After being gone for over three months, I’m back – somewhat!
My last post was a Happy New Liturgical Year post in November, and then I got a call from my hometown saying I was needed as the Power of Attorney for my father who was sent to the hospital in serious condition.
I packed and was on my way to the airport the next day. I flew out to Washington state the following morning. Thanks be to God for Southwest Airlines’ free bags and one-way cancellable tickets!
My computer was packed and ready to go; however, when I left the house, I inadvertently left the computer in its case on the kitchen table! All my work was to be put on hold! I could do nothing about it.
Turns out I wouldn’t have been able to get to it if I had brought the computer. We finally got Dad home to his home with his cat and his dog after two trial releases and a stroke.
Caregiving and this writer don’t go well together. Conscientious caregivers work so hard, get to bed real late, are up in the middle of the night, and then are up to start the day fairly early again.
We lost Dad February 4, 2018. We really hoped he would rally back, but it just wasn’t meant to be. We had a beautiful funeral/celebration of life February25. There were lots of tears and many laughs. If you knew my Dad, you knew he was a character.
He loved to dress in ladies’ outfits and hats. Anything to get a laugh. My favorites were the nurses uniform and his ballet costume complete with a tutu.
But his jokes weren’t limited to women’s wear. With his best friends at elk camp, he’d put on his dark glasses and pull out a red-tipped white cane. After slinging his rifle over his shoulder, he’d begin tapping his cane down the dirt road in hopes of finding some elk. He’d see a stranger’s pickup come down the road and would tap on their window with the cane and ask if they had seen any elk. You could imagine their surprise and fear. That was one way to keep other hunters from moving in on your camp.
Before my father passed away, my older, diabetic brother, Tom, had also been admitted to the hospital a couple of times while Dad was in the hospital. They actually got to spend some time together.
It was a double blessing that I had gotten to see him four times while he was in the hospital. He and Dad live about 80 miles apart, and while I took care of Dad I wouldn’t have had time to visit my brother too.
While my brother was there he suffered a heart attack from which he never recovered. It was a shock to all of his family. He died Dec. 22. I’m just so thankful I had a chance to spend some quality time with him before he died.
While there, the snowfalls were quiet, peaceful blessings I hadn’t realized I had missed so much. Shoveling snow had even become therapeutic. I was guaranteed a peaceful sleep when I had shoveled the walkway or deck.
As executor of my father’s estate it’s my responsibility to get the house in shape to sell it. My sister said I didn’t have to take it all on myself and that she could handle it. So when my husband came up for his second visit, he “kidnapped” me and brought me home.
The weather in South Texas is beautiful. Flowers are blooming and spring is definitely in the air. I love it, but I loved being home spending time with my Dad, Bev (Dad’s girlfriend of 20 years) , my sister, little brother, and older brother.
There were trying times, as I hadn’t lived with my siblings for over 35 years! It seems we’ve all changed in many ways, but when emotions are raw, we can settle back into our old childish, selfish ways. For that I was and am sorry.
May God continue to help us grieve and heal. I go back again in mid April to continue to prepare for the next step. I thank my loving and understanding husband of 23 years. I know I am truly blessed.
If you know a caregiver, thank him or her today for all the hard work and sacrifice they give.
Thanks be to God for all of his blessings.
