Seniors
Related: About this forumMy dad died Saturday.
He had that stroke I mentioned a few weeks ago, then went into a rehab. There was a bit of progress but he still had trouble swallowing which affected his eating and talking.
He got rushed to the ER last week because he had trouble breathing. We found out he had had a few heart attacks and his kidneys were failing.
We made plans for hospice but he never made it out of the hospital.
He was 91 and had a rich, full life until old age hindered him. He was tired. I have cared for him since I moved to Florida, and I miss him terribly.
RIP, my dear old dad.
MLAA
(17,288 posts)When you feel like it, why dont you tell us about a couple of your best memories?
dameatball
(7,397 posts)one heck of a big bunch of memories.
livetohike
(22,140 posts)good memory help to comfort you and ease the sad memory of his final illness.
Me.
(35,454 posts)Afromania
(2,768 posts)spooky3
(34,444 posts)50 Shades Of Blue
(9,985 posts)spooky3
(34,444 posts)Anon-C
(3,430 posts)Keep him present in your heart, always!
CaliforniaPeggy
(149,611 posts)It's always hard, no matter how old they are. He did have a wonderfully rich, long life, and remember: you were a big part of that.
He was tired, and now he is at peace. I hope your many great memories will sustain you as you cross through this time of grief.
SWBTATTReg
(22,114 posts)TruckFump
(5,812 posts)Glad for you that you had a wonderful Dad. His memory will always be with you.
snowybirdie
(5,225 posts)You were fortunate to have him for so long. Remember the good times
FirstLight
(13,360 posts)I am entering into that phase with my 80 yr old parents right now and I don't want them to have a long, drawn out deterioration. My grandparents were lucky enough to just have an episode and leave the planet easily...
Seeing my mom in the hospital for a week at a time or my dad feeling so frail is hard.
:hugs:
Glad your dad had a good life...RIP
Maraya1969
(22,479 posts)You are always loved here.
shenmue
(38,506 posts)skylucy
(3,739 posts)murielm99
(30,736 posts)I am sorry.
NRaleighLiberal
(60,014 posts)lillypaddle
(9,580 posts)It's hard to lose a parent, no matter the age (theirs or ours).
denbot
(9,899 posts)Peace.
bronxiteforever
(9,287 posts)May he Rest In Peace
irisblue
(32,971 posts)It still echoes in my life.
I hppe the memories of love and good times sustain your family and help you in these days ahead
rurallib
(62,411 posts)He will always live in your memory
catbyte
(34,376 posts)I miss him every day. I'm glad your dad lived a full life, but that doesn't ease the sense of loss. He was your dad and was a constant in your life since the day you were born. That is a huge hole. Again, you and your family have my deepest condolences.
Laura PourMeADrink
(42,770 posts)jdadd
(1,314 posts)k8conant
(3,030 posts)tavernier
(12,383 posts)Look for him in little things. He will make his presence known. My dad likes to turn the garden hose on me, the great jokester that he was. I can almost count on it!
WinstonSmith4740
(3,056 posts)As you said, he had a rich, full life, and that's what counts. The following is called "Gone From My Sight" and is credited to Henry Van Dyke. It gave me great comfort after my husband's passing...I hope it does for you, too. Peace.
I am standing upon the seashore. A ship, at my side,
spreads her white sails to the moving breeze and starts
for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength.
I stand and watch her until, at length, she hangs like a speck
of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.
Then, someone at my side says, "There, she is gone."
Gone where?
Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast,
hull and spar as she was when she left my side.
And, she is just as able to bear her load of living freight to her destined port.
Her diminished size is in me -- not in her.
And, just at the moment when someone says, "There, she is gone,"
there are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices
ready to take up the glad shout, "Here she comes!"
And that is dying...
babylonsister
(171,059 posts)N_E_1 for Tennis
(9,721 posts)saidsimplesimon
(7,888 posts)be filled with love and joy from your family and friends.
in2herbs
(2,945 posts)91 years of memories he shared and you two experienced together. That is a blessing.
colorado_ufo
(5,733 posts)kairos12
(12,858 posts)B Stieg
(2,410 posts)CatMor
(6,212 posts)It's wonderful you cared for him and he knew that you did.
brer cat
(24,562 posts)ploppy
(2,162 posts)I am very sorry for your loss.
samnsara
(17,622 posts)Hamlette
(15,412 posts)all my love
3catwoman3
(23,975 posts)...before they met us, even when their bodies no longer support a joyous life.
My dad made it to 90, and was in relatively decent shape for most of it, thanks to the 24/7 devotion of my mom, a retired nurse. He probably would have died at least 3-5 years earlier had she not managed every detail of his life. She was getting worn out, and there was a sense of relief mixed in with the sadness when he died.
About 3 years ago,, I made the difficult decision to sell his pontoon boat, because we were no longer using it. I was surprised at how much it bothered me to do that - sort of like a delayed final goodbye.
It sounds like he was a great dad.
Duppers
(28,120 posts)krakfiend
(202 posts)still_one
(92,187 posts)JudyM
(29,236 posts)I lost my dad a year ago after caring for him, I have that sorrowed loss feeling as well.
