New Chapter

It's a bittersweet day. One chapter is ended and another is begun. At the crack of dawn, Mom and Dad (with David) boarded a plane to start their new lives in Arizona.

Everyone rousted in the dead of night to start the exit process. Folks were organized, both at home and at the nursing home, so things went smoothly.
We got to the nursing home at 5:00 a.m. to find Dad sleepy but in good spirits. For the most part, he understood what was happening. Although he kept forgetting that I was not going with them. (He wanted to know who would be picking up the car from the airport.) But more than once he said, “Boy you kids sure did a good job with this. Got everything organized. I didn’t have to do a thing!” It was nice to think him still aware enough and appreciative that we have all been trying to help him.

We were at the airport by 6:00 a.m. and got great service from a retired Navy chief working as an aide for people in wheelchairs. He had to start with I.D.s so when all the military I.D.s came out it was game on. He attentively called Dad “Commander” and ribbingly called Dave “half Colonel.” The chief arranged for me to be able to go to the gate too, even without a ticket. Very nice.

Then in a blink, our trio was gone. An airline employee pre-boarded them very early, so by 6:15, I was on my way out again, having barely had a chance to say good bye.

By dinnertime today, Dad will be settling in to his new digs. If things go as smoothly as they went this morning, everything will be all right. Now I’ll just have to go home and reintroduce myself to my husband. It has been quite a year.