jennifers
Forum Replies Created
-
Posts
-
Dad was always cold as well – he’d wear a toque (or a knit cap / beanie to non-Canadians) all the time. Didn’t matter how warm it was, he needed it to be outside, along with quite a few layers of clothing. We had a heated blanket for him that he used in the house even through the summer, and the heat was always blasting. Pretty sure I sweat out a few pounds being in the house it was always so sweltering! Sounds like the cold is not uncommon though.
Thinking about you and your wife!
Jen
I’m sorry you are facing such a difficult time. I lost my Dad last June to this horrible disease, and he was my hero too. It’s so hard, but your Mom is so very lucky to have you by her side. Please know that you have people all over the world thinking and praying for comfort and peace for you both, including me.
Love of Love.
Jen
Chiming in as someone who lost somebody, not as somebody fighting this awful disease…
I hate that I lost the most amazing man in my life – my Daddy.
I hate reading about everyone (especially the younger people) fighting this, but love to read about their incredible strength in the face of such adversity – Pamela, I’m certainly speaking of Lauren on this one! I read your blog daily.
I hate how frail my strong Dad was near the end – a vision I’m not sure I’ll ever get out of my head.
I hate how Dad’s love for food made him so sick. I wished he could have eaten anything he wanted (and talked about eating) without feeling so very awful afterwords – I know he’s enjoying it now though!!
I hate all the moments Dad will miss in my daughters life and that she won’t have memories of him, even though she loved him so very much.
I hate that Dad spent so much of his last year worrying about us and how we would be. He wasn’t afraid to die, but was so sad that we would be left without him. It should have been all about him.
I love the time I spent with Dad that last year of his life. We knew he would be leaving us, and every second was so special. It taught me to make sure that this is how it is with my family ALWAYS.
I love (and am thankful for) all I’ve learned in the last 2 years (Dad was diagnosed 2 years ago this month). As I said at Dad’s funeral – he taught me to be thankful for every thing in my life – the sun, the rain, the miserably cold winters we can have. My beautiful family and every second I spend with them, and my amazing daughter who still has a bond with her Papa that lets me know he’s with me always. Days may not always be bright, but we are here, and healthy, and together – and that’s worth a smile.
I love that I KNOW Dad is with me – I may not hear him or see him, but I feel him and I feel his love surround me. Makes the hating part a bit easier to bear, and the good parts a bit easier to remember.
I am thankful for the little bit of good that came from Dad having this awful disease, I am a member of a huge family from around the world that loves and supports one another.
My love and thoughts and prayers are with you all, always. I still read daily, just don’t always have it in me to respond to posts.
I’m glad to hear that his words moved others the way they did with me. Although I never met him, and my family only had very brief communication with him soon after his diagnosis (he e-mailed my Mom after finding out we were in the same city), I find myself grieving for him as I would a friend. My thoughts are with his family, and I hope somehow they can find out about this site, and read what others thought of their amazing Husband and Dad.
Jen
Hopeful – I have become an absolute hypochondriac as well. I have to really talk myself out of having a complete panick attack any time I feel anything out of the usual at all. In the last month, I’ve convinced myself that I have ovarian and bone cancer, and then I’ve had to really work to tell myself that I am being silly! I wonder what ailment it will be next month!
Thinking of you and your family, and hoping you can get the money situation under control – it’s an added stress that certainly isn’t needed!
Jen
Becky – I found my posts from the last few weeks. I hope it helps, even a little.
http://www.cholangiocarcinoma.org/punbb/viewtopic.php?id=6367
Jen
Becky,
I am sorry for what you are going through, and remember the last week of Dad’s life vividly. I felt honoured to be with him during the time and as difficult as it was, I saw and heard things that I will never forget. Dad also hallucinated, picked at the sheets, etc. When he started speaking to people who have passed before him, and telling us that he had been in both worlds (and described it), he was just short of a week from passing away. During the last 5 days he was unable to communicate, but was awake and could most certainly still hear us. Wow… haven’t thought about those days in a while. You can search my posts for it… writing to people who understood what I was going through while it was happening helped me a lot. It would have been in June of this year. Please know that I am thinking of you and your family during this difficult time, and pray for peace.Jen
anp – a rollercoaster is exactly what it is! I hope you can figure out the cause of his problems soon and he can enjoy some food over the weekend without feeling horrible afterwords. Thinking of you and your family.
Jen
I am so sorry for what you are going through. It brings me back to the last little bit of time I had with my Dad. I agree with Marion – his comfort is what needs to be considered above all else right now. Hospice did not give Dad IV… he was so small that it would have gone directly to his lungs anyway since it really had nowhere else to go. It was also decided that it would have prolonged his suffering, which we absolutely did not want. In the end stages, a body starts to reject food and liquids because that is what it is meant to do. Follow your heart and the advice of doctors and the hospice team… you (and they) will know what’s right for him. Please know I am praying and thinking of you and your family.
Jen
Pam – I just read your caring bridge site and wanted to let you know that I’m sending you and your beautiful daughter positive thoughts and prayers. I’m so sorry that you are having to deal with this disease, but thankful that Lauren has an incredible family by her side during her fight. I hope she’s feeling a lot better today, and the meds / caffeine keep that headache away!
Jen
I am so incredibly sorry for your loss. I am thinking and praying for you and your family in the days to come. Keep the memories of your beautiful daughter close to your heart, and the will help you through the difficult times ahead. My love is with you all.
Jen
Adam – I am so sorry for what your family is facing right now. As far as the fluids go, I know that when Dad was in hospital, they had it on a VERY slow drip and they watched closely to ensure the fluid wasn’t going anywhere it shouldn’t have been (he was so small then, and there weren’t too many places for it to go so they were they were concerned about his lungs. I’m sure the doctors are watching closely.
I hope the antibiotics take care of the pnemonia, and your wife starts to feel better soon. Sending positive thoughts, and praying for your wife, you and your beautiful children.Jen
The car is my sanctuary too…. how funny that it’s the same for so many people. I still cry MUCH more often when I am driving alone then any other time. I can think and feel freely, it’s quiet (or there’s a good song on that makes me think of Dad), and there’s nobody to interrupt my grief. I feel much better afterwords, so I let it happen without holding back.
CM – I am thinking of you, and hope you are having a better day today.
Jen
