LOU'S DAD

Lou's dad, Louis Jacob Padgug, passed away early last Wednesday morning, October 27, 2021, after being in hospice care at home since August. He spent a little over 97 years on this earth. His only son, Louis John Padgug, was at his side holding his hand as he left this world.

The last Father's Day, June 2021, for father and son.

First, let me sing the praises of my partner of 20+ years. Lou stepped up managing his dad's care along with relieving caregivers and doing all the hands on care necessary for someone in the final months of their life. Remember this is a man who, having no children, never changed a diaper or sat up half the night with a sick kid. Yet he walked right into the trenches, learned what he needed to do and helped his father in every way. His strength and capable determination was commendable. I couldn't be prouder of his effort to make his dad's last weeks the best they could be. 

Lou was the only "father-in-law" I have ever known. My ex-husband's father passed away when he was a teenager. The family always referred to Lou's dad as "Lou" and my Lou as "Louis". My Lou was always just Lou to me and his dad went by Lou, also. Bruni and I spoke of "my Lou" and "your Lou" when we spent time together since they weren't junior and senior with different middle names. For the purpose of clarity, I'll say "Lou" for his dad and "my Lou" for, well, my Lou.

Being that my Lou was Lou's only son, it was always apparent that he adored his youngest child and my Lou was the light of his life. The feeling was mutual. There was a special bond between father and son that was obvious. As the years passed and Lou's condition began to worsen, my Lou provided more assistance to his father in all aspects of his life. 

Lou was a kind, caring and generous man. He led a long, varied life that was free from health issues for the most part. His ability to walk worsened over the years probably partially due to spinal stenosis but there was never a definitive diagnosis in spite of countless doctor visits.

For years, one of Lou's consistent replies to the question, "How are you?", was "As well as can be expected." A few weeks ago, I walked to his bedside and asked how he was doing expecting the usual reply when he surprised me by answering, "Pretty shitty." It brought a smile to my face.

Speaking of smiles, during Lou's last few months, he always had a genuine smile for those of us who stopped by to visit. We had numerous talks about mortality and eternity during his decline and I was grateful to share that with my father-in-law. I always felt his love and affection during my time with his son.

One day maybe a couple weeks prior to his passing, I was already over at Lou's house to confer with the hospice nurse when my Lou arrived. My Lou was wearing a t-shirt that I had no idea he owned or when he bought it. The shirt read:

"Son of a World War II Veteran. 

Most people never meet their heroes. 

I was raised by mine." 

We were all fighting back tears as my Lou read it to his dad and said, "You are my hero."

I am so thankful that my Lou was there with him at the end, sitting at his bedside, holding his hand as he passed from this world to the next. It's all any parent can ask for. Rest in peace, Lou. You will be greatly missed.