Dad had a couple of days where he seemed to get more animated and able to move a bit, but the past two days he has been less so. Being unable to speak does not hinder his conveying that he is very very unhappy and frustrated. He's not smiling or opening his eyes much anymore. His arms still move around a lot. They finally tethered them to the bed, ( Read more... )

My Dad collapsed this past afternoon at the Port Authority bus terminal after seeing a play with my Mom. His heart stopped. Someone administered CPR and then emergency personnel shocked him a few times to get it restarted. He has been unresponsive since that time. He is in the cardiac ICU at St. Luke's in Harlem on life support. The doctor's ( Read more... )

Over the years, Christmas has become my Day of the Dead celebration. I've had a few conversations recently with friends who experience something similar to this. When the family gets together, the missing faces seem more noticeable than other times and gatherings. Older and frailer relatives have tended to pass around this time of year, with a few ( Read more... )