Tuesday, March 17, 2009

AWAY

I will be away from my blog for a few weeks.  My father has not been well and has been in a nursing home the past year. He has a degenerative neurological condition.  Things have worsened over the past week and he has been hospitalized. He is not eating or drinking and is not very responsive.  

The doctors have decided to see what the next few days bring, but the family has been called in.  We are hoping for a miracle, but it will only prolong his 16 years of suffering.  I hope he will rally and be well again, but I am not too optimistic.  His condition has been so poor for so long. He has been so stubborn and fought so long and never gave up. Now it seems he is beginning to succumb.

I have booked a one-way ticket home, leaving Calgary in 7 hours from now. I am packed and ready for a short sleep.  I will be back when things are settled again.  I think it will be very different then.  I hope I can come back and he will still be there.  But I am afraid that this may be our last few days together.

It is unbelievable.  After such a long, slow illness, you forget that an end may come sooner than you think.

Hug your loved ones.  Take pictures of them.  Tell them you love them.  Make memories.  Do wonderful things together, but mostly just be with them. There is so little time here.


31 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:28 am

    My thoughts and best wishes go out to you and your family at what must be a very difficult time. God bless. Lee x

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  2. Terri I send you my hugs and best wishes across the ocean to you. As you know, my dad had the same disease, and he passed away in July last year after many years of suffering. It was heartbreaking to see him go and not a day goes by when I don't wish for him back, but still, I am glad he is at peace. I hope that if it is your dad's time to go, that it is as peaceful as possible, and that you get to say all that you want to say to him. Hang in there lovely girl!

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  3. Oh dear Terri. I will be thinking of you and your Family and of course your Dad. Like you say, hug your loved ones. I hope you get to make some lovely memories with him while you are there. Take Care Terri and I am sending you lots of hugs, you'll need it.
    Ness xx

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  4. My thoughts and prayers are with you, Terri.

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  5. Anonymous7:38 am

    So very sorry to hear your sad news. My thoughts and prayers are with you.

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  6. terri, my thoughts are with you. my father is sick with alzheimers... so your post resonnates very strongly with me. i wish your father and your family love and peace....

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  7. I am so sorry--I hope whatever happens there is peace for everyone in your family. We are thinking of you.

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  8. Oh Terri - strength and love to you. You and your dad are in my heart and prayers.
    xo Isa

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  9. I am so sorry. I'll be keeping you in my thoughts and prayers.

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  10. Terri, I hope you're okay. This is so hard to go through. A huge hug to you and know that we're all thinking of you.
    xoxo,
    lauren

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  11. You and your mother are very much in my thoughts. I know that this is not an easy time, but I am so glad that you will be there for your mom. I do not take your exhortations lightly...

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  12. All my love and heart-thoughts to you and your mom.

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  13. Take care, Terri. Best wishes for you and your family.
    xo
    Poppins

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  14. Oh Ter I'm very sorry to hear that. You take good care, will be thinking of you.

    Times like this I think, why do I live so far away from my family, they are such a precious thing.

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  15. God bless you and your dad on this journey. My mother has a progressively degenerative neurological disease as well. If you want to me as someone who understands, check my blog. It has my email address. Peace.

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  16. My thoughts are with your family -- I'm so very sorry.

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  17. Terri - I'm very sorry to hear of this news. My prayers and thoughts are with you, your Dad and your family. Michele

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  18. Oh Terri, I'm so sorry to hear this! I hope everything turns out for the best, and that you'll get some lovely moments with your dad. It's good that you get to be there with him. I'm sending my warmest thoughts and wishes for you and your family!
    Love,
    Trudi

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  19. Oh, my thoughts are with you Terri. I wish you a lot of strenght for this period, it is not easy.
    You are right, we have to hug and love our loved ones, all the time, life is too short.
    take care.

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  20. Oh, Terri, After reading your last post, and then seeing that lonely chair on the previous post; sadness just hit me square in the heart. For you, my friend. You and your Dad, and family are in my prayers today. I pray for moments of happiness for you in these next days; where you have wonderful memories together.

    My FIL is now in the mid stages of that ugly horrible disease. My heart is truly going out to you now.

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  21. Take care my dear friend, I am thinking of u.

    Love and hugs
    Katarina

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  22. Just peeking in to let you know that you're never far from my thoughts.

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  23. Terri, just wanted to check in with you & let you know I was thinking of you. I hope you're okay.
    xoxo,
    lauren

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  24. Hi Terri,

    I'm really sorry to hear that :( I hope that you get to see him and spend time with him. And you are totally right, life is short...

    My thoughts go to you and to your family. Take care.

    Hugs, Susanne

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  25. I will be thinking of you and your family.

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  26. Take care and Hugs to you!!!

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  27. Thinking of you...

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  28. Terri - I am so sorry, and have my fingers crossed for a miracle.

    Barring one, I offer you a simple poem someone gave me when I lost my mom, called Separation:

    Your absence has gone through me
    like thread through a needle.
    Everything I do is stitched with its color.
    - W.S. Merwin

    For some reason, it went straight to my heart, and has stayed there. Maybe it can keep yours company, too.

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  29. Hi Terri - I don't know if you're checking in, but I just wanted to come back by and let you know that I am thinking of you and sending you love.
    xo Isa

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  30. I am so very sorry for your great loss, Terri. I'm thinking of you and am holding you and your family in my heart. Peace and strength to you and yours.
    xo Isa

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