We had a sweet time together as a family.  Lots of singing, laughter and tears.  I'm sure Dad knows that we are all here for him. He just keeps on keeping on. The nurse came yesterday.  He was absolutely shocked that Dad's heart is still pumping.  His kidneys shut down on Thursday. He has what the nurse called uremic frost.  When I first looked at him yesterday morning, I thought he looked like something out of Chronicles of Narnia.  So when the nurse called it a "frost", it made total sense. The nurse said he has only seen three cases of uremic frost in his twenty years of working in hospice.  He explained that because Dad's kidneys have shut down, the toxins are coming out through his pores. Most people's hearts don't last that long once the kidneys stop working... of course Dad's just keeps on going.   That being said, he isn't expected to live past tomorrow. We have two more nephews that are com

Please pray for/with us! Dad is still here. He hasn't eaten or drank anything since Sunday. The Hospice nurse told us today he is pretty much in a coma. I am so tired. Mom is so very tired. Dad just keeps getting thinner and thinner. Alayna woke me up in the middle of the night last night... Dad's breathing was different. After I woke up, I couldn't get back to sleep. Anxiety just kicked in and wouldn't let up. I understand that God has had the time for Dad's departure set up since before the world began. We are just begging Him for that time to be real soon. Family is on standby. A phone call away. Seems like all of our lives are on standby right now. Your prayers on our family's behalf are worth more than gold to us. I realized something yesterday... while driving in the car. My life will never be the same. There is a certain sadness that has entered... I don't think that sadness will go away. I can't tell you that I hate the feel

First an update on Dad. The nurse came this morning and said he is in the transitional stage... not the final stage of the dying process.  But then she said he could be in the final stage by the end of the day.  I think the theme of this whole process has been ~ We just can't know for sure. This weekend we really thought he was moving on to Glory two different times.  We sat by his side and sang and laughed and prayed. In the quiet of the afternoon yesterday, I sat at his side and whispered (ok... maybe not whispered... the man's hearing is terrible) a few verses into his good ear. This is one of them ~ Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Math. 11:28-29 I just explained to him that there is rest for his soul in Jesus.  Our whole family has been telling him that it is o.k. for him to move on... we will take good c

I'm in Dad and Mom's bedroom right now... thought I would take a nap on Mom's bed while I wait for the nurse to come at 2:30.  I can't believe how worn out I feel. It's almost like having a newborn again... waking up every four hours to give Dad his medicine. It's the least I can do right? All the times this man has lost sleep on account of me! Of course, I am NOT sleeping... just lying here listening to Dad snore and the sound of the oxygen machine.  At this point I think they are both music to my ears. But... can we talk about Orv's snoring for just a minute? I know that if you have ever been in a house (maybe even a neighborhood) near my dad while he sleeps, you know that there is nothing... and I do mean NOTHING quite like it! We have so many stories about Dad's snoring.  The grandkids thinking there is a big old lion in the bedroom.  Leslie (my sister-in-law) sleeping in the car instead because she couldn't take it in the same hotel ro

I realize I am doing a whole lot of blogging.  I'm just finding that this is a way to keep my sanity through this all. It is also a great way to keep a record of all that is happening...  how God is working in and through so many of you as you love on and support our family! Today was much easier than yesterday.  Met with the hospice nurse and social worker this morning. They were so kind and caring to both me and Mom. Dad pretty much just slept through the whole thing :). That's been most of today for him... sleeping. He has woken up a couple of times.  One time was to fight with Andrew... fist fight!  It was so cute.  Drew would tap him on the arm and he would punch Drew back.  Dad has always been the one to rile the little ones up.  Now I guess it's Drew's turn to pick the fight :). I have to tell you, one of the coolest parts of having Dad here at the house is that he really is never alone. For the last two days Drew has had his computer in here for a couple

Sitting in Dad and Mom's room. Dad is resting peacefully. Mom is asleep... sitting straight up of course. Today has been a rough one for me. Crying like I didn't know I could. I just think it feels a little like it does when you are on your last day of vacation.  You go out to enjoy the last sunset or the beach one more time... but in the enjoyment there is sadness...knowing it will all be over soon. Now... multiply that times a thousand.  I keep thinking how much I am gonna miss him, and then I think to myself   "He's still here silly -- go and sit on the bed and hold his hand again". He's beautiful ya know?! So cute... So funny... So very beautiful! We were talking about golf a few minutes ago.  He brought up that the last time he golfed he fell down... which is so true and was so funny!  I was golfing with Andrew and Dad was riding in the cart with me. He insisted I let him hit the ball. He took one swing... missed... and slowly began to

Sundays growing up used to mean church, Mom's pot roast, and then watching the Detroit Lions.  I have to admit my favorite part of the whole NFL football thing was snuggling up with my daddy and taking a Sunday afternoon nap... using his big belly as my pillow.  Those were the days! Today, Dad did see the end of the Lions football game... they won! Yay Detroit.  Not sure he knew what was going on or that he really cared, but his eye was definitely on the t.v.  Is it appropriate on a day like today to thank God for a Lions victory? He came home yesterday via ambulance.  So weird to have them dropping him off instead of picking him up...surreal actually. Most of the day he seemed pretty out of it.  But, we sure did have a good time singing to him.  All of us girls (Christen, Alyssa, Alayna, Amy, Mom and me) sing "I've Been Working On the Railroad", "Because He Lives", "How Great is Our God", Shoo Fly Pie"... I know, quite the variet

In the past 24 hours... spent lots of time with dad... lots of time on the phone with family both near and far... had a pretty sleepless night just thinking about what a great dad he is. watched dad flirt - and i do mean flirt with the nurses. the nurse he has spent the most time with said he is by far her favorite patient. we've been taking good care of mom... she is a trooper. watched mom feed and love on dad like only she can. we've all cried and laughed so much... a beautiful thing. met with the hospice team this morning. found out dad is coming home tomorrow. hospital bed and oxygen tanks were put in place at our home. trusting God that we can actually handle this. oh yeah... and as dad slept in his hospital room last night, we partied. he woke up once in the middle of it all, smiled and said "is this the party?" we all love him so much! He loves her so much.  Always has. Always loved hanging with my dad.  Still do!

Yesterday was a whirlwind of emotions.  I woke up and it all just hit me like a ton of bricks. Then the tears started... and didn't stop for a very long time. Went for a walk and the whole time my phone kept going off with msg after msg on Facebook... dear friends (old and new) telling us that you are praying/thinking of us.  And the tears kept coming. Then long talk with my niece... and the tears kept coming. I must say... there was a whole lot of laughter mixed in with those tears, as we reminisced about Dad :)! Mom, my brother and I met with the hospice team.  Love them. They are very sweet and we can tell they are going to take good care of us.  Not many details about a time frame for everything.  Looks like Dad will come home (he and mom live with us) tomorrow or Saturday. They just need to get some more fluid off of his lungs first. The Dr. said it is very hard to predict how long a person will last who has congestive heart failure.  That isn't easy for me... I j