LauraA
Member
- Joined
- Nov 22, 2010
- Messages
- 15
- Reason
- CALS
- Diagnosis
- 10/2010
- Country
- US
- State
- Nevada
- City
- Henderson
My dear father, Valentine Michael Kolar, 82, passed away peacefully March 29, 2011 from the monstrous disease ALS. My dad was diagnosed last August, 2010, with what turned out to be rapid-limb onset ALS. ( He would say to me, "I can't believe this, a year ago I was on the roof of my house making repairs!"). It took him very quickly. He didn't want a vent nor did he want a feeding tube. He was completely bed bound by February and completely miserable until Hospice stepped in the last 6 weeks. (I cannot say enough about Nathan Adelson Hospice and how profoundly wonderful they are!)
After everything I've read about the respiratory system shutting down for most ALS patients, this was not what took him; his breathing stayed strong until the end. About 3 weeks ago he started refusing food. Said he wasn't hungry. He had an awful time swallowing for a few weeks before that. He would sip water and milk until he was too weak to sip and we would pull the liquid up through a straw for him.
In the end, he seemed to be completely at peace and was unconscious for about five days before he passed. During that time we would sit with him, talk to him, hold his hand, play Frank Sinatra CD's for him and swab his lips with those pink swabs.
My dad was such a good, kind man, always trying to do the right thing. One of the last things he asked me was to make sure I took care of his taxes for tax year 2010! My teenage children are devastated by the loss of their grandpa--they became very close with him as we took care of him in our home for 8 months until he passed.
He is with the angels now, no more suffering.
As a side note,
My dad was a veteran of the Korean War and the more I read about it, it seems that there is a definite link between ALS and military service. For those who don't know, ALS is now deemed an automatic "service related disability" through the VA for those who were in the military at least 90 days and who are diagnosed with ALS.
God Bless those who are suffering with this horrible disease, their families and caregivers!
I hope and pray for a cure!
Take care of each other,
Laura Andersen
After everything I've read about the respiratory system shutting down for most ALS patients, this was not what took him; his breathing stayed strong until the end. About 3 weeks ago he started refusing food. Said he wasn't hungry. He had an awful time swallowing for a few weeks before that. He would sip water and milk until he was too weak to sip and we would pull the liquid up through a straw for him.
In the end, he seemed to be completely at peace and was unconscious for about five days before he passed. During that time we would sit with him, talk to him, hold his hand, play Frank Sinatra CD's for him and swab his lips with those pink swabs.
My dad was such a good, kind man, always trying to do the right thing. One of the last things he asked me was to make sure I took care of his taxes for tax year 2010! My teenage children are devastated by the loss of their grandpa--they became very close with him as we took care of him in our home for 8 months until he passed.
He is with the angels now, no more suffering.
As a side note,
My dad was a veteran of the Korean War and the more I read about it, it seems that there is a definite link between ALS and military service. For those who don't know, ALS is now deemed an automatic "service related disability" through the VA for those who were in the military at least 90 days and who are diagnosed with ALS.
God Bless those who are suffering with this horrible disease, their families and caregivers!
I hope and pray for a cure!
Take care of each other,
Laura Andersen
