1 Year Has Passed

Nov 16 marks one year since my dad passed away.

Anyone that says that things get easier lies. Each day that passes hurts more and more.

The other day, I could hear the sound of my father crying in my head. I wanted to sit on the hospital bed or anywhere and wrap my arms around the man that I've loved all my life, but I can't, because he's not there and he never will be again.

In the year that has gone by, so much has changed in my life. I've bought a house for one. I've left behind a huge part of my life when we left that old house.

My dad was such a huge part of my life. We were together almost every day of our lives and life without him is just so empty. It is very hard to go on. I don't know how my mother, who spent over 60 year of her life with him is holding up as well as she is.

I can offer this advice to those of you who still have parents to hold on to.

1. Never miss an opportunity to say I love you.

2. Don't hide from the illness, some of the best times I had with my father were in his final years. I will always cherish the times I sat on his hospital bed and held him.

3. Have patience. They don't always know what they are doing, and yelling only makes it worse. I know how hard this, especially when the illness is progressing rabidly or that their is dementia involved.

4. Take a lot of deep breaths.

It has been one year since my daddy left us, and the pain is still very very real.