Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

My Dad

Redhunter1012

Senior Member
Supporting Member
Just wanted to pass along that my Dad passed on Thursday morning at around 5:30am. He went very peacefully in no pain. We had a surprise birthday party for mom on Sunday afternoon at their house and I noticed that he wasn't feeling too well. You could just tell he was tired. That night they ended up taking him to the hospital and they confirmed that he had another bout of pneumonia, which is what a lot of times does in ALS patients. We visited him Monday to take our son to se him and he was awake but just real weak. I wanted him to get some rest so we didn't stay a real long time but when we left and I told him I loved him, he gave me the look. I told Tara when we left I didn't think he would make it out of the hospital from this one. And he apparently told my brother and uncle that earlier before I had gotten there. Tuesday he was transferred to Cleveland VA, which he really loved it and the staff up there. Mo and my 2 sisters stayed up there with him and the rest of us would always visit on the weekends. Wednesday evening my sister called and said that he had slipped into a state of unresponse. So we met up with my brother and the rest of our family and about 20 of us headed up there. We got there at Midnight and as my brother went in and started whispering to him, for the first time in hours he moved around but never awoke. We all gathered around and talked, touched, and let him know everything we could. And true to form he fought his butt off for 5 hours. I kid you not, about 5 times while we were thee his vitals completely went away, no BP, no breaths, no heart rate, for anywhere from a minute to 3 minutes. Then it was like he sensed all the grieving and like you flipped a switch, all his color would come back and his vitals would be as good as anybody in his room. And after a few times we noticed when we would all be joking around about hunting, fishing and all the good memories we had, his vitals would just shoot up, so we know he could hear us. We even told his nurse to watch when his vitals were low, and sure enough, they shot up the more boisterous we got with the stories. My wife has been a nurse for 12 years and does Hospice care and says she has never seen anyone do that. I know it was his way of making it easier on us. I will forever remember that night as a night that our family shared a lot more happiness and good times rather than experiencing something terrible. And I think our whole family remembers it that way. What a better gift to leave us all than that of a final happy memory. Over the last year or so Dad had expressed to me that he would pray every night that he wanted to just go to sleep and not wake up. I prayed for this every day as well. We all know the longer you fight this disease the worse everything becomes, and he didn't want that. So God answered our prayers. He never took painkillers or anything for this. On Wednesday he basically slipped into a coma and went to sleep and died in peace, not in pain. And that was all he wanted, and deserved. My family wanted to thank you guys again for the pictures we had taken last winter. They will on be on display at his funeral. I want to personally thank all you guys for everything. The stuff you guys and the whole TOO family does is just unreal. This weekend Im gonna honor my Dad. Gonna have some beer Saturday night with my buddies at Frickers and Sunday Im gonna hit the Maumee for some cold water walleye fishing. I got the word that some fish were being caught today, and he would boot me in the ass if I didn't get out while I could and get some in the freezer. Hope to see some of you guys Saturday night:smiley_cheers:
 

Diane

*Supporting Member*
4,715
66
Newark
I am so sorry to hear this, but am glad that he went peacefully. You'll be in my thoughts and prayers.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Sorry to read this, but glad he is no longer suffering. You and your family are in my thoughts.
 

hickslawns

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
39,721
248
Ohio
Thanks for sharing this Ryan. Glad to hear you were all at peace with this and your dad let you know he was listening in on the stories. That is just plain awesome. The human body, mind, heart, and drive of some people can work miracles. Sounds like you guys witnessed a miracle. Prayers to your family.