A gentle death. My stepdad is gone.

No question, just sharing my experience of witnessing my step dad's death last night.

I was in vigil with my mother when my stepdad died last night. If there such a thing as an ideal death, I think that is what David achieved.

He was diagnosed with Dementia a couple years ago. It was progressing slowly and up until 7 weeks ago he was driving, attending church and living a quiet life. He had slowed down, was not really participating in conversations anymore.

6 weeks and one day ago we thought he had had a stroke. Garbled speech uncoordinated limbs lead to a trip to the hospital and that is where he stayed. It was not a stroke, but undiagnosed metastasized cancer. He regained his speech and ability to walk, but over slowly lost his ability to walk and Monday morning lost consciousness. He was on Palliative Care and was given pain medication as needed. At 10:40 pm his breathing became slower and at 10:45 he was gone.

Mum had been told on Friday to expect him to be gone before Christmas. Luckily Mum had worked as a Hospice Volunteer and recognized the signs over the weekend that it was going to be closer than expected.

Today was spent on the phone, and meeting with the funeral home. Luckily he had planned and paid for cremation, so there is no cost with the funeral home. Thursday we meet with the minister to plan the service which will be held in 9 days to give his kids and other family who live further away time to come.

I think he had the death many of us would wish for, dying in his sleep with loved ones nearby. He believes in God and did not fear dying.