We’ve known all week that Dad was in the hospital and things weren’t looking good but there hasn’t been any information to share. Friday afternoon Bill called to say that things had gone south and we were driving to see Dad on Saturday night after Sharon’s funeral/party. (Sharon killed herself last week, she died Friday night and they choose a party rather than a funeral.) Ron then offered to fly us down so we stayed in Bountiful last night and went to dinner with the boys, our wives, and Mom. I would have written last night but Laura and I were talking until midnight.
This morning Bill called and told me we were leaving within 30 minutes because the weather shifted and there was no longer a flight window.
We drove all day and arrived just after 6:00 when visiting hours at the ICU are normally supposed to end even for family but Elise made sure we could get in – the staff were expecting us. We saw Elise, Craig, and Becky as well as Craig’s wife and Becky’s sister. They all left shortly after to allow us time alone with Dad. Each of us took a few minutes alone to speak with Dad and then together we prayed with him. I told him that any animosity or hard feelings were far behind me and that I was in a good place. I thanked him for some of the specific memories such as our time together at BYU when I was at AHSSP in 1994 and that I looked forward to talking with him again in heaven when he will be able to supply half the conversation.
Tomorrow he will be moved up to the hospice care floor and the expectation is that his death will be within hours – with the outside possibility that he could hang on for a few days.
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