Remembering Allan Video

Your Thoughts

Shannon & I would welcome your thoughts, notes, comments and memories. If you would like to share them here with us, and with each other, you are welcome to. Click on the comments link below.

Stacey

Allan McNab Smith of Calgary, passed away peacefully at the Rockyview General Hospital on December 17, 2007 at the age of 66 years. He is survived by two daughters, Stacey (Rob) Scott and Shannon Smith; granddaughters, Emily and Kaylee Scott; sister Sheila (Bill) Kerr; two nieces, Sarah and Julie Kerr (Craig Korth); and grandnieces, Ella and Amy Korth. Allan was predeceased by his parents, Zora and Walter Smith, and younger brother, Kinley Smith.

Allan was a mechanical engineer and spent the last part of his career at SAIT in Calgary. He then launched his own computer consulting and BBS service, MacRemote. He volunteered prolifically with Sarcee Pony Club, Alberta Light Horse Association, MacIntosh Computer Club of Calgary. Allan will be remembered for his exceptional devotion to family, and for the many adventures he led, especially through the mountains, lakes, and rivers of the east Kootenays. His deep voice and easy laughter will be sorely missed. Allan kept his sense of humour to the very end and was able to wish many loved ones a fond farewell.

We will miss you Dad.

Dad was resting nicely most of the morning... I think Stacey and I are learning to look less at the monitors, and more to Dad in order to judge how he is doing. Things like falling blood oxygen, rising respiratory rates, recurring bigeminy and PVCs are just parr for the course now it seems (and in the end, just jargon anyway). It comes down to how dad is feeling. And he seems to be feeling pretty at ease. They are increasing his morphine quite a bit, and he is sleeping and resting more; joking and chatting less, but still joking and chatting.

Yesterday Dad and Stacey and I took a few photos in the hospital room (just for ourselves). In a strange way, I think last week was one of the happiest my dad has had for some time - seeing so many people who have cared about him over the years, and hearing from others who are far away. Between that, and being doted on 24/7 by a team of health care professionals, not to mention the (happily) undivided attention of his daughters, I think he felt like about a million dollars. I wanted the photos to remember those moments.

The current attending physician (they change weekly) thinks there is a good chance Dad's heart will give out before we get around to taking him off the ventilator. The doctor said, "It'll happen quickly and there'll be no warning. But I think you guys are mostly prepared." I nodded that we were, although I don't know what "prepared" could possibly mean.

I've been watching his monitors and his heart rate commonly drops to 31 beats/minute. I'm no cardiologist, but that seems a little low. As part of "comfort measures" they have stopped giving him blood thinners and heart medication.

Chatting with the nurse on my way out last night she asked if we were staying with him all the time. I explained that Shannon and I spend about 12 hours a day with him on shifts. The nurse said, "That's good. Your dad needs you a lot right now." I responded that we need him a lot right now too. I think I almost made her cry.

Hi all,

As most of you know our dad has been in the ICU at the Rockyview since late October with severe lung disease. It became increasingly apparent that he wasn't improving. Finally, last week, the doctors said there wasn't anything more they could do for him. Our dad agreed to come off the ventilator and let nature take it's course. He asked for some time to prepare and say goodbye.

Since then he's had family and special friends come through to see him and there have been some tears and many kind words. Our dad gets tired quickly so the visits have been short. Shannon and I have been taking shifts, sitting with him about 12 hours a day. He sleeps a lot, but it's been important to us to be together as much as possible.

Today the doctor came in to see where our dad was at with "everything". Our dad, who has been feeling pretty good, asked for one more week. Of course the doctors agreed. There is no rush, they keep saying. I don't know how someone decides it's time.

We'll keep adding updates here, so feel free to check back.