The Wind Comes for our Tal Moon

Yes, Tal had another stroke. At some point during the night of the 15th of April, 2014.

He appears to be in very deep sleep yet his eyes fluttered open to look at Tiger lying quietly alongside him and Fiona standing near. 

He hasn't said anything nor has he shown any signs of distress or discomfort. "His breathing is calm and even" says Romig who spent the night of the 16 th sleeping beside him. 

His friends visit : David and Fiona Wong-Wagner, and their son Tiger, Tal's godson, as I mentioned earlier. Gerry Egan, his friend and closest confidante at El Castillo spent quite awhile with him yesterday. Marie Cash came and spent a moment with him. 

Lissa is flying over the Atlantic and will be there on the evening of the 16th . 

He is accompanied by his team of Ambercare Hospice Nurses : Virginia Gilstrap  and Josepha and Hospice Doctor Tron, : as well as his El Castillo nurses, Kris, Cathy, Ted, Hans and Anna. His aides : Dan, Jackie, Carol, Sandra, Dolores and Brenda 

I will update you all on what hospice means for Tal in his current condition as soon as I have any further information. That should be at about 10 pm Santa Fe time. 

Lissa 

sending this from Dallas Fort Worth airport stopover : 3 PM 

Nothing Like Friends !

For those of you that haven't yet seen Tal since his stroke or perhaps not recently, you might want to plan a visit.

It's not like these are his last days or anything like that. Goodness knows, Mom and I think he is in a stable place physically speaking. He is on hospice and has been for some six months now. What hospice means for Pop is that he will never be going to the hospital ever again. He is as comfortable as he can be, given his situation.        

One thing I've noticed ? Pop's friends have an easier time helping him get back to his old self than newer friends of whom he can be wary. It's as if he doesn't have to figure out who you are ! Seeing a friend, he can rely on his memory of what you have done together, of what he knows about you from the past. Imagine just how reassuring that is for him !

He knows he can trust his friends.

Trust is a big issue for Pop ! Trust is a big issue for anyone with Anosognosia.

Especially when Pop is not quite sure about new people in his environment. Why are they talking to me ? Are they someone trying to impress me or someone I should be trying to impress ? Where do these people fall in the hierarchy of importance to my situation ?

With his old friends, things fall back into place very quickly as he doesn't ask those questions. He just picks up from where you two last left off.  Even if that was twenty years ago !

It goes without saying that there is alot to get used to, to organize beforehand. Speaking one on one, sitting on his righthand side, allowing time for him to answer. Coming at a good time when he is rested. But it's all doable. And very much appreciated.

As you can imagine, for anyone with their intelligence intact, days that lack meaningful conversation are deadly indeed.

Dream of Flight Family Gathering January 2014, Romig House, Zocalo :  
    

Part 2 of Dream of Flight Family : Ken, Fiona, Suzanne, Virginia, Tiger, David and Rob