We've created a
website in memory of Mom & Dad. Various information and photos from their
funerals and lives are included:
http://www.mcgangroup.com/david/Memorial/Summary.htm
You can see a
copy of the eulogy that will be read at Dad's funeral this coming Wednesday,
December 28th.
http://www.mcgangroup.com/david/Memorial/Obit-Dad.htm
The funeral
arrangements for Edward McGan, at this time, are as follows:
Tuesday, December 27th
- Visitation from 6:00pm-9:00pm at Cox Funeral Home, Rosiclare, Illinois.
Wednesday, December 28th
- Funeral at 11:00am at Cox Funeral Home, Rosiclare, with burial in Lavender
Cemetery in the Hicks Branch Community of Hardin County.
Donations to the following are preferred,
in lieu of flowers:
Hardin County General Hospital Auxillary, Rosiclare, IL
Buena Vista Community Church, Harrisburg, IL
Good Hope General Baptist Church, Karbers Ridge, IL.
Condolences can be sent to:
Route 1
Herod, IL 62947
David McGan
53 Dorsey Street
Corydon, KY 42406
Dad's condition
began deteriorating more rapidly late this evening, so we did not leave his
bedside. At around 11:05pm, his breathing changed suddenly, and at approximately
11:10pm, he just stopped breathing. At that instant, his wish that he be with
Mom was granted, by God's mercy and grace, and he will now be spending
Christmas with her and Jesus.
If by chance you are reading this and don't yet have a personal relationship
with Jesus Christ, perhaps our experience during these past 21 days might
demonstrate to you just how important Jesus is for your life. Dad would
emphatically agree with that, because God has sustained him through many trials
in his life. Now he is reaping the benefits of his trust in Jesus. Talk to a
Christian friend or minister about how you, too, might have that assurance and
peace that comes from Christ.
God bless you.
Additional information about arrangements will be posted here as they are
finalized.
Dad's alertness
continued to deteriorate through Friday and this morning. The doctors finally
ordered that he be placed on a "bipap" machine (which reinforces the
breathing activity, but does not take over the breathing). His lead doctor
suspects that Dad may be developing pneumonia and wanted guidance as to whether
we would want Dad to be placed back on a ventilator, if necessary (and placed
back in ICU). He is concerned that if Dad overcomes this "episode" that
he will be faced with additional episodes in the future.
His blood pressure is dropping, and they have increased his IV to compensate.
His temperature is also dropping, which is counter to indications of pneumonia,
but is said to sometime be a sign that the body is unable to mount the effort
to fight the pneumonia that would generate an elevated temperature. Of course,
these developments are not encouraging.
However, the latest blood tests (a little after 3:00pm today) indicate that
Dad's CO2 level is dropping (a good sign) and that his oxygen level is improved
(another good sign).
At this point, we will see what tonight brings. Tomorrow, we will review the
status and discuss with the doctor the prognosis. At this point, if he does not
rally significantly, we will probably not choose to place him back on the
ventilator. Our reasons are this:
Once Dad realized that Mom has died, he stated that he didn't understand, that
he and she wanted to go together. That was Thursday evening, and his condition
started deteriorating from that point. Well, it may be that he is preparing to
join Mom, and
Your prayers should be that God direct our decisions such that God's Will be
done and that Dad is comfortable through this period of his life.
Dad was more
confused this morning, as he kept talking about loading trucks and needing to
get them on the road. The physical therapy nurses came in and put him in a
bedside chair. They said he seemed to be quite a bit stronger than yesterday,
even though he still hasn't had any nourishment (other than IV) since early
Tuesday afternoon. They will be starting some feeding through the
Dr. Rietti indicated that Dad's lungs are sounding good this morning, and he
seems to be pleased with his progress thus far. The Cardiologist was going to
increase the Lasek (to eliminate fluid), as he thought he might be a little
congested (doesn't appear to be any problem at this point).
Dr. Rietti said that they were going to probably refer him to Deaconess Select
(Acute Care facility), which is a very good thing. Hopefully, they will have a
vacancy, and he will be accepted there. That should ensure that he continues to
get the care he needs at this time.
Dad may have finally realized today that Mom had died and has been buried. He
had once again asked about her. After I told him once again that she had died,
he then began asking questions about the funeral, about where she was buried,
which funeral home we used, etc., and why we hadn't told him about it. I told
him that we had told him a number of times, but that he was very sick and
hadn't remembered us telling him. He then wanted to get out of the hospital so
he could attend to the funeral arrangements, etc. I told him that the funeral
had already taken place and that we had attempted to make all the arrangements
that he himself would have made had he been able. He said that they had always
wanted to "go together," but I told him that God had some other
purpose for his life and that he would just have to trust that God knows what's
best for his life. He agreed. But I suspect that he will remain somewhat
agitated or upset as he continues to process this new information and the impact
on his life.
This blog begins
as Dad begins his second full day in ICU Stepdown at St. Mary's, after 17 days in
ICU. Prior to coming to Stepdown, he was suffering a common malady known as
"ICU Psychosis," which results in decreased mental clarity. For that
reason, he had not been able to comprehend Mom's death on December 6th.
However, this morning, Dad's clarity of mind is quite a bit better, and it
appears that he is finally understanding the basics that Mom has died. At this
point, he appears to be taking the news fairly well. He started out thinking
that her death was a result of him not taking sufficient care of her. But I
believe we have convinced him that he had in no way been deficient in caring
for her.
He had a
The hospital is talking about the need to transfer him from this hospital to
another facility (acute care facility) in the near future. This appears to be
mostly because of Medicare red tape and appears to me to be an example of
government bureaucracy devoid of common sense or compassion. We're hoping that
an acceptable acute care facility can be found (so that Dad won't have to go to
a nursing home in the interim, as his condition would not tolerate that too
well at this point). But it would appear that a move will happen within the
next few days.