A Day In The Life Of The Bornes Family: January 2009

We have had an interesting Chrismas Season to say the least. It started the Saturday before Christmas Eve. Noah got sick and he never gets sick. We had to cancel B.B.'s birthday party on the 21st because Noah was so sick. BB was such a big kid about his birthday party being cancelled. He was more concerned about his brother that day than anything else. So we took Noah to the doctor he was on medication and he started feeling better and then all of a sudden on Christmas Eve Bjorn noticed these red spots on Noah's body. K they turned out to be Chicken Pox!! Of course I started crying because my baby was going to miss Christmas with his cousins and grandparents and aunts and uncles!! My brother came in from Minnesota with his family too! And he was just getting over the stuff he had a couple of days before. After my and Noah's meltdowns we decided that Bjorn and BB would go to his mom's house to celebrate with his family for awhile. My brother, Nana and Papa were going to take my car and go to my grandparents, then go look at Christmas lights after they were done at grandmas, and Noah and I would be staying at home.

Then about 5 minutes after everyone had left I get a phone call from my brother saying that my dad had just suffered a massive seizure in my car and in front of my nieces and my mom and my brother and sister-in-law. He told me to get there right away. K I've got a child that has chicken pox and it is just he and I at home. I was frantically calling Bjorn and he was not answering his cell phone. I finally got a hold of him (sorry Tia- I completely lost it on the phone with Tia) and he went to where my parents were to see if they needed help. The ambulance came and took papa to the emergency room and Bjorn came home and picked me up and we went there also. Thank heavens BB is 12 and he could stay with Noah. And thank heavens for my mother-in-law Chris who came and stayed with the boys until 12 or 1 am. We rushed to the hospital and found my family and that is pretty much where we stayed for 4 days. It turns out papa had a massive brain tumor and that is why he had a seizure. He was at work on Christmas Eve just hours before his seizure he also went to target to buy more Christmas presents for who else but the grandchildren and Nana.

On Chrismas Day Papa tried to get the nurses to release him from the hospital. K he was slurring his words and could hardly move his body. But he somehow had convinced them that he was going home. Of course we put the kybosh to that. On the 27th the doctor told us that they could try brain radiation and but it would only prolong the dying process. We said no because Papa wanted to go home. So me being the person I am I called my amazing friend Libby who is an ICU nurse and she got me on the right path to get Papa home. We called the hospice that Heather stayed in. The people at Riverstone Hospice are amazing. They were amazing with Heather and we knew they would be great with Papa. So we got everyting ready for Papa to come home. He came home and we took care of him with the help of the hospice and our Angel Libby. We had to bathe, give medications, turn him so he didn't get bed sores, change his sheets and make sure he was comfortable.

Papa thought in the hospital that he could still beat the cancer. Nana had to break it to him that he couldn't. He was aware and awake for days after his seizure. The tumor was making him dillusional which at times, he became so very funny. We think he may have even suffered a small stroke. His left side of his mouth was droopy and he could not move his body except for his arms and his head. He told Bjorn to watch Nana because she goes to the pawn shops all the time. hehe.. Nana has never been in a pawn shop in her life. He told me that the best thing that could happen in his life would be if I left the room, K that hurt for like 2 seconds then I realized that it was the tumor talking. He joked a lot with us during this time. His Mom and Dad, Brothers and Sisters, family members and close friends had the opportunity to say goodbye to him. Papa left his earthly body on January 2nd.

It still seems surreal to me. It feels like he is on vacation somewhere and we just havent seen him because he is still gone on a trip. Of course he would not have gone on a vacation for this long without our Nana. My parents have known each other since they were very young. I mean young as in the age of 6. They have been together for we could say for forever and it would not be an exaggeration. It is all still very overwhelming for many reasons. There are some things I know about my dad: I know he loved my mom she is his one and only and they are truly soulmates: I know my dad loved me, my husband (papa and bjorn are best friends) and most of all he loved my children. We were his treasures and his pride and joy! He felt the same way about my brother and his family as well. Sorry Brian, Lynette, Hannah and Alysssa, I don't want to leave you out!! He really did love us all so much! The great thing about it is that we all knew it. He called me everyday- he has called me everyday since I was married 12 years ago. He either called me or Bjorn. Most of the time he was calling to see how our day was going and to ask about the boys.

After Papa passed away the pastor came to speak to all of his family and we had to describe Papa is one word and of course I could not I chose two words which were Unconditonal and a Rock. He was always so unconditional with his love. He was also a great protector and always on my side not matter what, right or wrong there was no other side but mine. He would go to ends of the earth for us. I know it because he has done it for us many times. He was always very generous. I cannot tell you all of the things big and small my dad has done for us and many others with the expectation of nothing in return. To say there is a big void in our lives is an understatement.

My boys no longer have a grandfather. They have 2 great-grandfathers but no Grandpa or Papa. It is very hard for me to think about becasue I grew up with the best grandpa there is. But alas here I go on the pitty pot. We would like to thank everyone for all of the kind words and gestures that have come our way. We are taking this day by day. Some days are good and other days seem never ending. Papa's legacy is us his family and the cabin the place he bulit for us. We will do our best to continue to make him proud and take care of Nana and the cabin. Papa- God be with you til we meet again!! We went to Hawaii Thanksgiving 2007. We went with Papa, Nana, and Chris, Leif, Tristan and Tia! We had a blast and we will never for get it!