Dad passed away today
My father, Reverend Roger Alan Pickering, passed away peacefully and quickly at 3:15 today
his decline was astonishingly rapid.
he was not in pain, and he didn't linger.
he had heart issues, we knew his time was measured, and we were preparing for a valve replacement to extend the QUALITY of his life....
he was hospitalized with fainting/anemia (he had been fighting that for a while)when we were floored by the diagnosis of esophageal cancer on Thanksgiving 2013
he was given a "3 months if its advanced" 8-9 months if it wasnt... maybe...? diagnoses
detailed diagnoses would require scans that would be hard on his already failing kidneys.. they chose to have no further tests or intervention.
he went home to hospice care.
On December 24th, Xmas eve, the entire immediate family got together
mom, dad, me, my husband wayne, my brother gordon, his wife maryann
dad was tired, but alert and in good spirits, looking reasonably well, and very active.
i went out to visit him this past saturday, January 11th, and he was ... startlingly declined. he recognized me and wayne, was not in pain, but had some coughing, would not eat, drank very little, and mostly slept (although i understand the meds made him sleepy also)
that was the last chance i had to talk to him.
i am glad i ignored my mom saying "dont stress you have lots of time" although in fairness, no one...NO ONE expected it to be this fast.
he slipped into the last sleep this morning, and never awakened, although he opened his eyes when the EMTS moved him from the chair at home, to take him over to the skilled care wing....
he never spent a night there. he was moved there at about 11:30 and passed away at 3:15.
gordon and maryann arrived at 1 pm... they are staying with mom.. i , silly idiot that i am, forgot my meds and had too come home for the night.
i am glad i paid attention when my medical friends talked... i was able to help the EMTS get the sheet under him to move him, and help be the third pair of hands to stabilize a tall patient in a tight space....both from his recliner to the gurney, and from the gurney onto his bed in skilled care.
his decline was astonishingly rapid.
he was not in pain, and he didn't linger.
he had heart issues, we knew his time was measured, and we were preparing for a valve replacement to extend the QUALITY of his life....
he was hospitalized with fainting/anemia (he had been fighting that for a while)when we were floored by the diagnosis of esophageal cancer on Thanksgiving 2013
he was given a "3 months if its advanced" 8-9 months if it wasnt... maybe...? diagnoses
detailed diagnoses would require scans that would be hard on his already failing kidneys.. they chose to have no further tests or intervention.
he went home to hospice care.
On December 24th, Xmas eve, the entire immediate family got together
mom, dad, me, my husband wayne, my brother gordon, his wife maryann
dad was tired, but alert and in good spirits, looking reasonably well, and very active.
i went out to visit him this past saturday, January 11th, and he was ... startlingly declined. he recognized me and wayne, was not in pain, but had some coughing, would not eat, drank very little, and mostly slept (although i understand the meds made him sleepy also)
that was the last chance i had to talk to him.
i am glad i ignored my mom saying "dont stress you have lots of time" although in fairness, no one...NO ONE expected it to be this fast.
he slipped into the last sleep this morning, and never awakened, although he opened his eyes when the EMTS moved him from the chair at home, to take him over to the skilled care wing....
he never spent a night there. he was moved there at about 11:30 and passed away at 3:15.
gordon and maryann arrived at 1 pm... they are staying with mom.. i , silly idiot that i am, forgot my meds and had too come home for the night.
i am glad i paid attention when my medical friends talked... i was able to help the EMTS get the sheet under him to move him, and help be the third pair of hands to stabilize a tall patient in a tight space....both from his recliner to the gurney, and from the gurney onto his bed in skilled care.