POSSIBLE TRIGGER REGARDING DEATH
Sixteen years ago today not just mine but my family’s lives also changed forever. It was one of the hardest saddest times in my life. March 8, 2005, at 4:32 pm my dad who I love with all my heart passed away at home. I pray it was peaceful. It is still very hard to write about this and I do so with a huge sadness in my heart and soul still to this day. Tears are rolling down my cheeks but it’s a story I need to tell So hopefully no one else will ever take their time with their parents for granted.
The Diagnosis Congestive heart failure
Dad’s diagnosis was congestive heart failure. Dad had to take early retirement, he went through multiple surgeries, and nearly died several times. Dad had a pacemaker so he was in and out of the hospital, and had to take a lot of medications. He was no longer able to do a lot of the things he enjoyed doing before.
Dad didn’t tell us he was nearing the end of his life. My mom found out when she walked in on the doctors talking to him about it. He was about to have his pacemaker turned off. Which meant that the next time his heart failed it was going to be the last and he would be gone from this life.
Dad finally had to tell mom what was going on and what was going to happen. He came home from the hospital on February 26, 2005, I will never forget he called the family together and told us he was going to die. He talked to us about acceptance, because the next time his heart failed he was going to die.
Honestly, I don’t know who that conversation was harder for Dad or us It was very emotional and it still is to this day. There are some things that just don’t get better with time.
Not Much Time Left
Thinking back about all the things he was doing for us and especially for mom we should have known. He bought mom a brand new car, he had a new house build for her in a brand new safe neighborhood. Dad bought mom a beautiful new set of rings. He was doing special things with all of us individually. Spending time with us and laughing and having fun. We each have some good memories with him
Dad was giving us things, I had always loved to do gardens so I got a lot of gardening items. Most of all he gave us love a lot of love .
From the time he told us he was going to die to the time he did was less than 2 weeks. I am so grateful to have had that time with him to say somethings, to say I’m sorry. To tell him how much I love him, to say thank you for everything, and to ask him to come and help me to the other side when it is my time, so I wouldn’t be afraid when it was my time to go. He said yes but it better not be for a long, long time.
The Funeral
On March 15, 2005, we buried Dad. He looked so handsome and he looked at peace. The swelling from water retention was gone, and all the pain was gone. Dad had a beautiful funeral he was a United States Army veteran, so he had full military honors at his funeral.
Dad is the glue that has held our family together.