On March 15th, a little after 10:00 pm, my dad passed away. He had been receiving home hospice care and they had told us he was beginning the process of "winding down" several weeks before, but still, I wasn't prepared. He had been struggling with a number of health issues for a long time. Over the past year he had undergone bypass surgery and two amputations and had been bouncing back and forth between the hospital and a rehabilitation center. When they finally sent him home and recommended hospice care, we knew our time left with him was short. We were told to expect ups and downs; a roller coaster ride. Really, though, he had more good days than bad. He was confused at times and would say things that we didn't understand or would call out for me when I was sitting right next to him. Occasionally, he would ask about their dog. "Maggie has been gone for 15 years, Dad." "I know," he said "I'm talking about the dog that looks li...