Wow, the last couple weeks have been a blur, not quite sure where to begin...
The day after Halloween, Lee got a phone call at work saying his dad had called his brother Jesse to take him to the hospital. We knew he wasn't feeling well a few days prior so it was no surprise to hear he was headed there. When Neil was getting out of the vehicle he collapsed and his heart stopped beating, the doctors weren't able to get it started for 5 minutes. During that time, with no air flow to his brain it got damaged, but we didn't know to the extent of it. There were countless hours spent at the hospital while they did tests and we hoped and prayed he would wake up out of his coma. Unfortunately, there came a day when the decision was made once we knew he either wouldn't wake up out of his coma, or wouldn't be able to function how he'd like, to take him off of life support. He lasted 6 hours off of life support before he peacefully passed away surrounded by family.
The next day we had lots of family come over to our house while the relief society from Mckenzie Ward brought over TONS of food, some family members even surprised us coming from Coutts, AB (Their mom passed away two months ago from cancer who was Neil's very close sister). The past week has been working on funeral arrangements and I did a slideshow to play during the luncheon after the funeral service. We just got back from the burial ceremony in Cardston and a catered luncheon from hutterite's.
Neil will be greatly missed, especially from his grandkids. Zoë and Dreyton loved to sit on Pops and tell him what they have been up too. If the kids were hyper or cranky he could calm them down where they would just lay on him for what seemed like hours. They loved to cuddle with him.
Neil and Carole would make Zoë feel so special taking her on playdates to parks, or even to go to Costco with them where she usually came home with a special present.
Even though Neil did dialysis daily he was always there for birthdays, holidays, and events or just being at the lake to spend time with us.
I'm sorry for your lost! I hope you guys are doing ok!
ReplyDeleteKristy I am soo sorry, I can't even imagine going through this, I am thankful for an eternal perspective and knowing that you have the love and support of your family. Take care, we were praying for your family.
ReplyDeleteThanks for posting this....it's great therapy for going through the grieving stage. I'd forgotten about this picture. Neil's kindness was legendary, I'll never forget he and Carole coming to pick me up on a Saturday, and going out to Millarville to check out the Farmers' Market there. So nice of them....I didn't get out much to see and do things. (Well, still don't for that matter!) And it was so nice, 'way back, when they came to visit you guys in Edmonton, and they stayed at our house and we got to really know each other. You will really miss him, thank goodness time is so healing.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that amazing tribute, Kristy. You took the ball, ran with it & scored a touchdown. Even with all the busy-ness surrounding you because we used your home as "family base". My love always, Carole.
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