The tenth good thing about my dad #10

The tenth good thing about my dad was that he loved me.

Journal Entry 1/16/08
Wendy stayed until 1 AM. We were giving meds as often as possible trying to keep him comfortable. She went home and I lay down in Lazyboy intending to get up at 2 AM to give next dose of meds. At 2 AM I heard dad exhaled/moan and the bird clock chirp. I got up and started to give meds. After the second dropper full, dad took a large gulp of air-paused-then a couple more and he was gone. Wayne said, "He finished." Wayne was holding dad's hand while I rubbed his head-something I had been doing a lot. Wayne and I sat and hugged and cried a while and then he called Wendy, Keith, and Gera. Time of death 2:15 AM. Wendy and Leon came. Wendy had a victory song she wanted us to dance to. She sang and the two of us dance. Amy and Julie came. We called Arlene and invited her to come out. The rest of the Cooks came-we prayed and Logan read a couple of dad's stories. We ate breakfast and discussed some funeral plans and then headed our seperate ways until the meeting with the funeral home at 11. I slept. When I talked with Keith he said he had awaken in the middle of the night and was overcome with shadows. He knew before we called. Later in the day he said he had this feeling like he needed to call dad and tell him the news-as that is typically his first call when something big happens-then he would realized dad already knew he was dead. Met at funeal home and then had coffee with Grace. Spent PM at Cooks looking for pictures for slide show. I had prayed that dad would pass on 16th as 17th is Brian's B-day and the 18th Keith's B-day and Saturday seemed too far away.

(Photo credits: Amy Cook)