My Dad was seldom ever sick until he was 84.  He died from colon cancer 1 1/2 years after it was first diagnosed.  During that 18 months we found my Mom developing mini strokes that resulted in dementia.  She had not planned to go into Assisted Living until my Father passed but the stress of his illness made her condition worsen.  Within one day at 83 yrs old she lost her husband, her home, her life, her freedom, and her high heels.  Dad was finally able to relax and accept his illness for himself.  Five weeks later Mom's Sister died and one week after that Dad was gone, Christmas Day, 1998.

Mom and her siblings had to get out of the car and walk beside it with their Mother and her Father drove over the high mountains coming from North Dakota and going to the Pacific Northwest.

Mom did quite well in Assisted Living.  Her physical health was good for the most part and she enjoyed the fellowship of the other residences.  But as the days went on, her voice diminished and people could not hear her speak and they became annoyed.  After a couple years her condition was worse than Assisted Living had the ability to care for her.  My Brother and Sister-in-Law found her a wonderful private home that was near them and she completed her days there.  My Sister and I saw her a month before she passed and her favorite things she could relate to were the photos in her picture albums.  Her passing was very quiet.

The 18 month story of my parents struggle with illness was written by me shortly after Dad's passing.  The background for the journal took 60 years for me to live and 18 months being with them nearly every day then 7 months to write.  And one second for the ISP to destroy it.  I tried several times to redo it and each time it was more difficult.  This go-around I've decided to put up a little page, that I'm able to handle.  Anyway, that is how A Family Journal was started and how it ended.

Well, lets just say that was just the first 65 years.  Much more to come ahead.