On behalf of my mother, my brother, and myself, I -- we -- cannot thank you enough for your constant expressions of good will and support over the past year. Your kind wishes sustained both our parents through Dad's diagnosis and treatment and struggle. We really believe that without your thoughtfulness, he would not have survived as long as he did.
Dad had, as you know, come home from the hospital and begun hospice care last week, on Tuesday, 16 October. By the second weekend at home in hospice he had become significantly weaker. Friday night he was very restless; Saturday we began arrangements to move him to Hospice House on Sunday, when it became clear that even with help from family and friends, Mom wasn't going to be able to care for him at home by herself. He did not protest this; his only question about moving to Hospice House was whether they had wi-fi there. We know that was a signal that he accepted the necessity of that decision. But Saturday night he was even more restless and very agitated, and we called a hospice nurse to help us make him more comfortable; and in the midst of proceedings to transfer him to Hospice House in the middle of the night rather than Sunday morning, Daddy passed away at 2:30am Sunday,
His memorial service will be two Saturdays from now, 10 November, 2012, at 6pm at the First Unitarian Church of Cleveland. Please contact one of us if you need directions or further information.
Although this will be the last blog entry specifically relating to Dad's health and progress, we hope you will continue to tune in, as it is possible that after a period of adjustment to life without him, Mom may be back to post about her journey toward healing. In the meantime, thank you so much again for your sustaining messages of love and encouragement. They helped Dad during his treatment and they have helped us in the days since he's been gone. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
best regards
melissa
... but they withered all when my father died.
