friscoron
Offline
• • • • •
Upload & Sell: On
|
I was pretty hesitant about posting this series. We're used to seeing pretty girls in idyllic locations, newborns with their ecstatic parents, newly engaged couples happily embracing, HS seniors with their whole life in front of them... but the circle of life has to come to an end. And while we grieve for our losses, it doesn't have to be sad. These pictures were inspired by my family's celebrating my Dad's last days being alive, and that we all had the opportunity to be with him.
My Dad made it two days past his 90th birthday, almost a week past his 67th anniversary with my Mom. I've always thought of him as invincible, as someone who would live forever. Just four years ago at 86, he was visiting us here in Chicago and working in our yard, planting plants and bushes. I thought he would live to be 200, but I never took it for granted and although he lives across the country in New Mexico, we spoke often.
This year, his health really declined, but even before our planned trip in late July, we thought he still had another year to live. But as it declined even more in the week before our trip, with my sister at our family reunion in Washington, my wife and I kids left for NM almost a week early. It turned out to be a really good decision as we got to spend some quality time with him before he finally passed on July 31.
I hadn't intended on taking pictures of him during his final week alive, but as I sat there watching him smiling and laughing with his grandchildren, I thought I simply had to capture this one last time. So here goes.
1. My Dad met my Mom right at the end of WWII in San Francisco in 1945, and they were married shortly thereafter.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8445/7794679616_582b748204_c.jpg
2. I love this picture. My Dad's on the far left, eyeing a buddy of his who has his arm around my Mom on the far right.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8286/7794679922_23d07f1bf9_c.jpg
3. 1946.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8447/7794679476_c5d602929f_c.jpg
4. 1950s
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8425/7794679040_ac811c213f_c.jpg
5. My Mom and Dad in 2010
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8437/7794679282_511666f0c7_c.jpg
6. And now we move to July 2012, with my Dad in the hospital. We've just met with the Doctor and he's told us that Dad isn't going to make it. That's me on the left talking with my brother-in-law, who was like another son for my Dad.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7129/7794678578_91c7524e94_c.jpg
7. My daughter was born on the same day as my Dad, so I've always used a picture of them together for our annual photo calendar. She asked me to take this picture specifically to be used in next year's calendar. I was so proud of her for thinking of that.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8298/7794680188_7a17f7bc4a_c.jpg
8. My Dad with his favorite nurse. You can see how hard he's trying to sit up in his bed.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8441/7795154912_96f97ee109_c.jpg
9. My Mom, who's blind, and my sister.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7275/7794678194_d83b7eb541_c.jpg
10. My Dad was constantly surrounded by family. I hope I'm so lucky when it's my time.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7247/7794676998_c22a171f05_c.jpg
11. I loved this moment between my brother-in-law and my Dad.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8299/7794677202_ed157154a2_c.jpg
12. My Dad happy about seeing his great-granddaughter.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8435/7794677406_c15378e847_c.jpg
13. My 10-year-old girl reading her card to her Papa.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8434/7794677992_fc7e77fd44_c.jpg
14. My wife had to read the card for my 8-year-old.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8301/7794677802_10d1b7840e_c.jpg
15. She finally got over her nervousness and engaged with her Papa.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8283/7794677588_368f890609_c.jpg
16. Dad and his homemade cards.
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7269/7795154674_383e0fe859_c.jpg
17. My Mom giving my Dad a kiss on their 67th Anniversary.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8424/7794678388_27c0a1e6a9_c.jpg
18. As each day passed, my Dad spent less and less time "with us". He was often disoriented, sometimes tried to get out of bed, and just seemed to struggle with everything. This final picture was taken two days before he passed away. My Mom was with him an incredible amount of time, and really struggled with the realization that he wasn't coming home. She's talking to him here, hoping he can hear her.
http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8444/7794676790_9b4de2a7af_c.jpg
|
