The morning starts with anxiety. Probably dad’s but most assuredly mine. Dealing with this whole estate thing makes me want to get mine in order. Right. Now.

The days are fluid right now, more fluid than I am used to dealing with. Captain Anne Rackham loves order out of chaos. I like chaos, but only when I make it. I’ve tried to work some today but it’s been difficult, running between the hospital, the bank, and home for delivery of beds and what not. Between the printouts of medications, letters to the bank, and calling the attorney, I know I’ll sleep well tonight.

Each morning starts with a check-in from two of my favorite men, Doyle and Michael. Doyle is my ground, my anchor, and my true “other.” He gets the mail and remembers to water the plants, checks in to make sure I took my own vitamins and have slept enough. When lightning strikes, Doyle is my lightning rod. Michael checks in with the emotional and spiritual me. He reminds me to be me, to be my authentic self, which is a little woo-woo, tapping into that unseen part of life that keeps us all evolving.

Random people from all my various lives have dropped in. I know that everyone is there, consciously swirling around me like fireflies, giving me shining bits of light in the darkness. It’s not really dark, though, not yet. It’s twilight. The leaves are rustling in the hot summer breeze and the fireflies hover just out of reach. I know they are there, and it is a comfort. Every once in a while, one will land and impart some bit of wisdom to me. Yesterday morning, one of them, someone I have not seen in years, dropped me a line. I find her to be her own voice, a woman of wisdom. She said, “For many reasons, you choose to make this journey with your dad. Be sure to let him know it’s your choice, and remind him of the times he was there for you. He’s going to a place of no sin, no sickness, no death. There is no fear, only peace.”

I thought, at the time, he knows this. I don’t need to say it. Huh. My father’s daughter, for sure. When I went back to the hospice care facility, I sat down and just stayed with him in silence. He hovers between sleep and talking, eating, drinking, and more sleep. Just before I left, I held his hand. I spoke the words she had said, not exactly, but in my own way. He didn’t speak to me. He just held my hand and squeezed it a little. It’s the best that he can do and I honor that.

Michael and I talked about that, briefly today, and gave me the advice that I was doing all I was supposed to be doing, and that’s why all the fireflies are there. I think that most of this lesson, right now, is my own willingness to accept help. I am my father’s daughter. Many people are worried that I will go it alone and for many years of my life, I might have. Support was rare. I think I’ve learned enough now not to go it alone. Dad’s situation has taught me that, if nothing else. Going it alone is how his cancer got so advanced without us knowing it. Going it alone is now why he won’t live to 100, which was his goal. Life is a team sport, I said to Michael, and we all make it to the finish line. Me, personally, I just want us all to do it together – my entire team. As a team.

As I was meeting with the doctor today, and looking at his wounds, I was standing at the end of the bed, looking at him. He was surrounded by women fussing over his wounds, making him comfortable. He loved it. He even told them that. Then he looked at me, standing next to the doctor and said, “Kris, we’re going to make a nurse out of you yet…” I chuckled and said “Oh, you think so?” Then I chastised him for getting out of bed and making wounds in the first place. “No more getting out of bed alone, mister.” I wagged my finger at him. The doctor chucked behind me and said “Amen, sister. Listen to her, Len.”

I left today with a smile, because at least he’s coming home where he’s happy. Now, I know, the hard work begins.