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2012 has been somewhat a year of change for us. Before Christmas last year Mary’s father was diagnosed with Lou Gehrig’s disease or ALS. In the summer he started having trouble with his speech andswallowing; also becoming more tired and weaker. No one could figure out what was wrong so he finally decided to go to Mayo. Most people would make an appointment or be referred, not Harold. Hedecided to go to the ER. If you knew him, you would think, ‘yes, that sounds like Harold.’ After three days of tests he had his diagnosis and was told about two years to live. He decided that hedidn’t want a feeding tube or trach, he had had a good life; besides now he would know what he would die from and be able to plan. Always the planner. We made frequent weekend trips up to the farm tovisit. Mary happened to be up there in March with the kids when he died, in fact being up with him during the night. He said he ‘wanted to go home.’ She soon realized he wasn’t talking about the farm.Amazingly he still had the use of his muscles and walked until the end. It was his voice and breathing that was affected. The outpouring of sympathy at the funeral was overwhelming. It was amazingto see how many people were touched by one life. Mary’s brothers have taken over farming. We have gone up to help out on occasion too. We think William would love to stay, loving to drive tractorsand feeding the animals.
Mary has experienced a change in location for work. Instead of being at the main clinic she has moved to a small town where she is the only provider. The previous providerhad left and so she has taken over the practice and many of her patients from the main clinic have followed her. She is busier than when she was at the main clinic and enjoys meeting and getting toknow the families of the town. It seems everyone is related somehow.
Dave is still cooking for the students at Iowa State. For awhile he was working the AM shift, getting up at 3:30. He has...