My dad passed on 3/12 at 1 pm.March is not a good month in the family ,as now my dad and my moms grandparents all passed in march..My dad was a life long smoker ,tried to get him to stop repeatedly,I was able to quit 20 years ago…Chantix,worked for me..
Starting 6 months ago he noticed bump in forearm and went to doc ,initial testing came back negative,It kept growing rapidly..Got to the point it broke his arm..He was getting tested,still negative..They scheduled surgery for arm break but left tumor..He was in extreme pain,hardly eating etc..Finally in late December it comes back now positive for cancer..They schedule chemotherapy after the surgery. Tumor was then the size of a tennis ball..He gets surgery on 2/2.To fix the break but left tumor…The oncologist originally had said that he should get another 3-5 years with Chemotherapy…So they scheduled chemotherapy on 2/16..It destroyed him..He stopped eating drinking etc,and the cancer went into super over drive and started spreading..On 2/23 the oncologist says the second round is canceled and he has about two months left…He was still in extreme pain immense pain,drugs didn’t help. Nothing helped…Even at that time he was still coherent but just so much drugs he slept mostly….So I figured I would come see him on 3/16 a spend 3 full weeks with him to say goodbye…That never happend, On this past Saturday his new wife calls and says he is really bad and we need to come quick.We got there on Monday in Arizona..and he was slightly coherent mostly apologetic and loving …But was aware we were there and clearly talked and said our names and asked for love…But he went straight downhill.
I came to the hospice at 9am today and I’m so glad he was there not in some stupid hospital with bells and whistles..To be honest ,if he had a machine that would have flatlined when he passed…I would have thrown it through the window…But he wasn’t hooked up to anything..Which was awesome no noise nothing, peaceful and quite..When I arrived this morning 9 am I knew he was done..I had read up on this and my mom told me about when my grandfather passed..His breathing was intermittent 15-20 seconds between breaths and lots of congestion,moaning and totally incoherent..I called hospice nurse,she came in,said he was transitioning to final stage and then my brother arrived and we immediately called his new wife and she came quickly..The roving nurse came in about 9;45 and checked him ,and told me he will probably pass that night..I was between layin on the floor crying sick to my stomach ready to throw up,And holding his hand or head..Crying uncontrollably..When I lay down around 1pm and I noticed his breath was about 45 seconds from his last breath and I got up and walked over to him and put my hand on his head and his heart and kept counting.My brother and Shirley were slightly preoccupied looking at some old photos when my brother noticed me, I was paralyzed and couldn’t speak, it was now 90 seconds. My brother came over looked right at my dad and said. He is gone,I already knew ,but I couldn’t speak..120 seconds..And then I got so happy so so happy,I was smiling and I kept thanking the lord for taking him. As I prayed that once my bro and Shirley got there ,take him…He listened,thank you..But I was so happy I had to walk out as they were both crying, but I was happy, I know why ,but I also don’t know why..But he is now fishing with my grandpa…So I’m happy..