Dad's at Peace

On Wednesday evening we saw Dad take a turn towards the true final stages of his journey. When Beth had gone back to the hospital around 9 o'clock she was alarmed when she walked in the room to see that he was not breathing. However he had slipped back into the stage of where there are regular periods when he didn't breath for 30 seconds at a time. (this had happened the previous Saturday but he transitioned back to regular breathing on the Sunday and was a ittle more aware and responsive for the next few days, though not eating).

Beth felt that it may be our last opportunity to be with Dad so all of our children were able to come up to the hospital and Mom was with us as well, coming right over after her dialysis treatment. It was a special time and we were so grateful how it had all worked out for us to be together - Alison had come down from Barrie that day because she was taking a course this week, and Joel had just arrived back from a visit to Nova Scotia the day before.

Beth and I took turns staying with Dad during the night, reading Scripture and singing, and Mom came back a bit later in the morning. Dad was mostly unresponsive but we believe he was hearing all the words of love that we expressed to him. He continued his breathing pattern of 30 seconds of apnea and then laboured breathing for a minute or so. I was spending the afternoon at the hospital when Mom and Dad's pastor came by in the afternoon. Pastor Richard and I had a wonderful time of sharing, including great stories of how Dad had been such a positive influence on so many people over his life.

Mom came back about 5 o'clock and Pastor Richard stayed with her while Beth and I went home for supper. He called just after 6 to let us know that Dad had passed so our family headed back up to be with them. Mom said that her and Richard had been singing hymns to Dad when he took his final breath.

Dad passed away almost exactly 3 weeks after Beth and I had taken him into the hospital. We consider it a great blessing that the time from his cancer diagnosis to his passing was really quite brief. The care he received at St. Mary's Hospital was exceptional and we are so thankful for the staff there. With Beth's many years of nursing there (and my few years as a medical attendant at the beginning of our marriage), and living almost right beside it, St. Mary's has always felt like 'our hospital' so it was very meaningful to share these last days with Dad in this special place.

Details for visitation and funeral are being finalized today but we have decided to have visitation at the Henry Walser Funeral Home on Sunday evening and the service will be on Monday at St. Stephen's Lutheran Church (12:00 Noon).

Thanks once again for your prayers and support through this time.