Today I got the phone call I knew was coming. My FIL passed away around 2:00 pm with Hubby holding his hand and SIL and her husband with him. Hubby reported that FIL went peacefully without undo stress beyond the suffering he was already in. I know that FIL is in that big duck camp in the sky blasting away at green heads, Sonny Boy said he's hunting with Jesus, maybe he is.
I've been working on this video for a bit, it will get some final tweaking as more pictures have been found and there is some disagreement about the music so this is not the final cut, more the the director's version. Probably ought to watch it quick cause I'm sure some copyright infringement is happening with the music and that will be blocked soon. I hope they don't come after me. Either way I likely won't leave it up too long.
FIL had a full and generous heart and lived life every moment he had, something all of us should try to do.
WINNIE'S LITTER Just a little blog of the ins and outs and ups and downs in the life of a mom.
Monday, December 17, 2012
Saturday, December 15, 2012
Not the Most Wonderful Time of the Year
Hubby flew out Tuesday and got to his hometown by late afternoon. FIL is still holding on but by a thread. The pain is increasing as are the doses of morphine. Hubby and his sister have rarely left FIL's side since early in the week, taking shifts to sleep. Hubby did do a quick overnight run for work but was gone only around 24 hours. While gone SIL reported that FIL stopped breathing for long bits several times in the night and then started breathing again. I've jumped every time my phone has rang this week thinking that's it, but it's not. It sounds terrible but now we are just waiting, and honestly I hope FIL can pass peacefully without undo pain.
In the meantime I've gotten all the Christmas shopping done, and just finished wrapping it. Take a piece of advice DO NOT BUY GLITTER WRAPPING PAPER. It looks gorgeous, but what a nightmare. Tape doesn't stick to it, the glitter is EVERYWHERE. I'm sure I'll be trying to get the red glitter up next September.
This week has been a whirlwind. With normal holiday crazy, and making sure we are able to run out of town for a week or longer with only a day or so notice I've been exhausted. Things I can normally spread out need to be done now. I've been so preoccupied that Christmas has really snuck up on me. In fact Mom was the one who pointed out to me that we needed to get the Christmas stuff wrapped and ready since we were planning Christmas with the in-laws long before FIL became hour to hour. If we leave now we will likely be gone until Christmas break is over. Hubby will be as surprised as the kids when they open their presents because he doesn't have a clue what's in the box either. Granted I'm usually the one doing the shopping, but he does normally take a gander at what I pick up and sometimes picks up some stuff himself.
With hindsight being 20/20 I'm glad Hubby went ahead north and left the kids here. A week of missed school, wrestling practices, swimming lessons and a "concert" at the senior center by Igor's class would have been sorely missed. FIL is in a state now that it's not wise for the boys to see him anymore so we might as well keep their schedule as normal as possible in the meantime.
Well I gotta go tackle that glitter mess on the dining room table and put away the wrapping paraphernalia. It's 1:30 am and I've been on "go" since about 11:00 am yesterday.
In the meantime I've gotten all the Christmas shopping done, and just finished wrapping it. Take a piece of advice DO NOT BUY GLITTER WRAPPING PAPER. It looks gorgeous, but what a nightmare. Tape doesn't stick to it, the glitter is EVERYWHERE. I'm sure I'll be trying to get the red glitter up next September.
This week has been a whirlwind. With normal holiday crazy, and making sure we are able to run out of town for a week or longer with only a day or so notice I've been exhausted. Things I can normally spread out need to be done now. I've been so preoccupied that Christmas has really snuck up on me. In fact Mom was the one who pointed out to me that we needed to get the Christmas stuff wrapped and ready since we were planning Christmas with the in-laws long before FIL became hour to hour. If we leave now we will likely be gone until Christmas break is over. Hubby will be as surprised as the kids when they open their presents because he doesn't have a clue what's in the box either. Granted I'm usually the one doing the shopping, but he does normally take a gander at what I pick up and sometimes picks up some stuff himself.
With hindsight being 20/20 I'm glad Hubby went ahead north and left the kids here. A week of missed school, wrestling practices, swimming lessons and a "concert" at the senior center by Igor's class would have been sorely missed. FIL is in a state now that it's not wise for the boys to see him anymore so we might as well keep their schedule as normal as possible in the meantime.
Well I gotta go tackle that glitter mess on the dining room table and put away the wrapping paraphernalia. It's 1:30 am and I've been on "go" since about 11:00 am yesterday.
Monday, December 10, 2012
Nightmare Whirlwind
Geez where do I start? I guess last Monday is likely the best starting point.
Monday, Hubby had surgery on his nose to correct his deviated septum. The surgery went fine with no problems. The doctor did hold him for what seemed a LONG time after the surgery, but from what I gathered that was simply his normal procedure. The evening was a little crazy as both the boys had activities at the same time, and of course the need to run to the pharmacy and Hubby's request to have some movies on hand for his enforced bed sitting the next day.
