Howllo Fellow Basset Hound and Grandpa Lovers…
First off, I want to thank all of the residents for the wonderful well wishes. They have really helped to warm the ole souls. Emma would be so happy. I also wanted to let everyone know that we are all doing as well as can be expected. Chaps and I are kind of zombie like padding around the house…he has basically not left my side and I can tell he is depressed. He is probably feeling my depression as well. Let’s face it, we will all be depressed for a period of time and that is just natural. The Hospice team told us that we are to keep Chaps routine as normal as possible with many extra treats and even more attention. No problem there! Our Mayor is also eating good.
I did want to share with the residents the sign I got from Grandpa on Friday morning even though, Emma told me it was time I wanted to make double sure. I knew what I needed to do but I kept asking Grandpa to give me a sign.
I was trying to keep the morning as normal as possible for Chaps.
That morning Emma was clearing telling me she was ready (I was fighting hearing her) I asked grandpa for a sign. I had been taking to him for days and he was showing up here and there with pretty clear messages for me. I knew Emma’s time was quickly coming but I was just hoping that she would rally like she did a few times over the past several months. So…I asked grandpa again. My mind was spinning and I was hedging on calling Hospice. I was kind of rushing around getting a few things together before I called Grandma. I was getting Chaps in order, getting his breakfast together. I went into my bedroom, where I keep the dog food up on a small shelf and I asked grandpa again what to do. (The following pictures are re-creations of the actual moments).
That blue can is Chaps food. That cabinet thing is never turned in that direction. I had moved it the day looking for an old photo. If that cabinet had not been turned around I would have never noticed the book.
As I was scooping Chaps’ cup of kibble out I glanced to my left and looked at the title of the book Dad’s Hospice nurse gave to me right before his passing. It is called Final Gifts.
I never read the book but I thought to myself, “Is this the sign”? “No”, too obvious…. I told myself to open the book to a random page and see what it said. I took the book into my hand and noticed a white piece of paper that was slipped into the middle. I thought again, “well, there is the book mark for the page I am supposed to read”. I had originally placed that white slip of paper into the book never looking where I placed it originally. I opened the book and looked at the white piece of paper and it was the name and phone number of the dear Hospice nurse that helped us in our last hours with Dad. Her name is Laurie. I had forgotten it was there. I took my glasses (I use my Dad’s reading glasses) and the book over by the window to see what the page said. As I removed the white piece of paper completely out of the book the title of the passage on that page was “Emma”.
It was the story of a woman named Emma about her final journey. That part to me was not significant but I read it out of respect. Grandpa could not have been more clear. I picked up the phone and called Emma’s Hospice team. Sometimes we just need the person who had advised us our entire life to keep advising.
Hospice folks are angels.
Grandpa is an angel….He is sitting in the same chair that I was sitting in when I opened the book. Emma was about a year old in this picture.
What wonderful signs….
More feeling better now and later…..Love, Cat, Chaps and Emma ATB
(The Mayor laying in is worry bed today)
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