ok, so my father appears to be in his final stage of alzheimer's, and enduring his final days. He cannot swallow liquids or thickened things, and has become dehydrated. dehydration has led to pneumonia, which i fear will be his end. he has gone 'downhill' so quickly in the past few months- from sitting up and eating a meal- to fetal position with his eyes clenched shut...so sad. i can remember visiting both of my broughton grandparents, and my grandmother crown in nursing home shortly before they passed on- each was verbal and somewhat lucid- though my grandmother broughton kept crying to go home, which was so awful to hear.........my grandfather broughton told me that he stopped speaking german because his mother told him he had to choose whether he was going to be a german or an american....i told him that i regretted that i never heard him speak german. grandpa broughton was lucid til the end-blind- but lucid.......he regretted dying in the nursing home despite hsi pleas to dy in his own house- i hear that occassionally my cousin (who inherited the house) and her family see him- or smell his cigar- i think that he haunts their house as a payback..........

i regret that my mom moved dad from our hometown to live near us- because people who knew and loved my dad are unlikely to make a 5 hour drive to a funeral- i believe that he deserves better than to have a few close family members at his service after a life of good works and numerous friends. mother has spoken of having a memorial service at their home church after the funeral. i hope that that happens- especially for her to be able to have closure with so many of their ohio friends. i also hope that both my brother and his son jason make it home for any services. i have not seen jason for maybe 8-9 years. sometimes funerals are good for mending fences and retying connections..... keep my dad in your prayers......