- Joined
- Feb 23, 2014
- Messages
- 2,636
- Reason
- Lost a loved one
- Diagnosis
- 01/2014
- Country
- US
- State
- NC
- City
- Littleton
We've started our Spring travel. I have mixed emotions--excitement---fear---exhaustion (yes, it's an emotion too, as we all know)---happiness that he still wants to do something.
Yesterday we drove three hours to Hampton, VA. Our first stop was his friend's jewelry store where Matt picked up three pairs of earrings--one for each year that I've cared for him so far. He choked up when he said that, and he brought tears to my eyes. All three pairs are the same, but each has a different color of small diamonds in it.
From there, we went to the funeral home where another old friend of his works. He's starting to make the arrangements. He wants to be transported from NC to Virginia where he grew up, have one evening of showing at the funeral home, then be creamated. We picked out the casket and urn and discussed having his ribbons removed from his military uniform before the cremation. Wow. He's still torn on internment. Originally he wanted to be at Arlinginton, but now he's thinking about the local cemetery where his mom was buried when he was 14. He doesn't want to be alone. I told him I'd keep his ashes, but he wants me to move on. Oh my.
From there, we went straight to the hotel and he went straight to bed. He's still sleeping. Today is recovery, tomorrow our daughter graduates from Regents University, and Sunday the church youth choir that he sang is is having a reunion and he plans to sing with them. Dinner Saturday night with his friends at the hotel.
Heidi is with us. She's so good. I know she'd love to take a walk, but she won't leave dad this morning. That scares me. She is on the bed next to him right now. At 7:30 I offered her a walk--she wagged her tail, jumped up on me, and then walked over to the bed and sat down. She's watching over dad.
So, I make it downstairs just before breakfast ended and brought back two plates. I've eaten and his can go in the microwave when he finally wakes. We got a suite, so I'm comfortable while he sleeps.
We go home Sunday or Monday, and then leave next Friday for Wyoming and maybe California. Heidi will stay with friends during that very long trip--the travel days are too long and the effort to move him to all encompassing after a few days.
He still plans to go back to Colorado in September to hunt. He has a full quad shooting setup so he can sight with his chin and fire by sucking on a straw.
Oh, yes, our daughter---the one graduating --is traveling with us to Wyoming. No more trips like that on my own. We're still working out who will comes in September, but that's too far away for me to worry about it right now.
He's leaning against a vent, so I think he thinks he's making is farewell tour. Smiles everyone, we are going to wring every ounce of fun out of this year that we can.
Personally, I think he has a few years left.
Becky
Yesterday we drove three hours to Hampton, VA. Our first stop was his friend's jewelry store where Matt picked up three pairs of earrings--one for each year that I've cared for him so far. He choked up when he said that, and he brought tears to my eyes. All three pairs are the same, but each has a different color of small diamonds in it.
From there, we went to the funeral home where another old friend of his works. He's starting to make the arrangements. He wants to be transported from NC to Virginia where he grew up, have one evening of showing at the funeral home, then be creamated. We picked out the casket and urn and discussed having his ribbons removed from his military uniform before the cremation. Wow. He's still torn on internment. Originally he wanted to be at Arlinginton, but now he's thinking about the local cemetery where his mom was buried when he was 14. He doesn't want to be alone. I told him I'd keep his ashes, but he wants me to move on. Oh my.
From there, we went straight to the hotel and he went straight to bed. He's still sleeping. Today is recovery, tomorrow our daughter graduates from Regents University, and Sunday the church youth choir that he sang is is having a reunion and he plans to sing with them. Dinner Saturday night with his friends at the hotel.
Heidi is with us. She's so good. I know she'd love to take a walk, but she won't leave dad this morning. That scares me. She is on the bed next to him right now. At 7:30 I offered her a walk--she wagged her tail, jumped up on me, and then walked over to the bed and sat down. She's watching over dad.
So, I make it downstairs just before breakfast ended and brought back two plates. I've eaten and his can go in the microwave when he finally wakes. We got a suite, so I'm comfortable while he sleeps.
We go home Sunday or Monday, and then leave next Friday for Wyoming and maybe California. Heidi will stay with friends during that very long trip--the travel days are too long and the effort to move him to all encompassing after a few days.
He still plans to go back to Colorado in September to hunt. He has a full quad shooting setup so he can sight with his chin and fire by sucking on a straw.
Oh, yes, our daughter---the one graduating --is traveling with us to Wyoming. No more trips like that on my own. We're still working out who will comes in September, but that's too far away for me to worry about it right now.
He's leaning against a vent, so I think he thinks he's making is farewell tour. Smiles everyone, we are going to wring every ounce of fun out of this year that we can.
Personally, I think he has a few years left.
Becky