an email from my aunt Kathie regarding GrandPAWS death...

Friday was so weird.. Finished some more chores but not all of them. some
will have to wait until monday. Dad had started calling me every morning.
He would have the nurse dial our number and there he was. Just asking how
my day was, what was I doing, ken., and please bring watermelon or root
beer...when we come in the evening. the phone doesn't ring about 10am now

We would go and see him after ken would get home from work and Ken would
feed him dinner. He was eating up to 85% of his dinner and keeping it down.
He started making jokes about the food.. it was pureed.. the texture,
taste, he was getting his humor back.

The activities director came in and asked ?? about his likes etc.. he told
her music.. dixieland, hawaiian, etc.. they were going to get him up and
take him to the entertainment the next time.

The week before he fell and broke his hip, we know this as we just got the
bill, he took the trip from Brighton Gardens to Lake Geneva.. the bus up,
lunch and i do think it included a boat ride around the lake. Now getting
there the bus driver got lost and Dad told them how to get there. He still
was the director of driving. (When Ken and I were looking for Rachel's
family chapel near johnsburg.. dad knew the exact roads and the curves and
the hills. he lead us straight to the place. he could not see the road
signs etc but still could direct.)

Trying to get him to eat better and do his exercises... wasn't easy for us
or the staff.. he was cantankerous. As we started looking for a place for
him to be transferred to after the 100 days medicare will allow in rehab...
we went to Brighton Gardens to give them a 30 day notice and Desma said why
leave. They showed us a room on the first floor that would be a perfect
size for him with his needs and they had a small group of people in the wing
and the staff would feed himself needed and PT came there to BG and staff
would ck on him every hour and if he was up to it he could go back to the
main area for entertainment and meals if he could feed himself. We came
back and told him he was going back to BG when he was done at Lexington. He
just smiled and that was the first day he ate most of his dinner.

It was not to be. He just slipped away. Life became just to difficult at
the end. His eyesight was completely gone now. His teeth didn't fit.. tho
he was scheduled for the dentist to reline them and solid foods were next,
it was so much energy just to sit up with help from two staffers. Though he
did try to help by holding onto the rail. the daily exercises would put him
in a lot of pain, then pain meds and then long naps.

He did enjoy his daily phone call from his brother Bob. Uncle Bob figured
out about what time Ken and I were there and would call then. As the phone
was on the stand and Dad could not reach it. But even if we put it in the
bed, Dad had a hard time figuring out the ear/mouthpiece and how to hang
up.. Ken would bring uncle Bob up to date on Dad and then give Dad the
phone.
I told Dad that the next week, he and I would work on him learning the phone
so we could have it on the tray or even in bed so he could answer it. That,
the dentist and the haircut was not to be.

I guess I am writing this more for me than you. I needed to do this.
Closure at watching the EMT's give him CPR is not the picture I want to
keep. Or cleaning out his room after he vacated the room.. (we had 4 hours
to have some one come get him and clean out his room)
Chris and Dan came up from southern Illinois so Thurs ken and i and the boys
cleaned out Brighton Gardens. Guess it is good we still have the condo.
put his things in the main garage.

Sharon and I wrote the obit and it was in the Daily Herald and Tribune
yesterday. It can still be read online and an online guest book is still
available. Dailyhearald.com or tribune.com and search by the date july 13.

Well this is long and it is time for some chores. See some of you soon,
others at the service on August 11 and others later. Take care
Kathie