# Chateau de la Tobler

## Monday, May 29, 2006

### Last night, today

Another update. Just a short time after I wrote last night, dad had a bad moment. Not a bad moment in that we thought he was going to die any second moment, just a typical, frustrated dad moment. He kept saying, "I want to go. I want you to let me go. I can't do this anymore, etc." Mom asked if he wanted Uncle Leland and Uncle Steve to come over and give him a blessing to release him and dad nodded. We called them and David (who as you know is in town today) and it also happened that Tony and Sheila were also here with, of course, Grandma Tobler and Aunt JoAnne. (That ended up being nine people all sitting around).
It was a beautiful blessing. Leland and Steve arrived and spent a few minutes together in the living room before Steve anointed daddy and Leland blessed him. Dad was told it was his privilege to go, that he had finished what he needed to do and he could go. I believe dad was very aware of the blessing, for he shook both uncles hands after and thanked them. He has been much, much calmer since then. Much!
Neither Leland, mom or I think it will be as quick as all that, though. His body is still too strong for it to simply let go quite yet. In was late (late) before I went to bed last night, 2 or 3 am. Amy and David stayed the night and I don't think mom slept at all. She has already informed us that she will be staying up again tonight. She had taken one nap and I am trying to get her to take another before that. Even still, we will probably have a few more days of this at least.
Dad's breathing was quite labored this morning. Mom called the hospice and they have taken him off everything but the instant, liquid morphine every 1 to 2 hours. He hardly wakes up even when you are telling him to open his mouth so we can squeeze in the drug. But it has relaxed him and he is breathing easier. The nurse will be by later and mom hopes to ask a bunch of question so we can learn more.
Grandma Pace made it by today. She's walking as well as can be expected considering. I don't know it you have heard, after the surgery on her hip, she broke her leg. They could not cast it, but have threatened her with dire consequences to stay off that leg. She wanted to go out, this Memorial day, to Grandpa's grave and since she'd gone that far, she came here as well. It was slow, with her walker, but once she was seated by his bed dad woke up just enough to make eye contact and say hi. Mom thinks that will help Grandma. Grandma has been so worried that she had not been able to be there for her daughter. She said she wished she'd put off the surgery until fall- but what can you do? Nobody really knew how fast this would be.
Of course, the ward and stake continue to do wonder things. Brother Allred had already come by for dad's lamp then brought it back not two hours later, fixed. Dad put it in the corner where he could see it. Many letters and cards have come, but people have been great not to just show up. It has been a couple of says now where dad did not have the strength to see anyone and everyone has been quite respectful about that.
Know we love you all and we are thinking about you tons. Hugs and kisses.
LaDale

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