21 May Ready

No one is ready for this.  Well, Herman is.  But we are not.

A month ago, we moved our Dad, Herman F. Allen, into the Memory Care unit of Atria Assisted Living in Columbia, SC. He was okay for about a week but then quit eating much of anything.  He just doesn’t want it.  Refuses it. He knows us, and we’ve had some wonderful conversations.  We’ve taken him for walks in his wheelchair, read to him, talked to him, and just sat with him.

WWII Veteran Herman F. Allen and his grandson, Keller Allen May 2011

Then a couple weeks ago, Herman’s grandson Keller and his two beautiful granddaughters Meagen and Emma came to visit, and Herman had his last Hurrah!  They took Herman to Publix where he greeted his old friends.  “Where have you been, Mr. Allen … We’ve missed you!”

They took Herman to Walmart, and Herman wheeled around that store for one last time.  He had with him his gray tote bag and his list, just like always.

Keller took Herman to Elmwood Cemetery where they visited Grandma Hedy’s grave. November 24, 2007.  Herman lay down on the ground next to her headstone for an hour, while Keller sat on the Allen bench and read.

It was Herman’s last road trip.

Now he’s in bed most of the time. Hospice visits daily. Kathy, the youngest, who lives a mile away, says that she hears him pray.  He is praying for a funeral.  She hears him talk to Hedy. He told Kathy that he had a dream, “I was walking, just like I used to.  I saw Hedy, and Lou, and I saw Emma.”  His mother.

Last night Kathy and granddaughter Meagen were with him when suddenly he asked them to sing!  Thank goodness, Meagen knows all the words to the old Irving Berlin songs.  While she sings, Herman “conducts” from his bed.

Heaven
I’m in heaven
And my heart beats
So that I can hardly speak
And I seem to find
The happiness I seek
When we’re out together
Dancing cheek to cheek

“Meagen, will you dance with me?”

“Of course, Grandpa.”

Herman tried, but he just couldn’t make it to stand up.

“Will you kiss me, Meagen?”

“Of course, Grandpa.”

Share this Post

• Tweet