It is over...

Tony died about 3:45 PM today. We are sad he is gone, but glad his struggle and suffering are over. He appears to have gone peacefully. His sister is with her best friends in Arkansas.

We don't have any plans yet for any kind of visitation, service, etc.

Thank you for your prayers.

The only change from yesterday is that his breathing is now shallow and rapid with short periods of no breathing. He moves his left arm and leg some like he is moving in his sleep.

His Mom and I take turns sitting with him to keep him company and watch for any needs. We can still get pain medicines in him via patch or absorbed in the mouth, but his other medicines require swallowing of a liquid or pill, and he isn't capable of doing that.

He has taken nothing to eat or drink today, and has lain on his back all day. We believe he still knows what is going on about him, but he has not responded verbally.

He is pretty out of it today. He did eat a little breakfast which he hasn't lately. We have liquid medications now since he was having trouble with pills sometimes. He says he hurts so we have given him some extra pain medication.

We had another brief lucid conversation with him just now. He told us "nothing is going to take it away", "that's the way it is", and he indicated that he is ready to go. His words were not tinged with fear or resentment or anger...they were just a statement of fact and acceptance. He seemed worried about us (his Mom and I), but we told him not to be; and that we would be okay and follow him later. It is an enormous huge gigantic relief to know what he is thinking, and that he is okay with the way things are going. I hope he is comforted knowing we are ready too.

Earlier today, he said he was thinking about all his friends, but we couldn't understand much of what he said then. It is hard for me knowing that he knows what is going on, has something meaningful to say, but can't say it most of the time.

Thank you for your prayers. Please pray that Tony's peace will continue. Please pray for him to be healed and have his abilities restored. Please pray that God will provide us at least one more such lucid comforting moment for he and his sister to share before she leaves for school. She leaves Wednesday evening.

He just finished listening to the Truth in Love TV program, and fell sound asleep during it. We record it and play it for him as part of a home Sunday service. He felt so bad yesterday that he didn't want a service. Today, he asked if it was Sunday, and replied 'bummer' when he found out it was yesterday, so we played the show and planned a short devotional after...but he is absolutely sound asleep now.

He had a very rough night. He woke up a couple of times complaining of severe pain, but it went away after he used the commode. Pills are very hard to administer, so we are going to get liquid versions of as many of his medicines as we can.

It looks like his platelet count has not come up. He is getting new bruises too easily, and old bruises are growing instead of healing.

We think he finally understands that he won't be getting any more treatments. He asked when we were going to have his next blood test to see if he could have chemo. We told him that the doctors don't have any more treatments for him, that all we can do is pray for God to heal him, but that if he does get better, we can do some treatments. He lapsed back to sleep right after that...we only get a few seconds once or twice a day where we believe he understands us and we understand him, then he falls asleep.

On a related note, please pray for and support his sister. She will be going back to Arkansas this Wednesday to start work and to get ready for her sophomore year, and will likely be saying goodbye to her big brother for the last time. She fully comprehends what is going on. She will be traveling with her best friend to keep her company. They plan to see the sights around Fayetteville for a few days before her friend returns to Alaska.

Thanks for reading this blog, and thank you for your comments.