Your dads rich, full life is no small thing, I hope you find comfort and breathing room soon in knowing the significance of that and of your bond and caring.
Peace to you, babylonsister.
Historic NY
(37,449 posts)Honeycombe8
(37,648 posts)CountAllVotes
(20,868 posts)May your poor dear old Dad rest in peace.
You have my extreme condolences.
elleng
(130,895 posts)Ohiogal
(31,989 posts)mountain grammy
(26,620 posts)LibDemAlways
(15,139 posts)about you. Sincere condolences on your loss. I hope good memories sustain you and bring you comfort now and in the days to come.
No Vested Interest
(5,166 posts)I've had your Dad on my mind since we posted one another re stroke effects and outcomes, and intended to post to you yesterday.
Be comforted in knowing that you were there for your Dad and thinking best thoughts for him throughout his illness and rehab.
Your Dad is now at peace; now it's time for you to find the peace offered to one who cared and did one's best to give care and comfort to her father.
Peace to you as well, dear sister.
lunatica
(53,410 posts)DU holds you in our collective arms with love and best wishes.
icymist
(15,888 posts)My Dad just passed recently as well. I know how you feel.
amywalk
(254 posts)yardwork
(61,599 posts)pazzyanne
(6,551 posts)No matter when and how life ends, it is hard for the family and friends of the loved one. Take care!
panader0
(25,816 posts)I have never gotten over missing my parents.
You did good by caring for him in his old years.
mfcorey1
(11,001 posts)Peacetrain
(22,875 posts)It is hard to let them go...
BigmanPigman
(51,590 posts)I am still in shock. I have tears in my eyes right now since I know what you are going through. Father's Day will be very difficult this year. Try to get rest and be good to yourself.
democrank
(11,094 posts)🌻
volstork
(5,400 posts)and especially on Fathers' Day. My dad is 90, so I feel how precious each day is.
MBS
(9,688 posts)No matter how long or rich or worthy their lives, no matter how deep and sustaining your mutual love, no matter how joyful the memories, no matter how much one might rationalize that it was time, still: there will always be a hole.
flpoljunkie
(26,184 posts)You were obviously very close to him..
SammyWinstonJack
(44,130 posts)babylonsister
(171,059 posts)JDC
(10,127 posts)CaptainTruth
(6,589 posts)FM123
(10,053 posts)marble falls
(57,080 posts)and she knew she was loved.
As with your dad, she built her own memorial. And I miss her, too.
I am sorry for your loss, even as I am also glad you had such a good dad.
orangecrush
(19,546 posts)Pachamama
(16,887 posts)My Dad died 6 years ago and I miss him so much....
You will always have him with you
alfredo
(60,071 posts)Laurie Anderson said, When my father died we put him in the ground
When my father died it was like a whole library
Had burned down.
You have absorbed and made yours the wisdom from those books. By giving you the lessons, he lives on through you. This is how we live forever.
His gifts will live much longer than your grief, and your grief will be eased by the knowledge and love he gave freely.
gademocrat7
(10,656 posts)applegrove
(118,642 posts)emmaverybo
(8,144 posts)day, and sometimes not too many hours, go by that I dont miss her. I am wishing you comfort in your grief. No matter the age they pass, we would have wanted them with us longer if only they did not suffer. Treat yourself very kindly.
Frustratedlady
(16,254 posts)He had a good, long life. May sweet memories help you through the grieving process.
BigBearJohn
(11,410 posts)sellitman
(11,606 posts)I'm so sorry to hear about yours. This is the part of getting older that stinks. May your memories of your Dad burn bright forever.
Hugs.
Kevin
babylonsister
(171,059 posts)Getting old isn't for the faint of heart, or sissies, nor is dealing with loved ones who inevitably go before us.
GentryDixon
(2,949 posts)I know the loss of both my parents. Peace to you & your family. 💜💜
Soph0571
(9,685 posts)Heartstrings
(7,349 posts)Laffy Kat
(16,377 posts)sheshe2
(83,751 posts)roamer65
(36,745 posts)I completely understand.
Raster
(20,998 posts)...my sincere condolences.
LittleGirl
(8,287 posts)I lost my baby brother 3 months ago and my oldest brother 9 months ago. The grief comes in waves. Hugs
My mother is 86 and so sad.
Stuart G
(38,421 posts)ancianita
(36,053 posts)You are very much admired, appreciated and supported around here.
Please be good to yourself as you deal with the time ahead.
Hekate
(90,674 posts)BlancheSplanchnik
(20,219 posts)Many virtual hugs to you and your Dad! ❤️❤️❤️
Dennis Donovan
(18,770 posts)mahina
(17,649 posts)Healing hearts. Sending him aloha.
babylonsister
(171,059 posts)sharing your recent experiences and for just being downright nice. You've all made me feel a little less sad.
GeoWilliam750
(2,522 posts)And congratulations to him on a life well lived
tosh
(4,423 posts)Losing a great dad is a very hard thing for a daughter.
