Across the street from me are my two neighbors, Anna and Paul Rohrbaugh.  Anna is 84 and Paul is 91.

Anna was admitted to the 5th floor of St. Francis Hospital 12 days ago and two days later, Paul was admitted to the Intensive Care Unit in the same hospital.  They have been married for over 60 years and I have never seen two people who are more in love than they are.

Their son, Dennis along with John and I have been visiting them daily and although it breaks our hearts to know that they will probably never make it home again, we have seen magic.

Magic in the sense of love that spans decades.

When we visit Mrs. Rohrbaugh she asks us to tell her husband that she sends kisses and love to him.  When we walk into Mr. Rohrbaugh's room and deliver the message, his face lights up from underneath the BiPAP mask.  Mr. Rohrbaugh mouths, "Tell Anna that I love her, too".  Too cute!!!

If any of you have seen the movie, "Batteries Not Included", Mrs. Rohrbaugh looks just like Jessica Tandy...thus the title of this post.

I know that these two precious people will probably never make it home again but ask that if you have a spare minute, that you include them in your prayers or thoughts.

 

Done!  Please let them know we are here for them.  

Jerry

That kind of dedication to the flame of love is an all too rare thing in this world.  People today want things to be easy.  Love like that requires care and constant attention to each other.

Thanks for sharing their story Cyn...  They're on my list.

-Dennis-

Done Cyn....

(I wanna be loved like that someday) Maybe in my next life.

Count me in!

Prayers are with them ... and with you too for being there to "deliver" the messages...

Hugs BD

Anna and Paul will remain in our thoughts and prayers. You and John are so awesome for visiting them daily. It must be very hard for these two not to be together right now.

You deserve the "Good Neighbor Award" hands down!!! ;)

Keeping this sweet, loving couple in our thoughts and prayers.
They must miss each other terribly.....bless their hearts.

Jackie

What a bittersweet story. You brought tears to my eyes. It is wonderful that you can John can be there for them.  Such a special love story.

Charlotte

A love like that is a rare thing.  I hope Clark and I are still like that at 60 years.

All my thoughts to them, may they be reunited in this world before passing on.

Cat

Count on my prayers....

Ray

I'm here too. Lots of prayers and thoughts.

Charlie

Vibes to them. Cliche but cute movie for those that have not sen it.

The visit with my neighbors today was a bit rough.  I watched their son, Dennis struggle with the decision of signing the consent for his Mom to have a PEG (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy) tube/feeding tube inserted.  In the last 15 days, she has had a pacemaker inserted, abdominal surgery for an intestinal blockage, pneumonia, a urinary infection and now has sepsis.

She is not coherent enough to make the decision and since her husband has Alzheimer's, he cannot help with this decision.

I urge all of you to please make a Living Will to make your wishes known to your children and family so they don't have to struggle making these kind of decisions for you.  Sure it is hard to sit down, put pen to paper and face your own mortality but it is the best gift that you can leave for your loved ones.  Get your will in order and review it with them.  It's so sad to see Dennis struggling and trying to make these decisions with both of his parents in the hospital at the same time just because his parents didn't take the time to make their wishes known.

I'm in! It's too bad hospital rules, policies and / or procedures won't allow them to be in side by side beds.

I'll be sending good vibes and thoughts to them. They're in my thoughts and prayers. :3

This story warmed my heart and saddened me at the same time.  I will be thinking of them.

Jeannie

What a heartwarming and heartfelt story Cyn.


 
Quote:

I'm in! It's too bad hospital rules, policies and / or procedures won't allow them to be in side by side beds.

I'm with Echo on this one.  At the stage they're both in and looking like they'll never go home...why can't the rules be bent.?  Are you in a position to ask?  Certainly their kids are, right?  Personally if that were my Mom and Dad...I'd be insisting.  

Thank you so much for sharing that with us.

Thanks for the update Cyn, but so very sad. :'(
I also wonder why they are not put in the same room? :(

We were able to get Mr. and Mrs. R were in the same room for a day and a half but Mr. R's condition worsened and was transferred to ICU.  By the time he was well enough to go back to the regular floor, Mrs. R got worse and was transferred to another unit.

Just can't get them both well enough at the same time and I'm not sure if it is ever going to happen.

Thanks for the well wishes and I'll pass them on to the family.

Mrs. R. fought the good fight with all that she had.  She passed peacefully at 5:50 P.M. tonight.

The worst part of this is that her husband who has Alzheimer's Disease probably won't understand when we tell him tomorrow that his wife has died.

R. I. P. Anna.  I will miss you.  :'(

Oh Cyn,

I just read this.  I'm so very sorry to hear about Anna and Paul.  What a kind and loving friend you are being to them.  I hope that Anna is now in peace.  How horrible for Paul to be left behind, and also for their children and for you and John to be facing losing both of them at the same time.

