Last week was a very intense long week. It began with the girls and I getting incredibly sick to the point that all we could do was lay in bed or on the floor. We threw up and had the runs for at least 3 days. It was horrible but not as horrible as the days that followed.
Wednesday I was almost back to feeling normal, Olivia was still intermittently throwing up, and Ava had stopped throwing up but had diarrhea all day long. I had called Dave and gave him a shopping list to fill on the way home from work as we were not going to be able to leave the house. At 3:30 PM as Dave was headed out of the door his mom called and told him it was time for him to fly to Denver... his dad was probably not going to make it much longer. So he changed his Friday morning ticket for a ticket for the next flight out at 7:30 PM. He left with nothing but the clothes on his back.
So since Dave was starting his journey across country and our shopping list obviously wasn't going to be fulfilled the girls and I scraped together a snack and a movie and went to bed and stayed there the rest of the day and well into the night. By this time Olivia seemed to be feeling a lot better so she went to bed like usual and Ava made her last trip to the potty with diarrhea again. She seemed to be in a good mood so I put her to bed as well and waited for the call.
Dave called around midnight saying he had made to Fort Collins and he was at the hospital. We said our prayers and around 3 AM his father passed away. Dave was able to hold his hand and say goodbye while his mom held his dad's other hand. His sister was there too and his other brother and sister were on the phone. He was surrounded by his family in his final moments.
Dave's dad Sam had entered the hospital 3 months ago with Pneumonia and then it later became an infection in his PIC line which then made his body so weak he passed away from congenital heart failure. As sad as it was to let Sam go, he was not going to enjoy the quality of life he once had if he pulled through it and he would not have wanted that for himself. Sam was a great man, an honorable man, a patriot, a proud Republican, a rocket scientist for NASA, a Cubs fan, a soccer coach for his kids, an animal lover and enthusiast, a wonderful brother, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and my husband's best friend.
It saddens me that my husband has lost his father and best friend. They called each other every morning on Dave's ride to work. They talked about sports and what was said on Rush Limbaugh. They discussed 24 and NCIS. They talked about the grandkids and the animals. Each and every day Dave talked to his dad. Sam always knew how much Dave loved him and Dave knew his dad loved him too. Actually, Dave was Sam's favorite. Sam announced in the hospital while Scott, Dave's brother, sat next to his bed that he wanted Dave to get him out of the hospital. Scott told his dad that he was right there but Sam wanted Dave. He also woke up from a nap and announced that Dave was a TV star on a law drama. Dave was always in the back of Sam's mind as his shining star. And that truly is what Dave is. He's the star of our family. He keeps us together and safe. He shows us the way when we need it and always shines the positive light on everything.
I only had the opportunity to know Sam for 6 years but in that 6 years he made a huge impact on my life. He welcomed me into his life from the first minute with open arms. He welcomed my parents and his granddaughters too. He bounced the girls on his knee and he walked our dog every time he came to visit. He snuggled our cat and scratched her so much that I think if it were possible and she could speak she would have preferred to live with him. He collected bobble heads at the A's games with us and talked to us about space and science and everything that aired on CNN or FOXNEWS. He was great. Really I am not doing him justice and I think if Dave wants to write a post honoring his father he really should... He can tell you everything.
Sam was a great man. He will truly be missed and remembered with the most honorable thoughts. June 4th will always be the day that God received his finest soldier, and his greatest son. I know it was hard for Dave to say goodbye and I know grieving is a long process. It breaks my heart to not be able to fix this for him and bring his dad back. I hate to see him in pain. Unfortunately it is inevitable for everyone and we must let go and I will try to take care of Dave in the best way that I can. I can listen when he wants to talk. I can hug him when he needs some love. And I can honor his father by passing down stories of his life to my girls so that they know what a great grandfather they had.
Goodbye Sam.
We love you and miss you.
Wednesday I was almost back to feeling normal, Olivia was still intermittently throwing up, and Ava had stopped throwing up but had diarrhea all day long. I had called Dave and gave him a shopping list to fill on the way home from work as we were not going to be able to leave the house. At 3:30 PM as Dave was headed out of the door his mom called and told him it was time for him to fly to Denver... his dad was probably not going to make it much longer. So he changed his Friday morning ticket for a ticket for the next flight out at 7:30 PM. He left with nothing but the clothes on his back.
So since Dave was starting his journey across country and our shopping list obviously wasn't going to be fulfilled the girls and I scraped together a snack and a movie and went to bed and stayed there the rest of the day and well into the night. By this time Olivia seemed to be feeling a lot better so she went to bed like usual and Ava made her last trip to the potty with diarrhea again. She seemed to be in a good mood so I put her to bed as well and waited for the call.
Dave called around midnight saying he had made to Fort Collins and he was at the hospital. We said our prayers and around 3 AM his father passed away. Dave was able to hold his hand and say goodbye while his mom held his dad's other hand. His sister was there too and his other brother and sister were on the phone. He was surrounded by his family in his final moments.
Dave's dad Sam had entered the hospital 3 months ago with Pneumonia and then it later became an infection in his PIC line which then made his body so weak he passed away from congenital heart failure. As sad as it was to let Sam go, he was not going to enjoy the quality of life he once had if he pulled through it and he would not have wanted that for himself. Sam was a great man, an honorable man, a patriot, a proud Republican, a rocket scientist for NASA, a Cubs fan, a soccer coach for his kids, an animal lover and enthusiast, a wonderful brother, husband, father, father-in-law, grandfather, and my husband's best friend.
It saddens me that my husband has lost his father and best friend. They called each other every morning on Dave's ride to work. They talked about sports and what was said on Rush Limbaugh. They discussed 24 and NCIS. They talked about the grandkids and the animals. Each and every day Dave talked to his dad. Sam always knew how much Dave loved him and Dave knew his dad loved him too. Actually, Dave was Sam's favorite. Sam announced in the hospital while Scott, Dave's brother, sat next to his bed that he wanted Dave to get him out of the hospital. Scott told his dad that he was right there but Sam wanted Dave. He also woke up from a nap and announced that Dave was a TV star on a law drama. Dave was always in the back of Sam's mind as his shining star. And that truly is what Dave is. He's the star of our family. He keeps us together and safe. He shows us the way when we need it and always shines the positive light on everything.
I only had the opportunity to know Sam for 6 years but in that 6 years he made a huge impact on my life. He welcomed me into his life from the first minute with open arms. He welcomed my parents and his granddaughters too. He bounced the girls on his knee and he walked our dog every time he came to visit. He snuggled our cat and scratched her so much that I think if it were possible and she could speak she would have preferred to live with him. He collected bobble heads at the A's games with us and talked to us about space and science and everything that aired on CNN or FOXNEWS. He was great. Really I am not doing him justice and I think if Dave wants to write a post honoring his father he really should... He can tell you everything.
Sam was a great man. He will truly be missed and remembered with the most honorable thoughts. June 4th will always be the day that God received his finest soldier, and his greatest son. I know it was hard for Dave to say goodbye and I know grieving is a long process. It breaks my heart to not be able to fix this for him and bring his dad back. I hate to see him in pain. Unfortunately it is inevitable for everyone and we must let go and I will try to take care of Dave in the best way that I can. I can listen when he wants to talk. I can hug him when he needs some love. And I can honor his father by passing down stories of his life to my girls so that they know what a great grandfather they had.
Goodbye Sam.
We love you and miss you.
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