This was the last picture that I have of Dot before she went to the Atrium. It was taken on April 7, 2011, and she went to the Atrium on May 29, 2011. Mark and Mason had come with us to bring Dot her dinner (for awhile Paul would get her a dinner to go from On the Hill and we would bring it over to her). She was so happy to see them.
I looked back in my journaling to get the exact date that we brought Dot to the Atrium and, reading it, I got a knot in my stomach. Even now, 7 years later, I feel so many emotions about that day. I wrote that it was the worst day of my life. It's still true.
We went to visit Dot at Wingate of Hamden for her birthday on Monday, the 18th. My Dad's wife, Marge, is there now. We brought both of them to the dining room for a little "birthday party." We had cupcakes and ice tea. Dot doesn't walk, without their assistance, anymore so we wheeled her down to the dining room. They suggested we take Marge there in a wheel chair too. We gave Dot a present from Steph, wrapped in a box. She didn't know how to unwrap the present, or even how to open the box. We brought her a balloon, and took some pictures.
One funny thing about our visit - when we got back to her part of the nursing home, I had clipped the balloon to her chair. A little Hispanic man, who was also in the same type of reclining chair that Dot had, grabbed Dot's chair and pulled himself over so that he could reach her balloon and unclipped it. He took the balloon and was having such a good time with it that we didn't have the heart to take it back, especially since Dot didn't even really notice the balloon. He was still playing with it when we left, including wrapping the string around his bare feet and toes, lol!
So many times I wonder why Dot has to linger in that nursing home. She used to tell me that our days are numbered by God, that it is written down when we are born and when we will die. Years ago Dot gave me a little daily devotional "The Grace of Encouragement" by Charles R. Swindoll. Today's message was "All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. Psalm 139:16." I have to believe that God has Dot's life in his hands. I love you Dot, happy birthday!
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