Mickju
(1,803 posts)Solly Mack
(90,764 posts)struggle4progress
(118,282 posts)coeur_de_lion
(3,676 posts)but glad you had so much time with your Dad.
Atticus
(15,124 posts)who has lost a loved one. That I and many others have experienced our own losses--- buried our own beloved---does little to comfort you in this tearful time. But, may I make an observation?
Though we have never met, I know something about you from reading your caring thoughtful posts for several years. I have little doubt that your caring for your dad added time to his life and made his last days feel safer and more secure; held in the love of his child.
Please accept my sincere sympathy.
InAbLuEsTaTe
(24,122 posts)DownriverDem
(6,228 posts)May your good memories give you comfort.
dlk
(11,561 posts)Nevermypresident
(781 posts)pansypoo53219
(20,975 posts)add great uncles AND great-great uncles.
localroger
(3,626 posts)Just last week had to say goodbye to my Aunt Donna, my mother's sister. Mom herself died in 2013. I drove Dad down to the remembrance ceremony; he's 78 and if he makes it two more years he will be the longest lived member of either his or the previous generation of any of our families. But he still drives himself most places, gets around, and even plays accordion recitals for the local church.
ornotna
(10,800 posts)samplegirl
(11,477 posts)you have my deepest sympathy. We are never ready for them to leave no matter how old they are. I hope the best parts of him always live on through you. May his soul Rest In Peace.
RainCaster
(10,870 posts)It was a real awakening for me to realize that as the oldest sibling, I would replace my dad. How could I do that? I wasn't ready. Here I am, five years later getting on. You will come to understand your new place in the world. May you approach this with grace and humility.
iamateacher
(1,089 posts)paleotn
(17,912 posts)Same with my dad some years ago. It's tough, and I miss him. But I still remember the stuff he did, the things he said, the jokes he told and they still make me smile.
PatrickforO
(14,572 posts)No matter how old, it is tough to lose your dad.
usaf-vet
(6,181 posts)jimmil
(629 posts)I still miss him today.
Denis 11
(280 posts)orleans
(34,051 posts)UpInArms
(51,282 posts)AwakeAtLast
(14,124 posts)mia
(8,360 posts)Demovictory9
(32,454 posts)sueh
(1,826 posts)blm
(113,052 posts)wendyb-NC
(3,325 posts)Even though he was 91, and lived a rich full life, it's very realistic to miss him. He's been a part of your, life for all your life. You must take the to grieve, and heal in your own way. Take care of yourself. I raise a candle for both of you
bitterross
(4,066 posts)My father passed away in 1992 after a battle with prostate cancer. It was rather sudden and quick. Far longer than with your dad, though. It was about a year between the initial diagnosis and him passing.
During that year he went from being a living, aware, funny, loving person to being a just a body whose heart continued to beat and lungs continued to breathe. There were rough times. He ended his days in hospice care at home.
In some ways you are lucky. Lucky you didn't have to see the complete decline. Obviously, not at all lucky you lost a loved one.
Now is the time to write down remembrances of him. The fond times from your childhood, and any times you were lucky enough to be an adult with him. I miss most the times my dad would talk about his childhood and tell funny stories. I miss the very, very rare times he would speak of his service in WWII in the Philippines.
If you have had the fortune to hear stories from your dad I encourage you to write them down. They are treasures. Put them with the pictures and slides.
In your heart, you will never forget him. It's been almost 30 years since my dad passed. I have not forgotten him. Do not worry that he will cease to be with you. He will not.
luvallpeeps
(935 posts)No matter how long and full their lives were, it's still so hard to let them go. This Sunday will be sad for you.
cpamomfromtexas
(1,245 posts)But glad you had a father that you loved.
TLK
(1 post)Sorry to hear about the loss of your father.
Ellipsis
(9,124 posts)91 is a pretty good run.
Thank you for sharing.
lamp_shade
(14,828 posts)canetoad
(17,153 posts)I knew how close you were to your dad.
lunamagica
(9,967 posts)BumRushDaShow
(128,905 posts)So sorry to hear this. I am glad you had that time to spend with him and you will value that.
FailureToCommunicate
(14,013 posts)caring for your father till the end. Sad as his passing might be, you will always have him beside you now, and that you did all you could for him. I know from my parents passing that that lack of regret can help over time.
Granny M
(1,395 posts)Praying for peace and comfort for you and the family. He was blessed to have you caring for him.
OregonBlue
(7,754 posts)tell them something funny I just saw and realize they are not here. It's been years and I miss them but it's not painful now. They lived long, full lives. Time does heal the grief. I hope you are doing okay and have lots of support right now. Take care of yourself.
Useless in FL
(329 posts)flamingdem
(39,313 posts)kentuck
(111,089 posts)Our thoughts with you.
calimary
(81,238 posts)Well, a bunch of em, my friend.
Went through this with my dad. Even when you know the end is near, and even when it almost seems welcome - for the sake of the end of suffering, its STILL damn hard.
Damn hard.
My heart and my hard-earned memories are with you, sister.