February 15, 2003
I spent Christmas in Edmonds at my mom's. Michelle and Kristin were there for a few days too. I visited my dad a few times at the Columbia Lutheran Care Center on Phinney, and later at the UW hospital. He had major heart surgery (5 by-passes!) November 2001 and a major stroke during surgery on his carotid a month later. He falls in and out of being lucid and is paralyzed on his left side.

I was getting rather depressed by the visits and realized having a companion would help me through them. I asked Michelle and Kristin if one of them would be willing to come with me on the next visit. They both came, and so did Mom and Julie Olufson. Fortunately, Dad was awake and able to talk quite a bit during the hour we were all there. He recognized and addressed each of us individually. Though it was painful to see his condition, I wasn't depressed before, during or after the visit as I usually am. That companionship was the best gift of the year.