Home Coming & Celebration of Life

DAD'S HOME COMING
Yesterday - August 13, 2012 - Dad decided to head home to his loving parents and all his family & friends who have left this Earth before him.

He always prefered to leave early, in order to be well on time for any appointment.  So he departed Alamo, CA at 11:45am for his Home Coming beyond the sparkles.  It was just over a week ago that he dreamt his father was planning a party.  We can only imagine the preparations were finally complete and they called for Dad. (It takes a week or more to make 100,000 pierogies by hand, you know?)

We had the profound experience of being there with him, squeezing his hands and talking to him, until his journey was complete. The only words that (albeit poorly) describe what we felt & saw yesterday are, "life altering."


DAD'S CELEBRATION OF LIFE LUNCHEON
While Dad's Home Coming picnic on celestial golf greens continues, we will follow suit here, with our own Celebration of Life Luncheon at the restaurant where Dad dined 6-out-of-7 days each week.

DICK STEPONIC'S

CELEBRATION OF LIFE LUNCHEON

Thursday

August, 16 2012

11:30am - 2:30pm

The Black Bear Diner

 700 Bancroft Road

Walnut Creek, CA  94598

(In the Countrywood Shopping Center,
corner of Treat & Bancroft)
 (925) 941-0000

We truly hope to see each of you there... to spend time
together among the people who loved Richard most.

Dress is summer casual. 

Don your golf attire, if you have it!

In Memorium:
The Bruns House, operated by Hospice of the East Bay, filled our last days with Dad full of endless support, resources, counseling, honor, dignity, and peace.  If you would like to remember Richard's life, a contribution to The Bruns House - Hospice of the East Bay in lieu of flowers would give another family like ours the same healing experience.

Tranquil Hours & Meteor Showers

TRANQUIL HOURS
Dad is sleeping most of the time now.
His face is VERY peaceful.
We all sit at his bedside and simply talk together for hours; listening to him breathe.
Occasionally he surprises us with some words, a smile, or a soft chuckle.
Those are the most rewarding moments.

The hospice chaplain blessed him yesterday morning and prayed with us.
We also requested a visit from a priest to give Dad the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick (formerly called Last Rites).  Both were comforting to us as a family.


METEOR SHOWERS
Dad and I loved to talk astronomy and marvel at the vastness of the Universe.  We would share mindblowing Universe facts with one another and just try to wrap our heads around them together.  In the last month, I shared with him a Universe tidbit we were both unable to comprehend.  Every chance I get, I watch "How the Universe Works" on the SciFi channel, on which an astrophysicist said essentially this:

We have a sun at the center of our solar system; it is a star.
There are BILLIONS of stars, just like our sun, in our galaxy... the Milky Way.
There are BILLIONS of galaxies, just like our Milky Way, in the Universe.
To put that in perspective...  there are more stars in the Universe than grains of sand on planet Earth.

WHOA.  Just think of that profound energy, that immeasurable grandeur, we are all a part of!

Tonight, Saturday, August 11th, the Perseid Meteor Shower will be visible in the SF Bay Area, reaching its peak after 11pm Pacific Time.  A few dozen meteors will streak the sky per hour.  If you can, please look for those ethereal lights tonight and think of Dad.  We will all be holding Richard in our hearts at the very same time.

Beef Pot Pie, Life-Long Chums, and Sparkles

BEEF POT PIE
The Bruns House, lovingly operated by Hospice of the East Bay, has done WONDERS for Dad in three short days.  He is so much calmer, brighter, and more awake.  He has taken great pleasure in their menu... enjoying especially beef pot pie, hot cocoa, and warm peach pie!  You should see his face when the aromas waft into his room!  Pure joy!

LIFE-LONG CHUMS
The doctors say Dad's sudden surge of energy and lucidity are fairly common.  They describe it as a final "rally"; Dad's body & mind are serving him well in these final days.  Many of you have been able to savor a hearty phone conversation with Dad or a personal visit full of laughter & ribbing about your years with him on the golf course, on the softball field, or at the office.  These times with YOU, his life-long chums, are so precious to observe. I want you to truly KNOW THAT.

SPARKLES
You all know Dad well enough to understand he is a scientist at heart.  A pioneer computer programmer from the late 1950s.  A linear, analytic thinker.  We were just agog the other day when Dad said to us, with eyes closed.  I had a dream.  It was my Dad, calling for me.  Daddy was calling for me, just a little ways away.  But... between us were these sparkles (and here he used his hands and fingers to convey a curtain of twinkling sparkles, falling top-to-bottom).  I walked to the sparkles and then through them (at this moment he used his hands like he was parting a curtain, a veil).  And then I was there. 
I was here, and then I there. 
It was as easy as that. 
And over there...  IT'S JUST LIKE HERE.

So, there you have it. 
Richard's heaven.
Something quite remarkable to think about, huh?

