Well, it has been quite a week so far. G'dad, who had been in a nursing home since early May, passed away on Saturday, June 13, 2009 around 608am. He had been ok Friday afternoon when we went to see him, sleepy, but that's usual for him. He had a small bit of congestion, but we weren't too worried b/c he'd had that before due to the fact that he had trouble swallowing. We went on and went to bowling that night, then about 330am Sat morning, we got a call from the nursing home that they were taking him to the hospital. He was vomitting, high fever and respiratory distress. So, we got woke up and dressed and headed to the hospital. We got there around 430am or so, but they wouldn't let us go back at that time b/c there was a "violent trauma" there the same time, and NO-ONE was going in or out. So, we just waited. We stepped outside for some air and to catch a smoke, when one of the guards came out to find us to let us know we could go in. The triage nurse (the BEST triage nurse we ever encountered there) walked us back to his room. We had decided on the way over that we weren't going to call anyone else, like Uncle Ricky until we knew what was going on. Well, that changed as soon as we walked into the room. When we saw g'dads color (around his mouth and his hands had already started to turn), we knew. Without a word being spoken, I grabbed my cell and dialed my uncle. This was about 520am or so. He got there about 15-20 minutes later. While we were waiting for him to arrive, we both held g'dads hands and talked to him. Me on one side and Mama on the other. Telling him things like "I love you" and "Don't worry, we'll be ok" and "Everything is ok now". He couldn't respond b/c they had him "comfortable" so that he wasn't hurting. About 5 minutes before my uncle got there, the ER doc came in and told us he was critically ill and that he had pneumonia. Well, as soon as we heard that, we knew he wouldn't live much longer. The staff at Moses Cone ER were super during this time, leaving us to our last precious minutes with him. As soon as my uncle arrived, I moved to Mama's side so he could hold his hand and touch him and talk to him. Mama and I were holding one hand, rubbing his shoulders and forehead and telling him we loved him, and my uncle was doing the same. Then, about 5 till 6 or so, he actually stopped breathing. So he drew his last breath sometime within minutes of 6am. We stood there with tears in our eyes as we watched and waited for him to draw another breath, but that didn't happen. Around 608am, his heart finally stopped beating. Mama stopped his watch at that time. The nurse came in at the sound of the alarm, turned that off and checked for a heart beat. Hearing none, he stepped out and summoned the doctor for verification. We left the hospital about 5 minutes later to come home.
We got home, and Paisley, who normally BOUNDS around the fridge to greet us bouncing all the time, slowly walked around the fridge, ears back, a sad look on her face. She knew. She gently placed her two front paws on Mama's thighs and stretched up to give her lovin's...then she did the same to me. She was soooo sweet and gentle. But she knew...she knew her buddy wasn't coming home. She knew he was gone. I think she knew the moment we got the call that he wasn't coming home.
Well, the funeral home called around 8ish to set up a time to discuss his arrangements. We went that afternoon and got everything set up, picked out his casket, memorial information, obit info, etc. Tough stuff. Decided on times, flowers, etc. He wanted a simple graveside service with Military Honors. That's what he got. He didn't really want a visitation, but we thought it best to have one so that any of his nieces and nephews that lived out of town could have a chance to say their goodbyes. So, we had the visitation on Monday night, and the service on Tuesday afternoon.
The day of the service, it poured rain that morning. Then, it slacked up as we were driving to the cemetary. Just as the preacher, Ed "Bless Your Heart" Lawing, began the service, it began to mist.
Kind of like, washing away the old to bring in the new. With the Military Honors, the Randolph County Honor Guard was there to send him a soldiers farewell. Shooting off 3 vollies of 7, playing Taps on the bugle, then presenting the flag to Mama. At the conclusion of the service, the misting stopped. Kind of wild, huh? We hung around for a little bit...talking to friends and family. We came home, and some family came by also and we had a little bit of lunch. When they left, we decided to go back out to the cemetary and take Paisley, so she could say her goodbyes. Boy, did she! She sniffed all the flowers...
...and then, left 2 paw prints in the fresh dirt as if to say, "I love you!"
Ohhh it was precious! At the head of the grave, was an American Flag.
We had her sit there, and she looked towards it, almost like she's at attention!
Anyway, with the arrangement plan for his funeral, we received a link to an everlasting online memorial. I have been working on it, getting it just right, adding pictures, etc. If you would like to check it out, pay your respects, or just have it for memories, you may vist by clicking Walter T. Willard. It is still and will probably be under constant construction and changes. It's really a neat site and wonderful way to memorialize a loved one. There is a picture movie on there as well as just a picture site.
Thanks to all that gave their love, care, support, prayers and thoughts! All are greatly appreciated!
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