Fred passed

Barbara called me at 7:30am on Wed Jan 11. I had a feeling it was bad news and it was. Fred had tried to get up to go to dialysis and couldn't get up. He was tired of it all. His kidney doc actually made a house call later that evening, super unusual. Fred wanted to be examined and talk to the doc about the future. The office said call an ambulance and bring him in; Barbara talked to the doc and he said don't do that, I'm going to be that way and I'll come by your house later in the afternoon, which he did. And told Fred he would never get better, just continue to go down. Fred decided no more dialysis.

I called Rick, he talked to Barbara and found out all this. Rick was supposed to be in Chicago for business next week (this week, beginning on Tues), and decided to fly out on Thurs to Indy. On Thurs morning around the same time, Barbara called. We knew what it would be. On Wed night they had set up Hospice and gotten in a hospital bed.

At 11pm Barbara was super tired and told Fred she needed to go upstairs and lie down for a while. She got up at 1am to check on him and he had already passed, so they are having his pass date be Jan 12. Rick was sad that he hadn't gotten out in time to see his dad. Jason had been in Danville for x-rays and stopped by the house so he got to see and talk with Fred, but it was so short, just Fred basically saying hi before falling asleep again.

On Thurs I took Rick to the airport at 10am to catch his noon flight.

Rick has been so helpful to Barbara. He gets sad and weepy, as does Barbara, but are doing fine. They made arrangements for a Memorial service to be held on his birthday, March 4. All our kids, along with Rick and me, will be there.

Hard to believe. Rick and I were just there the first of Dec. So happy we went, so happy that I went also. And we did spend a lot of time with Fred, Pat, and Aunt Phyllis.