My dad was 89 and would have been 90 June 10 of this year. He had been entered into the hospital for pneumonia and had to be transfered to a larger hospital. There he had surgery to remove a pus pocket that was between his lungs and ribcage. He came through that great and was healing very nicely. He, however, developed aspiration pneumonia and didn't have the strength to cough up the mucus. They put a feeding tube in to avoid the aspiration. He didn't want it but agreed to it for our sake(us 'kids'...my brother is 64, sis is 60, and I'm 54). Because he couldn't cough it out, it was decided to take the feeding tube out. He was so weak he couldn't walk six feet. He died a few days after the feeding tube was withdrawn.. not from starvation, but because he wasn't able to get enough oxygen. His O2 level was in mid 50's twodays before he died and he 'rallied' to the mid 80's the day before. The day before he died, my sis and her 2 daughters were in his room 'reminising' on all the good times we had with 'Grandpa'.

My mom died 8 years ago and frankly, I was surprised my dad lived as long as he did following her death. The funeral was today, it really impacts you when you go to the cemetary and see the open hole with the headstone showing my mom's name and dates and my dad's name and birthdate with the death date yet to be engraved.

Anyway, that's what's been happening in my life lately.

My son, who's 22 was one of the pallbearers. He recently moved out of our home and got an apartment of his own. He's getting a big lesson in reality of how money works. Ahhh, to be 22 again myself! I wasted so many years wishing away my life wishing for something better and 'more'. If I could go back in time and give myself some advice, I'd say, "Quit waiting for something else and enjoy what you have today...it'll all be gone soon. And, by the way, beware of January 11, 2001(the day of my stroke)."