The choice I hope no one else has to make.

[SS Junk]

As said, you made the right call. I lost my dad to LBD after being misdiagnosed with late stages of Alzheimer's (meds put symptoms in hyperdrive). We didn't know what was wrong with him until the autopsy. In the mean time he was rapidly deteriorating, was aspirating and the last option was to keep him alive with a feeding tube. Since I knew he didn't want to live like that I asked him about hospice. He seemed to have a lucid moment and told me he understood what it meant and said "yes" to that option. Still tough to do, but I felt a sense of honor to ensure he went out the way he wanted to go.

[mstng86]

RIP

This makes me want to make amends with my dad.

[BLAKE]

A beautifully written tribute. I haven’t had the words for it, but my mom died a month ago. It fuckin sucks.

[mardyn]

Your words bring tears to my eyes...

The decision you've made is a tough one.

May your Dad RIP...

mardyn

[Grimpala]

I had to make that same decision a year ago to the day about mom. Toughest choice of my life.

Hang in, and don't be afraid to ask for help if it's needed. Time will make it better, but it'll never go away.

My condolences.

R.I.P.

[cobrajet69]

I had to make that same decision a year ago to the day about mom. Toughest choice of my life.

Hang in, and don't be afraid to ask for help if it's needed. Time will make it better, but it'll never go away.

My condolences.

R.I.P.

Same here.

Is not an easy choice but what helped me make mine was putting myself in his shoes and seeing him suffer even worse than he did in the last few years of my father‘s life. His body was deteriorating, his organs failing etc. and he suffered miserably and I just didn’t want to have him laying in a bed ehere he had no control over what was going on. My stepmother cried and said she just can’t make that call so therefore was left for me to do.

Sincere condolences sir. Sounds like your pops had a very storied life and something to pass down to his grandchildren.

David

[Stephen]

Very sad to hear man! RIP to your dad! Sounds like he was a great guy!

[jtm98snake]

This is a situation I dread but I know it's coming.

My condolences on your loss

[yellowstang]

Sorry for your loss, sounds like he was a great person!

[Tx Redneck]

Sorry for your loss man, you'll be in our prayers.

[txstangnut]

Thanks for the kind words everyone. I wanted to post my thoughts somewhere that meant something to me instead of some place like Facebook.

Dad was a hard ass or as more than one of his coworkers called him "old school" when they described him.

I remember the first driving lesson he gave me. He told me to go get in the car and adjust everything for me. He comes out with a sack and gets in the car. He makes me pull out of the driveway and then pull over. He tells me to get out and then he gets out, walks to the front of the car and puts a tomato on the hood, then walks to my side and puts a raw egg under the gas pedal. We get back in and tells me keep the tomato on the hood and the egg un broken or else you will be cleaning it up.

The next lesson there was no food involved but after I pull out of the driveway he tells me to pull over again. He gets out and walks to the front of the car, opens the hood and gets back in and says. The hood just blew open what do you do? So I had to drive around the block with hood open peering between the gap in the hood and the header panel. I don't remember these lessons in drivers education

He instilled my love of mustangs by giving me my first one, a 1968 fastback with a 289 2v auto. I think it had 12 horsepower. It had to be the slowest car ever. I think he might have shortened the throttle linkage a little too.

Dad had his first heart attack serving a warrant on a suspected drug house. I think he was 38. He struggled with heart disease for a long time. He was going to turn 73 in December.

I know it sounds cliché but even out of tragedy good things can happen. My brother had been estranged from my dad for more than seventeen years. I called my brother Wednesday morning and told him dad was in the hospital and I didn't think he would make it. Imagine my surprise when I walk into ICU and see him sitting there Wednesday night. He was truly sorry he had not made amends before and was not going to get the chance to do that. We sat there together for more than three hours remembering different stories and things that happened, just the three of us. He got the chance to say his peace even if dad couldn't respond, my brother got peace of mind and closure.

I would encourage anyone if you have issues with a family member try one last time to make amends. You never know what tomorrow holds and you might be surprised that they are receptive. Even if they rebuff you, you made the effort and can live your life with a clear conscience.

[Jose]

Sorry for your loss man. RIP.