atexsix

I really hate to be a downer during Lisa's sail away, so I will just pop in for a minute and thank everybody for all the thoughts and prayers from the last couple of dailies. The arrangements are moving along. The grief is still awful, but just a hair better today. Now I'm going to scroll back and drool over Lisa's food photos, even with no appetite it looks amazing. ~Bruno

First of all, a huge thank you to the outpouring of condolences, both here and in the daily; but I've only been able to read a few posts at a time, then I'd start getting upset. The last couple of days have been tuff, I have had very little time to grieve, yesterday was taken up by an almost comic back and forth between the cemetery, funeral home, church, and relatives in order to agree on a date for the burial. It would finally look like everything was going to work and I'd get an "oh, wait" out of somebody. This went on for hours. I finally picked what works for me, even if it meant disappointing someone. I haven't had much of an appetite, every time I try I take 3 or 4 bites then push my plate away. Nights are particularly lonesome, the last two I just sat in the dark reliving the events of the past week. Still not sleeping much, but last night was a little better. For those that mentioned it, we did have a cruise booked, I still might go, it's not until next year and I have plenty of time to get used to the idea of going alone, right now the thought of it is devastating. Tomorrow I go to the funeral home to pick out the casket, yippee! I also have to write them a check, double yippee! Yes, it's not going to be until after the services, Dad requested no formal obit, so it'll be something like a remembrance that I will be doing later, but you are perfectly welcome to the link, especially since we cruised together. Remember the chamber music? What did they ever come up with to take the place of LCL? FYI: I'll be posting all future updates in the daily. ~Bruno

Good Morning, Thanks for all the thoughts, prayers, and kind words. I slept about 4 hours with the cat waking me at 5, not a bad thing, Dad was a night owl and during the course of his illness it was important that my schedule match his, I'm happy I can get back to my early to bed early to rise routine. My Mom and her husband will be over today to bring the groceries that they were planning on dropping off anyway, as it was difficult for me to leave even for a moment. The funeral director is supposed to be calling. And I'm continuing the depressing task of locating friends on Dad's phone that I'm not aware of. Dad's priest assured me yesterday that the schedule next week is wide open and not to worry about the details, he said the backup is usually with the cemetery, so that'll need to be scheduled and then we'll work backward from there. I'm assuming the funeral home handles those arrangements, I would hope they did for the prices they charge. Tomorrow I need to go out and find some clothes for him to wear, we've had nothing but hospital attire for the last two years, the few clothing items of Dad's that I still have most definitely will not fit, even though I've heard funeral homes can sometimes work their magic. So again thanks so much for the outpouring of condolences, it means so much to me. All the best, Bruno

Dear Dad passed away this afternoon. I want to thank all the well wishes, thoughts, and prayers, over the course of this almost 2 year journey. It meant a lot to us. It was truly a privilege caring for him and he died peacefully and without pain while I held his hand. Wave season was terrible for him, they advertise cruises every 30 seconds it seems, but now he can go anywhere he wants. I'll miss him greatly. And there's now a huge void in my life. I hope everybody are having wonderful vacations and maybe there'll be a much needed break for me sometime this year. All the best, ~Bruno

We didn't get any snow down here and Dad wanted it so bad, he knows it might be his last winter to see it. But the weather conditions just weren't ideal.

Dear Dad was on the Noordam II, it sure was a tiny little thing, even by 1950's standards, but it was a very elegant ship.

Thank you to all the people that wrote, it means a lot: @Quartzsite Cruiser @kazu @dfish @JazzyV We're starting to have food delivered because I don't have time to grocery shop and cook. Fortunately we now qualify for a home health aide and because he's hospice we don't have to wait as long, it' just a matter of getting the paperwork done. @ottahand7 @quilty964 @Seasick Sailor Yes, Dad was in the army, drafted during the Vietnam era, but because he never went to Vietnam he doesn't get any pension, thanks Uncle Sam! They keep changing the date ranges on this, but it'll probably be too late for him by the time it's expanded. @luvteaching Sadly, he doesn't remember that Hawaii cruise. It's so sad, all of our beautiful memories are now gone. Keep taking those fantastic photos people, some day it might be all you have! @aliaschief @smitty34877 @rafinmd @maryandmarge @dobiemom Now that he's officially hospice we can qualify for that program, in the past we didn't. @Cruzin Terri Dad was recently diagnosed with Mild Cog Impairment, but I think there's some early dementia in the mix as well, those tests only measure a fraction of what I see 24/7. @StLouisCruisers @bennybear @puppycanducruise On Respite: Lots of great advice and I will try and take advantage of all the help that is offered, and there's quite a bit available, I'm just nervous about having more strangers in/out of the house. Not that I don't trust them, we have yet to have any problems of that nature, and I lock everything in my office safe as the V.A. suggested. But I'm always afraid they are going to bring something in here from other homes they visit like illness of course, or bugs. On Prayer: I've recently rediscovered my faith, I normally don't get into things that personal, but it's relevant in this case; Dad's church and I are not on good terms because of some disagreements with the leadership, it's going to create problems for the funeral down the road, so I'm currently trying to fix all that on top of all the caregiving. So thanks for all the prayers n thoughts no matter what your belief system. As usual, I will try to pop in and give updates, and just pop in and read about all the fantastic cruises, if anything I can keep up with the latest fads, because I will return to sailing some day. Take care, Bruno

I read through the care list and posts, sounds like everybody is doing fairly well. Looks like many of you have the bitter cold weather that we had in the northwest last week, from the long range reports, a nice warmup is in store for most places next week. A sneak peak of spring that Mother Nature likes to tease us with. @StLouisCruisers @Quartzsite Cruiser Loved the Singapore pictures, this was Dad's favorite place to visit. @Crazy For Cats That's a lot of bunnies, do your cats sit and watch them?

Good morning, happy new year, I wanted to stop by and give an update on my Dad. He's recently been admitted into one of our local home hospice programs and that's meant an endless number of meetings with doctors, nurses, and social workers. But they didn't hesitate when I brought it up, they've been waiting, many felt he should have gone into it a year ago. It's been an emotional rollercoaster for me, sometimes it's hard to believe there's a world out there humming along as normal, people living their lives, and probably dealing with their own problems. Haven't had much of an appetite, sleep comes and goes, and have just felt blah overall. Dad has his good days and bad days. He recently lost an army buddy so that was tuff. He's not near death, but his disease is terminal and there's no treatment--he's not considered a good candidate for dialysis. The worst part for him are the symptoms associated with late stage renal disease and we're sedating him at night now to give him at least some relief. I'm looking forward to the additional help hospice will be able to provide, all of my interests are on the back burner, there's not even been time to cook. Every last snippet of time is taken up by housework, I can never seem to stay on top of the laundry--sheets and towels galore from the sick room and everywhere I look there are medical supplies stacked up. So I hope everybody is healthy and enjoying their cruises, I haven't had a chance to read through the care list, I'll go and do that now, I wanted to get this posted as early as possible. Take care, Bruno

Now that you mention it, it does bring on flashbacks of the As You Wish dining rollout. I was sailing on the Oosterdam for it's inaugural implementation. Ugh! My worst cruise ever.

I wonder if the Ocean Bar still does 2 for 1 Happy Hours? Those were the days!

It was an extended cocktail hour....and very much needed!!

Um....has anybody seen the waiter? It's been at least an hour 😪

Jumbo shrimp, the tenderloins in cracked pepper, and I never turn down Tiramisu.

If they ran out of something and then changed it in a pinch I can see it, we've all been in those situations in our own kitchens, however it happened twice, once with room service and then again in the MDR, so....