Food Bank, Magnatiles, and more summer fun - with a last minute trip to Utah 7/29 - 8/4/2018

The kids keeping busy with magnatiles, poisonball, and horsey rides. 

Update on my dad.  Dad was able to go to church on Sunday - for two hours.  He was able to get around, but not feeling well.  He had a stint put in to help with treatment but with each test and procedure dad was getting worse. So on Thursday night I got a call from Richard saying the my dad wasn't doing well.  They had gone into get some more tests done that morning, but the doctor basically said that it was time to call family in and there wasn't much to be done.  Marcus and I debated late that evening what to do.  Do we leave and drive with our families or do we fly alone.  We felt the urgency of the situation and decided to fly.  

A family meeting was scheduled for Friday morning that Richard attended with others (leaving scout camp early and driving late to get to.) It was shown that morning that the cancer was too far along and that treatment would no longer do any good.  Dad's kidneys were failing and he was put on hospice.  Marcus and I both landed in SLC on Friday around 1:30 in the afternoon.  My sister-in-law Brenda picked us up and after a quick stop at In and Out Burger we were on our way to Smithfield.  

They had discharged dad from the hospital that afternoon.  I saw him in his room on his bed.  He asked if I could tell he was looking yellow.  Yes he was yellow from the jaundice that he had.  He told me he loved me and thanked me for coming.  I didn't know what to say.  It was hard being there, but I'm so glad that I was there to be with my mom and dad.  We knew dad would be leaving us, we just didn't know how much longer he had.  He seemed pretty strong on Friday, walking around slowly and still talking a bit. 

Saturday morning I could hear mom and dad awake.  Dad was at the kitchen table trying to remember some trails that he had worked on.  We also looked at a map of Newfoundland and dad tried to show us some things.  It was so hard to see him trying to think and then not be able to remember or communicate what he wanted to say.  Dad stayed in his room for the rest of the day, but was able to get up when he needed to.  Family came and visited and to say good-bye.