Tuesday, Hubby was on ultra light duty so I brought him a stack of receipts, the computer and told him his job was to balance our check book. I normally handle the bills and the mess of that but had somehow managed to get it all fouled up and frankly I stink at that kind of stuff. It was good project for him as the mess took him several hours and kept him still. While Hubby was searching for lost dollars and cents I did laundry and generally kept busy cleaning up the disaster that passes for the house. That evening Hubby got a phone call from his uncle. Evidently another uncle had spent the day with FIL and was convinced that FIL would only live another couple of days. We made the decision to send the kids to school in the morning and then leave for up north after running a couple of errands and getting packed.
Wednesday, we hauled the kids to school, ran a couple of errands, packed and hit the road. We arrived in the "Northland" in the late evening with FIL requesting that Hubby come see him. I unloaded the luggage - Hubby is not supposed to bend over or lift more than 10 lbs - and stayed at the house with the kids while Hubby went across town to see his father. He came in a couple hours and was shaken by the condition of FIL as he had really declined since we saw him last just a couple of weeks ago.
Thursday and Friday was spent visiting family, sorting through pictures to make a slide show for the funeral, making decisions for the funeral and the like. In the meantime FIL seemed to rally a little, certainly not up doing a dance but seemed somewhat better.
Saturday we decided to leave as a snowstorm was racing for the area on Sunday and Hubby had to be back home for a post-surgical visit with his doctor on Monday. In the normal ways of things like that we didn't leave town until near 2:00 for the nine hour drive home. We dragged in our door near midnight and the kids took themselves to bed without even being told.
Sunday, I spent the day digging out of the laundry nightmare, working on a "to do" list that seemed to grow faster than I could mark things off of it. We had planned on turning around again on Tuesday to go back north but with more discussion decided it would be best to fly Hubby there and the kids, Mom, and I follow behind when he thinks it prudent for us to come up. Of course we don't know if that will be as soon as Wednesday or even into next week.
Needless to say we've hit a new stress level. Hubby, Sonny Boy and I rarely far from tears. Igor is in toot mode, and Mom is in la la land asking the same questions repeatedly.
Calgon take me away....
Monday, Hubby had surgery on his nose to correct his deviated septum. The surgery went fine with no problems. The doctor did hold him for what seemed a LONG time after the surgery, but from what I gathered that was simply his normal procedure. The evening was a little crazy as both the boys had activities at the same time, and of course the need to run to the pharmacy and Hubby's request to have some movies on hand for his enforced bed sitting the next day.
Tuesday, Hubby was on ultra light duty so I brought him a stack of receipts, the computer and told him his job was to balance our check book. I normally handle the bills and the mess of that but had somehow managed to get it all fouled up and frankly I stink at that kind of stuff. It was good project for him as the mess took him several hours and kept him still. While Hubby was searching for lost dollars and cents I did laundry and generally kept busy cleaning up the disaster that passes for the house. That evening Hubby got a phone call from his uncle. Evidently another uncle had spent the day with FIL and was convinced that FIL would only live another couple of days. We made the decision to send the kids to school in the morning and then leave for up north after running a couple of errands and getting packed.
Wednesday, we hauled the kids to school, ran a couple of errands, packed and hit the road. We arrived in the "Northland" in the late evening with FIL requesting that Hubby come see him. I unloaded the luggage - Hubby is not supposed to bend over or lift more than 10 lbs - and stayed at the house with the kids while Hubby went across town to see his father. He came in a couple hours and was shaken by the condition of FIL as he had really declined since we saw him last just a couple of weeks ago.
Thursday and Friday was spent visiting family, sorting through pictures to make a slide show for the funeral, making decisions for the funeral and the like. In the meantime FIL seemed to rally a little, certainly not up doing a dance but seemed somewhat better.
Saturday we decided to leave as a snowstorm was racing for the area on Sunday and Hubby had to be back home for a post-surgical visit with his doctor on Monday. In the normal ways of things like that we didn't leave town until near 2:00 for the nine hour drive home. We dragged in our door near midnight and the kids took themselves to bed without even being told.
Sunday, I spent the day digging out of the laundry nightmare, working on a "to do" list that seemed to grow faster than I could mark things off of it. We had planned on turning around again on Tuesday to go back north but with more discussion decided it would be best to fly Hubby there and the kids, Mom, and I follow behind when he thinks it prudent for us to come up. Of course we don't know if that will be as soon as Wednesday or even into next week.
Needless to say we've hit a new stress level. Hubby, Sonny Boy and I rarely far from tears. Igor is in toot mode, and Mom is in la la land asking the same questions repeatedly.
Calgon take me away....
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