Farewell 2014

The year started off with David returning to work, via driving to Louisville, KY,  Sat. Jan 4, after a 2 year stint of medical issues.  It was a task that had to be met!  Hard, oh yes, but needed to be done!  Returning to work meant a 2 week which turned into 3 1/2 weeks of being in the coldest ever temps in Louisville!!  The weather went into the 0's much of Jan.  Lots of snow and this Florida boy was freezing!
Going back to work meant leaving his mom in my care (who was battling dementia and any changes in her routine really could get her upset!)
David passed all of his rigorous tests with flying colors and trust me any test in your 60's can challenge anyone!  I was able to fly up to drive home with him at the end of the month.  We drove through Atlanta, GA which had a nightmare of an ice/snow storm which literally shut their interstates down in the middle of town.  Remnants of icy roads and a still a few abandoned cars were still visible.  But we went through with downtown with only one slow down as we entered from the north.
Work resumed and quickly softball schedules for Kinley and Karsyn were on the calendar schedule.  We took Nana to several games which she enjoyed.
Summer quickly came and it was rainy and hot!  It was hard to really go anywhere since Nana was really starting to decline in her memory and getting out, but it seemed we had lots of doctor visits.
After a emergency room visit the end of July for her swollen legs (which turned out to be venous insufficiency ) brought us wonderful visits from Infinity Homecare and their wonderful staff of nurses.
It should have only been a 2 week stint, but it turned into 6 weeks, and she started losing weight and not eating.  Thankfully, Dr. Rodman (Thurs Sept 11) noticed her talking (babbling) and her weight loss and ordered bloodworm and chest X-rays.  On Monday Sept 15 when I went back after lunch to visit her she was asleep in her easy chair and I couldn't wake her...we decided to call 911, and after they came she came to talking about seeing Angels and was reaching for them.  The really nice paramedics mentioned maybe we should call Hospice since they could come in and help (she had senior failure to thrive).  We made a call that brought us enormous help and they were truly a Godsend.  We had to have an evaluation with their social worker first, to qualify, which of course, she had no problem.  The help came immediately, the next day we met with her individual social worker and case nurse.  They were again beyond helpful.  Things happened truly fast after this started.  Dr. Rodman called back the same Monday to say they found a mass of some sort in her right (?) lung and needed to come in for a ct scan that Tues.  She had a little trouble walking, but we made the appt.  On Wed. Dr. Rodman called David with the dreaded report she had a large tumor in her lung and it was CANCER...he gave his best guess as to maybe 6 months to live.
Her bi-weekly hair appt had to be cancelled for Thursday as she really wasn't getting up and around.  We called Ephiphany for a priest to come give a Healing (Last rites) rosary.  She was so cute as she thought she knew Father Eric, who later told us he had just got out of seminary.  She was so very appreciative of the visit and kissed his hand, and while he was rising, she struggled to sit up and asked if ( one of her repetitive requests) someone could help her get up and get to her car!!!  (which we had to take her keys in Feb. due to her memory)
By Friday the same week!!  She was getting a little uncomfortable and agitated.  We called in her nurse and she gave some meds for a urinary infection.  I had noticed her left abdomen being slightly larger and made reference to it, which she pushed in and Nana let her know it hurt!!  That moment really started her slide...Samantha and I had started to stay with her after Nana whispered to Sam on her visit that she really wanted her to spend the night, so little did we know her request would be one of her last.  Sam stayed Thurs night and I was there early Friday to let her get home for the children and work.  By Saturday Nana had to go to the bathroom constantly and was unable to void.  We called the weekend number for hospice and the nurse came out to put a catheter in.  It provided help for us but Nana didn't adjust to it easily.    She still had the urge.
By Sunday we knew her days were limited and we called the family to surround her in prayers and love.  She was in quite a bit of pain and her "comfort pack" was opened by a nurse we had to call yet again for her pain and agitation.  He saw her "picking of clothes" and told us she was in her final days.
This was not a surprise but when you consider how fast she had declined in a matter of 10 days, it was a bit of a shock.  By Monday morning Hospice called us, due to all our calls for help over the weekend and came out to check on her.  Barbara was the nurses name and she surveyed our notes and Nana and quickly determined she was ready for a bed in a Hospice home!!!  All the years of fear of that name quickly dispelled as we walked into Port Charlotte's home.  It was beautiful and they had gotten Nana bathed and changed into a pretty little nightgown.  This was Monday Sept.22.  She was able to talk and give us her love and we did ours'.  We all spent her last days surrounding her with love and visits from family and our wonderful Pastor Jim Mitchell.  Epiphany let us know Father Eric's visit was good and they were unable to come visit before she left her home.  Pastor Jim came to visit (30 miles away) every single day!  Came to her funeral as well.
On Saturday Sept. 27 at 4 pm, Nana finally found HIS Door open and was welcomed into Heaven.  It was a quiet surreal moment.  She went very peaceful.  David called George, long time family friend from Ewing funeral home and he came for her.
The whole 2 weeks went so very fast!!  We had a crash course, on moderate dementia, cancer, Hospice and ....well...I just can't say enough wonderful things about Hospice...they truly saw us through a hard time.  We thought our battle was moderate dementia, which was diagnosed in April by Dr. Kaplan.  But in the end it was cancer...but knowing she didn't have to endure years of dementia which was quickly exceeding our capabilities, was ...a blessing from God.  So when you see caregivers, give them a pat on the back or a hug, because, some of the journey's are beyond heartbreaking to see.
Thank you Doctor Rodman
Thank you Doctor Kaplan
Thank you Tidewell Hospice workers (ANGELS)
Thank you family and friends who helped us all through an extraordinary long year....
we survived and we are BLESSED beyond measure!
Thank you GOD for being with us each and every moment, your promises never failed and your Love never diminished...amen and amen.