Decision Time

Late yesterday afternoon the Hospice nurse came to take my Dad’s blood. She called back with the results and the doctor wanted him to go to the hospital in an ambulance to get a transfusion as his hemoglobin was only 6 and his platelets were only 3. My brother had just left to go back to the airport and my Dad had promised to try to stay alive until he could return on Monday. So Daddy agreed to go to the hospital but not in an ambulance. The nurse and social worker came over and helped me get him in the car and we started the drive to Lexington. I was upset because I knew if we went to the hospital he would never get out, they would never let him rest peacefully and he did not want to die in hospital. My brother called when we were over half way there and his plane had been delayed. I told him that they only reason we were going to the hospital was because my Dad wanted to wait for him to get back. So he decided to leave the airport and come back home. We made a U-turn at Keeneland and started driving back home.
I called the doctor and asked how long we have if he doesn’t get the transfusion. She said it would probably be less than 48 hours. I called Father Chuck and he said he would meet us at the house.
We got home and my Dad’s friend, Brock, helped us get in the house and stayed to visit. He had just driven in from South Carolina.
Helen, the woman who has helped my parent’s with cleaning for many years had been at the house earlier in the day. My Dad had wanted a piece of coconut cream pie. So she went home that afternoon and cooked a pie and fried chicken, mashed potatoes, country style green beans and corn. She brought it over and my Dad sat at the table and ate a nice meal and had some pie. He stayed up for an hour or so talking about his family and my mother to Father Chuck and all of us. It was a nice time.
My brother and I took turns through the night checking on him and sitting with him. This morning he got up and I cooked him a poached egg and some toast. He sure is alert for somebody with no blood in his body and just a few hours left.
I wrote his eulogy for him last night and read it to him so he would know what I was going to say about him. He sure is a fine man and the best father in the world.