Grandpa

Hello.

Just wanted to take a few minutes this evening to give you an update on my Grandpa. As you may recall, I had posted about him back in January when he suffered two strokes. It has been a very long 8 months for our family as we have sought the best possible treatment for him, both in Kansas City and in Great Bend.

My Uncle Craig made the decision about a week ago to move Grandpa to a Hospice Center in Salina, KS (www.hospiceofsalina.org). The place is beautiful and the care that Grandpa has received there has been nothing short of incredible. Craig moved Grandpa there with the intention of stopping his tube feedings, believing that continuing them was a violation of Grandpa's living will (he was receiving the feedings 16 hours a day as a sole source of nourishment due to being unable to swallow following the stroke). This was a decision that could be considered highly controversial by some, but Grandpa had always been very clear about NOT wanting to live the kind of life he was living following the stroke. We had hoped that therapy might help him rehabilitate, but results from therapy weren't what we had prayed for. Given all this, Craig approached us about discontinuing Grandpa's tube feedings at the end of October.

I was torn about discontinuing the feedings...knowing that Grandpa wouldn't have wanted them, yet at the same time, not wanting to play God. God heard our prayers...and while the answer was not easy to take, it is an answer we are grateful for. Over the weekend, while still receiving his tube feedings, Grandpa started having some difficulties breathing. On Monday, Grandpa slowly slipped into an unconscious state and has become less and less responsive. We got a call yesterday, and Sarah, Jordan, and I were told to come right away...Grandpa was fighting to breathe and his nurses didn't believe he had much time left. We drove to Salina last evening and spent the night at Grandpa's bedside. We spent the morning there and left in the early afternoon after taking some precious moments to tell our amazing Grandpa "goodbye". It hurts to see him go, but we know he is ready to shed his current body and be restored in heaven.

Grandpa is being medicated and kept comfortable. It looks like he wanted to do things on his own terms. Pretty typical of this strong man. Doctors predict that today was his last day on earth, but as a former oncology nurse, I know how hard it is to guess how much time someone has left on this planet. We shall see. I am back home, checking in frequently via phone.

As I laid beside Grandpa in bed today, I realized that by being with him in that moment, I was incredibly close to heaven...specifically close to my Mom, and, of course, Caden. Grandpa is going to be seeing them shortly. I asked him to greet my mother and son for me when he arrives at the gates. I have a feeling they are already calling to him, appearing above him, preparing to welcome him Home.

We will keep you posted.