Hello loved ones,

This is likely my last CaringBridge post. As most of you know by now, my dad, Jim Mulholland, passed away on Tuesday, June 27th. I'm posting here to make sure the news has reached all who loved him and my mom. 

A memorial service is happening on Friday, July 21st at 10am at Fairmount Cemetery in East Denver (430 S. Quebec Street). It will be a graveside service with military honors followed by a casual reception. His ashes are being laid to rest next to our mom's, so those who attend will be able to see their shared headstone. (Only mentioning this because my mom's service was in Granby, so most have not seen her special spot at Fairmount Cemetery.) You can read my dad's obituary here: https://www.fairmountfuneralhome.com/obituaries/James-Willard-Mulholland?obId=28376438#/celebrationWall. It will also be published in Grand County's Ski-Hi News this Friday, July 14th. 

For those who are interested in knowing more about what led up to this, my dad went into the hospital on Monday, June 19th, the day after Father's Day. Dave and I saw him on Father's Day (we enjoyed a nice breakfast together, along with my son Noah). He had had a fainting spell the night before that left him with a black eye from a fall, but otherwise he seemed okay. On Monday, he was continuing to feel light-headed / short of breath, so his good friend Rod took him to the ER to get checked out. They admitted him in order to run a battery of tests. (It is important to know that even though my dad survived the esophageal cancer diagnosis he received in January 2022, his health has been declining basically since we lost my mom nearly two years ago. Both his heart failure and pulmonary disease had been worsening. He never regained the weight or strength he had before the cancer diagnosis (and the radiation and chemo that followed).) 

Over the week he was at the hospital (from June 19th - 27th), they did a bunch of tests, including an endoscopy to check to make sure his cancer wasn't back (it wasn't). Unfortunately, he continued to feel light-headed and short of breath and fainted a couple more times. On Monday, June 26th, they decided to see if a pace maker would help. I was with him that afternoon and he was hopeful that this would be the answer. We also had a nice conversation that evening by phone with Dave (who was out of the country with his family).

The procedure to put in the pacemaker was the next morning (Tuesday) and it seemed to go well. I was not there that day, but I talked to him that evening on the phone. He said that he was feeling groggy and tired, and he was a little confused. I told him to get some sleep and I would see him first thing in the morning (as I was planning to go back down to Colorado Springs the next morning). He said that sounds great and we both said I love you. Just an hour later the hospital called to tell that they had lost his pulse and were doing CPR. Unfortunately, about 10 minutes later they called back to say he had passed. 

I'm not sure if his body was rejecting the pacemaker or something else happened, but now almost two weeks out, I am really grateful that he did not suffer long (if at all). When I talked with him an hour earlier, he was in no pain and was drifting off to sleep. After witnessing my mom's prolonged journey and so much pain and suffering, I can appreciate God's mercy in how he went. 

The past couple years without my mom were really hard for my dad and he has been very lonely. Over the course of the week he was at the hospital, we talked directly about death a couple times. He told me he was ready and if the pace maker didn't work, he would pursue hospice care after that. He told me that when my mom made that decision, he didn't understand it, but now he understood. He was ready. He also cited his favorite Bible verse, Matthew 22:36-40; it always gave him so much assurance and clarity. 

It's been a hard couple week, but so many of you have reached out in love and offered prayers. Dave and I are so very grateful. 

Love,
Jen