We haven't posted for a few months. We had a fabulous trip to Washington DC. We met with Sen. Amy Klobuchar from MN, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp from ND, Rep. Kristi Noem from SD as well as representatives from the offices of Senators Johnson and Thune from SD and from Rep. Tim Walz from MN. We had the opportunity to see OJ Brigance as the keynote speaker as well as hear Steve Gleason speak. Folks from all over spoke with representatives from their states. What a wonderful opportunity to speak for my dad. Many thanks to all in DC who welcomed us and heard our stories.
I have been seeing a lot of articles lately about warriors of this disease. I greatly admire the way they are fighting this disease and some famous and not so famous make the heroic choice to go on a ventilator and a feeding tube. Others, like my dad, make the heroic choice to live what is left of their time without these measures. Is there a good choice? Is there a right choice? I don't think so.
It is important to me that anyone reading this does not view my dad's choices as giving up. He was simply accepting his fate and he made painful, difficult decisions that took serious balls. Period. I can only hope others don't have to make these decisions. Yes indeed, the people who choose the path of medical intervention are brave. That takes balls too. Period. Either decision is critical and must be very, very painful.
It is also very painful at times to support someone who does not choose medical interventions. We asked our dad early on to fight for as long as he could, but to be honest with us when he couldn't fight it anymore. And he was.
From the moment of diagnosis until he breathed his last breath, I wanted to scream PLEASE DON'T LEAVE ME. But I didn't. Because I loved him and I love him still and he did what was right for him. His faith told him who was in control and God escorted him all the way home.
It is important that we do not pass judgment on the decisions that others make when they are in a place we cannot imagine.
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