Hi I just wanted to thank everyone for your support during the last couple of months. I am glad that these message boards exist, they have helped me so much. Dad passed on the 24th of March after an 18 month battle with liver cancer, cirrosis among many other things. I, as many of you, live in a diffrent state than my (sick loved one) dad so I have been traveling back and forth to be with him. I would do it all again in a heartbeat. He was an amazing man. He fought till the end. For the last month and a half dad was confined to a hospital bed in his home, not able to get up, to go to the bathroom or even walk. (although he tried many times) For the last couple of weeks dad did not eat much, he drank very little and thanks to message boards like this I knew that was ok. He slept most of the time, and just as he had probably done with me as an infant, I just sat by his side and held his hand, talked, played his favorite music and was just "there". A couple of times over the past two months I have gotten the call "its time" I would fill my car up with gas and haul ass to be with him. It was ok that it was not "the time" as it gave me more time to spend with him, time I can never have again. We had some great talks, laughs and learned alot about
each other, maybe more than we had our whole lives in some respects. On Saturday the 19th dad was saying his goodbyes and was "ready". On Sunday he was a little angry that he was still here. Your darn right Im angry he said I was ready to check out yesterday, his hospice worker explained it does not work that way you may be ready but they are not ready for you yet. On Sunday the 20th my dad told me that besides being his daughter I was also his friend and how important that was to him. I was honored to hear those words from him and I relayed them in his eulogy yesterday at his funeral. I traveled back home on the 20th after having the feeling he was not going anywhere yet... I have a family 2.5 hours away and was torn between the two. I recieved a call on my way to work about
8am on wed the 24th. His wife had told me she thought it was time again, she would understand if I did not want to come but wanted me to know. I filled my car up with gas again and hauled ass one more time. She had asked me to call her back and let her know if I was comming but i didnt. I just went. about
15 minutes away from there house, I hit major traffic so i decided to call her and let her know I was very close but may be stuck in traffic for a while. Boy am I glad I made that call!! I arrived about
10:30am he was laying in his usal spot but was flatter with a fixed stare at the ceiling. I kneeled by his side and rubbed his head, letting him know I was there, he could not speak, but acknowledged me in other ways i cannot explain. I told him I loved him and my brothers and I would take care of each other, I told him I would take care of his wife, I told him my sister (who passed in 2005) would take care of him when he was ready to be with her. It took alot courage I was scared sh** but I held his hand and watched as his breaths grew diffrent. Not knowing if this was really going to be the time my mind wanderd a bit, Then a tear came from his eye, I wiped it with a tissue and he was gone. It was 10:45 am, He waited for me, Ive read about
it, Ive heard about
it but I did not believe it, Now I do. I am so honored that he let me be part of it, because he knew I wanted to be, Im sure it was not easy having his youngest child watch him he was a proud man, a stubborn greek as he called himself. My brothers could not handle the situation and chose not to be there. Thats ok too. My point of relaying this story is I have read so many others and they truly helped me soooo much. Everyone is diffrent, everyone dies diffrent but if this story helps 1 person its well worth it. Thank you all for listening,
Sue