Gramps & Gram at Christmas with the wine we made from their grapes!
Easter Sunday we were awakened by a phone call around 7:00am that my grandpa was unresponsive and had been taken to the hospital by ambulance. We met the rest of my family at the hospital and spent a few hours in the emergency room waiting area. We were allowed to go in 2 at a time to see him and it was awful. They had him basically on life support and he looked so uncomfortable. It was really hard to see.
Finally they decided to move him up to the ICU. He was stable and they were going to be running some tests on him so the 16 of us that were at the hospital all took shifts and came and went throughout Sunday. Joe and I went home, showered, and had an Easter lunch at his parents’ house. Once that was done I went back to the hospital then picked up some hot beef to take down to my grandmas so everyone could eat. We knew earlier in the day that we needed to get my grandpas 2 other daughters who live out of state here to Illinois as soon as possible. They started making arrangements early in the morning and both were here by the evening. We knew we wanted him on life support at least until all the family that could be here got here.
Putting on a brave face for Easter.
I went back to the hospital for a 3rd time and they decided that they were going to keep him on the ventilator until the morning when they could do another CT and EEG on him. We already knew at this point that he had suffered a massive stroke at the brain stem and that there was no brain activity. He never regained consciousness and was not responsive to any of the testing that they were doing. A couple of my aunts stayed over night with him at the hospital.
I went back Monday morning around 7:30 right before his scheduled CT scan. About 10AM the doctor came in to tell us that they once again confirmed no brain activity and a major stroke. He said he wasn’t going to perform any additional testing and since we were all on the same page about taking him off life support they would begin the process of doing so.
We took him off life support around 11:45 Monday morning and he hung on and fought and was breathing on his own until about 5:30 in the evening when he finally took his last breath. It was a long, exhausting few days for everyone and we were all ready for him to let go. He was surrounded by 16 family members over the day and a half in the hospital, and 14 of us were able to be there those last few hours of his life. We were highly complimented by the hospital social worker for being able to surround him with so much love.
We all did a shot of Rock & Rye for grandpa! Even my dad!
He was 92 years old and lived a very full life. He was in the Navy, he got a Master’s Degree, he taught biology and drivers education, he had 6 children, 11 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. He loved to tell stories and had so many of them to tell. When I saw him Saturday for lunch I sat by him and listened to many of those stories and I am so thankful that family was home for Easter and we were able to spend some quality time with him. He could not have picked a better weekend to go. We will truly miss him!
Grandpa in the Navy, he was 24 years old in this picture.
One last peaceful photo to remember him by.
I'm so sorry for your loss. It sounds like he was a wonderful man that lived his life to the fullest. And I absolutely love that last picture. What a great way to remember him. Makes me all weepy!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry for your loss. What a season of change. Prayers for you in the days and weeks to come.
ReplyDeleteSydney
I am so sorry for the loss I know you and your family are feeling, but what a beautiful legacy he has left behind in all of you!
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss. Prayers for your family in the days to come, I know they will be hard. What a beautiful life he lived.
ReplyDeleteIt sounds like he had an amazing life and left this world with so much love. What a lucky man to have so many people in his life who loved him so deeply.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry for your loss! I know that the days to come and holidays will be hard! Prayers going out to you guys!
ReplyDeleteSorry for your loss sweet friend. It's quite beautiful how all of you managed to come together to say your final goodbyes. Praying for peace and comfort for you and your family.
ReplyDeleteSo sorry friend, but so glad he led a full life! I can imagine he was such a wonderful man full of stories after 92 years!! Hugs to you
ReplyDelete