It is a touching story - the love they have for one another.  If we each were to come out of life being loved that way, I would say we have been more than blessed.

Thank you for being such a kind friend to them.

Much love and prayers headed your way!
Carrie

Cyn, I am sorry to hear Anna passed away. I have no idea why this story of this couple is touching me in the way it is, but I am fighting the tears back, but it is not working very well.

May Anna rest in peace, and she knows what good people you and John are, for being a good neighbor and for making your daily visits to check on her and Paul in the hospital.

Someday the two of them will be reunited.

 Barry :'( :'( :'(

First off I am sorry for your loss and the loss to the family Cyn. I am so glad you could be there for the family.

I agree with you Barry. This story has touched me too. I'm not sure why but maybe it's the simplicity and love in life when so many struggle with divorce and bad marriage. It seems so hard that we can't just take our spouses hand and leave this world together peacefully.  Although it's been over 2 years since my mother died, I know my Dad still badly misses my mother after a 54 yr marriage. I always loved the two movies "on Golden Pond" and "The Notebook" There is just something so special yet hard about those last years.

Charlotte

Aw Cyn, I'm so sorry for your loss.

I don't know how I missed this thread but it has touched me deeply.

Love like this is rare and precious and you are blessed to have witnessed it.  If there is ANYTHING good about Alzheimers (and not much is good about that disease), it's that he won't be too affected by her death because in his mind, she's still with him.  He's in a place where she is always there  . . .

Our love and condolences to you and yours, as well as Anna's family.  

Aww a love story for real... and a story not unlike the one of my parents also married 60 years and died within 4 months of each other...
Cin my heart goes directly out to you... He will shortly follow I am sure and knows all the secrets of life...

I wish I had a crystal ball about now...

love you and prayers for Anna and her sweet Mr R.
Ree

Cyn, I am so sorry.. but happy she passed peacfully.



Quote:

The worst part of this is that her husband who has Alzheimer's Disease probably won't understand when we tell him tomorrow that his wife has died.

Does the family really need to tell him?  If he is in such a bad way physically and Altzheimers is a factor, if I were the daughter, I wouldn't.

:'(  I"m so sorry, Cyn.  Condolences to you and to this lovely lady's family.

Hugs
Carol

Mr. and Mrs. R's son, Dennis made the arrangements for his Mom's interment today.  He is planing a memorial service for both of his parents at their church in the near future.

He also decided to withdrawal all treatment for his Dad with the exception of I.V. saline.  His Dad is in multi-organ system failure with no real chance of a good recovery.  He also decided to not tell his Dad about his Mom's passing because of his Dad's Alzheimer's.  As Pat (mosaicwench) mentioned, Alzheimer's is an awful disease but in this case, it may be a blessing.  (Thanks, Pat....you are a wise and caring Lady and I thank you)

I am lucky to still have both of my parents in good health so I can't imagine how Dennis has stayed so strong while dealing with these kinds of decisions in about a month's time.  Losing one parent is rough but the idea of losing both parents in a month's time is something I can't even begin to imagine.

He now has to decide what to do with a full house of furniture, transferring funds from one account to another to be able to pay the monthly bills for the house, selling his parents' car, etc. and his mother forgot to tell him where she hid the key for the safety deposit box.  So many things to take care of all at once.

I know dealing with a loved one's death is a touchy subject but the best thing that we can do for them is to take care of all of the legal B.S. so they don't have a huge mess to tackle.  If you haven't done this, please do it A.S.A.P.  It is the last gift you can give to your family and one that I am sure they will appreciate forever.

Thanks for all of the support and well wishes.  Anna and Paul were a source of joy, a wealth of knowledge, a kinda/sorta replacement for my grandparents that I lost a while ago and although they could be a big source of frustration at times, I will continue to miss them for a long time.

Get your will in order, arrange for Power of Attorney, let your next of kin know what you want or do not want at your funeral, etc.  It may be a morbid subject but it's a fact of life.

 

Very good advice, Cyn.  Prayers are with Dennis as he has to deal with all of this grief and stress.

Cyn,

I am so sorry to hear of Anna's passing, and Mr R's condition.  Please give my condolences to Dennis.  I know he knows how blessed he is to have had such a love story in the home he grew up in, but please tell him how jealous some of us are.  I hope to be able to have that kind of a story to pass along to my kids in just a few years.

Jerry

I'm saddened for what Dennis is having to go through Cyndi. He is so very fortunate to have you and John with him at such a difficult time. I am sending prayers your way. Please accept and pass along my sympathy.

with warm regards,
Tony