Richard is Approved for The Bruns House - Hospice of the East Bay

THE BRUNS HOUSE of ALAMO, CA
Yesterday morning, I met with an RN from The Bruns House, associated with Hospice of the East Bay.  It is a lovely home in residential Alamo, close to where Jose and I live and also Dad's condo where Russ and Aunt Margie are staying.  They offer 24-hour nursing in a warm, home setting for end-of-life care.

Very few patients are approved for The Bruns House, having to meet specific symptom criteria.  On top of medical assessement and approval, one of six beds must be immediately available.  Everything came together for Dad; he is headed to the Bruns House today or tomorrow.


DAD'S MOMENTS WITH FRIENDS
Dad had some most unusual moments of alertness yesterday, which my husband and brother quickly used to connect Dad with his friends via phone.  If you would like us to try to connect you with Dad via phone, should he be alert, please let us know.  In the meantime, we are reading your personal sentiments to him often.  He smiles, with eyes closed, at all of your heartfelt words.


EARTHLY & HEAVENLY EVENTS
We have started to plan Dad's Celebration of Life lunch/dinner at his favorite restaurant - The Black Bear Diner in Walnut Creek.  They are touched to be hosting it for their beloved patron.  The diner staff is headed over to John Muir hospital to see him today.

When Aunt Margie entered Dad's hospital room yesterday morning, he looked at her and said, "Is Daddy with you?"
"No, but I am right here." she replied
Dad said with excitement, "Daddy is planning a party!"

I am sure they ARE planning a WELCOME HOME party for Dad and will serve pierogies with butter & onions, iced tea, and nut roll for dessert!

---------------------------------------------------------------
This is a sorrowful time for us and the tears flow nonstop.
But, we want to keep you all in the loop as things transpire and share with you some moments of solace & joy.
Thank you for being a part of Dad's remarkable life.

Dad's Health Has Declined Profoundly

I deeply apologize for being away from Dad's health blog for a number of days. I have been at the hospital managing a turn of events that has us all DEVASTATED.

This weekend, Dad’s health declined profoundly.

He has succumbed to the recent staph infection, despite 3 different antibiotics administered via IV.

8 years of ravaging dialysis have left his body too week to fight the antibiotic-resistant infection and his organs are now shutting down.

The medical staff has urged us to bring in Hospice immediately.

My brother Russ is here from Saudi Arabia, along with Dad’s sister Margie from Pennsylvania.

Given all the complications, Dad will most likely pass away within 3-7 days.

We are shocked & dismayed.

I am headed back to the hospital right now to discuss details with Hospice and move Dad to the facility where we will say our final goodbyes.

This week will bring unprecedented grief in our lives.

If you want to email your feelings for Dad, I PROMISE to read them to him over and over.  He will know how you feel before he passes away. 

email to:  Erika_Steponic@hotmail.com

How to Post a Comment of Support for Richard

A few of you have expressed that posting a comment on Dad's health blog is not exactly intuitive. Indeed, you are correct!

1.
Look for the colored text at the bottom of each blog post that reads something like,
"4 comments," "1 comment," etc.

2.
Click that colored text link to view all comments and POST ONE OF YOUR OWN.

3.
Scroll to the end of all comments to find the free-form text box. 
Here, type your message to Dad.

4.
Click the PUBLISH button. 
Voila!  Your message is posted.

I read your messages to Dad during the day and each night at the hospital.
You notes of support mean the world to him.
Keep 'em comin'!

Richard at John Muir Medical Center - Walnut Creek, CA

The ONE-STOP-SHOP
for updates on Richard Steponic's health status

I will update this blog twice daily, so family & friends receive a current status on Dad's medical condition.

PLEASE DO leave Dad messages of encouragement as comments on this blog;
I will print & read them to him at the hospital each night. 
He loves to hear from all of you. 
You should see him smile & feel your care!
It works wonders to improve his well-being.

                                                          Erika Gamarra (daughter)

                                                                             erika_steponic@hotmail.com

DAD AT JOHN MUIR MEDICAL CENTER
My husband, Jose, and I took Dad to the ER on Saturday evening (July 28) with extreme symptoms of disorientation & fatigue.

Doctors discovered a wound on his foot that had become infected with Staph, releasing toxins into his bloodstream. Dad was completely septic and given 3 different antibiotics via IV. He was admitted to the ICU that night.

Yesterday (July 31), Dad was stable and moved to the Endocrine/Renal Floor of John Muir Hospital. 


If you want to visit, call, or send him something from the gift shop, don't hesitate:


John Muir Medical Center

1601 Ygnacio Valley Rd., Walnut Creek, CA 94598

Phone (925) 939-3000

Richard Steponic - Room 5506


John Muir Medical Center
Muir Galleria Gift Shop Monday to Friday
9:00 AM to 6:00 PM, and 6:00 to 8:00 PM, when volunteers are available
Saturday and Sunday
Open until 4:00 PM, when volunteers are available
Phone: (925) 947-5255