Sorry for my absence. I had great plans to post at least one picture on the blog everyday while we were vacationing in Florida. My plans got turned upside down when we had to cut our vacation short to come home for a funeral. About two weeks ago, my grandfather was admitted to the hospital with severe vomiting and abdominal pain. After one long sleepless night and a full day of tests, we were given the worst news: he would die in intense pain within two days. Surgery was an option but with only a 5% chance of him surviving it, was it a good one? My grandmother and her children decided to go with the surgery; they couldn't just let him be in pain.
We gathered at the hospital - all of us, my parents and brothers, our cousins, aunts, and uncles - and tried to stay positive when the doctors wheeled him back for surgery. The odds were not good. Pepaw has always been a strong, tough man though, and he showed that surgery just how tough he could be! We received the first phone call from the surgeons shortly after midnight with the first update: not only had he survived, he had done really well.
My grandfather fought hard all week long. Three surgeries total in less than a week's time and by the end of it he seemed to be doing well. The doctors hoped he would be released to go home the next week. With that good news, my dad insisted that my mom and I keep our plans to travel to our beach house. So, this past Monday morning, she and I loaded up baby Katie before the sun rose and headed out on a day's worth of driving with a newborn.
I am not sure what all happened with my grandfather that day since we were on the road, but by the time we made it to Florida, we heard things were not looking good anymore. The team of doctors met with my dad and his mom and brothers and sisters and, after in-depth discussions about quality of life and best possible outcomes, decided together to forgo anymore surgeries. They had made peace with the fact that the end was near, and all agreed that keeping Pepaw comfortable in his last days was the best thing to do.
My mom talked to my dad late that Monday night about whether or not we should hop back in the car and head back home. He insisted that we stay put for the time being until we knew more. It was shortly after 3:00 the next afternoon while Mom and I were shopping that we received the call: my grandfather, with my dad and uncle by his side, had drifted off into a peaceful, forever sleep.
At my dad's request, Mom and I waited until Thursday to drive back home (it wasn't that he didn't want us home, but he didn't want us to load the baby up for another long car drive so soon after the first one). We made it home late Thursday afternoon, just in time for my mom to host my dad's family as they met with the preacher.
The visitation and service were both on Friday. It was nice to see so many old friends and family during the visitation, even under the sad circumstances. My friend Andrew led the service and did a wonderful job. We are so thankful he was able to perform it; it was a touching tribute of my grandfather and the man he was for 87 years. The car procession took my grandfather past the golf course - his second home - one last time. I choked up as I looked over to see the golfers standing by their carts and paused from their game in honor of Pepaw. The graveside service was short but good, with beautiful weather. Pepaw received one last military salute before we laid him to rest (the same day we laid my mom's mom to rest four year earlier).
Afterwards, we gathered at my parents' house to visit and welcome guests. It was the first time in years that we were all together. In fact, I met some of my cousins' children for the very first time, and they aren't babies! The dining room was full of delicious food, brought over by generous friends, and the kitchen was alive with friends sharing stories and reminiscing about Pepaw. The backyard was full of happy children; the girls took over the swings while the boys played touch football (my husband - still dressed in his suit - was in the middle of them, calling the plays).
It should have been an incredibly sad day. And it was sad, I'm not saying that it wasn't. It was sad to say goodbye to the man that created this family of mine. But it was also a happy day. A good day. We can rejoice in the fact that Pepaw has been freed of his pain and is now living the good life in Heaven. We know we will see him again.