LIFE AFTER 2013

November 28, 2013 was Thanksgiving Day and we had the family here, 24 were here for dinner and 17 here for supper. It was a good day. The following day, on Friday the 29th, Gilbert went deerhunting at Steve Cushing's place. Steve was in the hunting blind with him.   Gilbert decided to stay all day,  since he had only got to hunt 2 other times that season.  When Gilbert came home he was so tired. I helped him get his hunting clothes off. We ate supper and he sat in his chair and went to sleep.  Dan, Jamie and Faith came over in the evening to decorate our Christmas tree. Jamie saw his eyes and she asked him if he was awake and he just stared.  Then he seemed to be awake. We were keeping Sue's dog, Nina and Gilbert started calling her a cat. Also had other speech diferences.  After doing some other checking  of physical movements, it seemed that it was only his speech affected.  Jamie asked if I wanted to take him to ER and I said I would wait to see how he did. He was no better the next morning, Saturday, so I took him to the ER at Herrick Hospital, in Tecumseh.  If I had known, my delay was not a good decision. I should have taken him at first notice of something going on to decrease the chances of him getting worse. They determined that he had a light stroke and admitted him to the hospital.  He went home the following Wednesday.  He had 6 weeks of speech and physical therapy. The physical therapy was to help  his balance, to help prevent a fall.  They did help and it strengthened his back so he could almost stand up straight and strenghened the rest of his body, but it started affecting his heart.  The speech therapy, I continued at home with him.   He was put on a blood thinner, so lab tests were needed often. 
After an appointment at the Cardiologist,  he was referred to the Heart Clinic at Toledo Hospital.  Over the next 2 1/2 months he had tests in preparation for heart surgery, April 16, 2014 to replace the Aaortic heart valve.  The surgery went well,  but complications  hindered his recovery.  He was  3 weeks in ICU,  1 week in the Heart Step Down unit, 2 weeks at Provincial House Nursing Home in Adrian, and 2 days at the Hospice Home.  He passed away on June 1, 2014.  His funeral was on June 5th at the Purse Funeral Home, Adrian.
This was such a drastic change in my life from being the caregiver to now living alone.   I have had so much loving support from God, first of all,  and from my family and friends, which has been so helpful.     Karen gave me this thought,      "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God".  God continues to bless  me with  comfort,  love,  peace,  strength, and  encouragement for which I am so thankful.