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    SPARK-JEAN   87,610
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Precious Time

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

My dad is hanging in here - fighting for strength and life.
He is waiting for drs to decide on his cancer treatment.
There isnt much he can do these days, but he enjoys visits from his kids and grandkids, he likes watching movies and reading his bible. His all time favorite thing is to talk on his phone. I wish I had the time to sit on the phone with him more then I do. This time to me is precious time - it will pass way too quickly and I will miss my dad more then I can imagine right now. I do make it a priority to talk to him once a day for atleast 15 minutes to 30 minutes. I want to hear how he feels and what he read that day in the bible.

Most of my siblings have decided that they cannot commit any time to help my parents out with dad's care. They are missing out on the greatest gift. My dad tells me stories about his life that I would otherwise not know, the joy on his face when I am there says it all, and when I went on vacation and called him on my way home - I heard the missing in his voice and the longing of my return.

The greatest gift I can give my dad is to honor him as the precious gift he is - all the way to the end. I know that one day soon - I will have to say "see ya in the morning dad, I love you" and let him go. I know where he is going and I know he will be waiting for me on the other side.


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SHARBABY123 9/30/2009 8:24PM

    I'm so sorry about your dad's cancer. I lost my dad last December. He had a stroke at age 61 and resided in a nursing home till his passing (he was 68). He went into the hospital for something routine and got sicker and sicker to the point that he was on a ventilator and was not coming back to us. Hospice was called in and we were there till the end. I was the only one there for him for almost 8 years so I can relate. Do cherish every moment and every conversation. I miss him and miss talking with him about the things we used to. No one can ever replace that.

Hang in there and cherish the time you have left.
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DRAGONWOLF 9/30/2009 1:48PM

    Jean, you are doing a wonderful thing. Be strong. You should try to record some of your Dad's stories for future generations. It is too bad your siblings have made a conscious choice to not participate. They are missing out, but I do understand that is hard to let go and it may be their way of dealing or denying. Maybe they will answer the phone when your Dad calls and give comfort to him in that way.

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ANGORA4 9/30/2009 12:22AM

    Beautiful!

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AUNTIEANNE22 9/29/2009 9:10PM

  You are giving your parents and yourself the best gift. You will have beautiful memories of your father's last days and your siblings will have a lot of guilt, because they were not there. I speak from experience. I alone took care of my father for the last 15 months of his life. My sisters were all too busy with their own lives. When he was dying and I spoke to him of all the things we had done together, my sisters were amazed. They no longer speak to me, but I win. I did what I wanted to do and I gave my dad what he needed.

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DAS92687 9/29/2009 6:49PM

    Jean, you are very wise. My husband, daughter and I had a lot of time and memories with my grandfather that my cousins and their families missed out on, too. We visited him nearly every week for years, and when the time came, he moved in here also for five years. I would not trade the times, the memories, the stories for anything. I remember sometimes, we would hear the same story for what seemed like the 100th time, and looking back I am so glad we listened again.

God bless you and you dad and your family with patience and joy during the time you have left. God bless the doctors to be inspired with treatments that will keep your dad comfortable.

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JUDYK17 9/29/2009 2:12PM

    Hang in there Jean, it's never easy and does not get easier as time passes. You are right that the greatest gift you can give right now is yourself. I hope your dad doesn't suffer and I hope you are not suffering either. Hold these moment with your dad close.

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