Gratitude

So it appears that awe re staying put for now. Of course that could change tomorrow. But for now, we’re staying here, at least until spring break rolls around. Although my mom has tried mightily, I think my Aunt T is leaving tomorrow and will then be back the same time we are, with all the sisters in tow. I think the family reunion could be a really wonderful thing for my dad and all of his siblings (his brother excluded who cannot come). It will give them all a chance to be together for the first time since my grandmother died and it will be the first time that they’ve all come together without her as impetus. I think it will be a really good thing. Once we get through the awkward silences and dancing around the fact that their brother is dying. But I will be there and so will Aunt T, so between the two of us, we should be able to keep the atmosphere pretty positive I think.

My dad had a good day today. It looks like the upswing finally found him, for which I am grateful. He was not in good shape a few days ago. The oxygen was delivered today and he actually said he was going to give it a try and see if it made any difference in how he felt. His hospice nurse has said that she’d like to see him on it all the time. A lack of oxygen can cause all sorts of troublesome things in addition to shortness of breath. So he agreed to give it a try. I was flabbergasted in the best possible way. It was really good to talk to him today, he sounded good again. Like my dad. Funny and chatty. Which actually made me want to get in the car even more. Because it’s those days I really don’t want to miss. It’s those days that I really don’t want the kids to miss.

But at this point I’m grateful to be able to share them with him in any way I can. We’re just taking it one day at a time. Today was a good day.