What a week!

Hey Friends,
Sorry it's been so long since I've posted. As most of you know, I was in Georgia last week with Mom, visiting my aunt and uncle. We went down last Sunday, intending to come home Tuesday, but Joe passed away Tuesday night. I wanted to write down some of the things that happened, so bear with me as this could get wordy! :)
We got there Sunday, and Joe was totally aware and coherent. We had a great afternoon of visiting with him and Mary, and Kristy and Emma. Joe was feeling pretty good. Monday am, he awoke a little more disoriented, and had a harder day. I had told Mary I would spend the night with Joe so she could go home and sleep in her own bed, and I had no idea what was in store for me. Here's an attempt to re-capture the evening...
9 pm....everyone's gone and Joe drifts off. He calls out periodically "Hey...Hey...Mary." I would remind that I was there, and he always knew I was "Jean-Jean" and was there. (By the way, "Jean Jean" is reserved for Joe and has been all my life.....none of you may ever call me that!) :) 11:00 pm " Jean-Jean" .... "Joe I'm here." "Jean-Jean, sing to me!" Cracking up on my part.....assured him that my singing at 11 would do no good for anyone!
Sometime later- "Mary, Mary..." "Joe, where did I say Mary was?" "Oh, she's at home resting. So is Dave, and I bet you wish you were too!" More chuckling....
Joe was very agitated and tearing off his oxygen and gown. I would get him settled and then he'd start again! At one point around 2:30 am, I was wrestling his O2 cannula away from him, and I said "Joe, you know who remind me of? Raymond E. Stout." (my grandfather who was very agitated/combative during his fight with lung cancer). He looked up and said "Jean- Jean, you know who YOU remind me of? Sue Stout Baird!" (my mom!) Bwa ha ha ha ha!!!!! He won that!
3:00 am I convince Regina the RN to give Joe a dose of atavan (sp?) to calm him down. We sleep from 3am til 4:30, when Joe promptly announces "Jean Jean, it's HONGRY time!" NO Joe, it's not time to eat.
The kicker though was at 5:30 am......"Jean-Jean, risey-risey!" WHAT?? My Air Force military uncle is telling me to risey-risey!!! "No Joe, it's not time to get up yet. Just rest for a few more minutes." "Risey Risey, Jeanie-Ja-Neeny!" Oh my GOSH!!! I was dying laughing!!!!! I convinced him to stay put til 6 am, and then we fought over him wanting to get up. He was unable to stand for the last week but he was convinced he was getting up.
They brought in breakfast around 8am, and after I fed him, he drifted off to sleep. He slept until noon when the techs came in to change his bedding and bathe him. Mary, Mom and I went down to grab lunch, and I'm not sure what happened but when I got back to the room, Joe was in 'respiratory distress.' Mary spoke with the Hospice Doc and signed Joe into Hospice, and they kept him comfortable until he passed away peacefully around 10 pm Tuesday night.
I'll never forget the Sunday with Joe when he knew us and was back to his old self. But I'll never forget the long night Monday either. I got to be with Joe in his most confused state, and he would have moments of clarity in which he'd apologize to me for keeping me up, and say "Jean Jean, I just don't know why I do this. I'm sorry I'm keeping you up." I assured him it wasn't his fault, and that he was just fine with me. I wouldn't trade it for the world!
More to come regarding the 'Rocky Top' funeral....bear with me. It was perfect.
Jeanie