Was this the sign I asked for from my late father

[Papergirl1968]

My DF died 20 or so years ago, my DM is in the later stages of dementia. So many times in recent weeks we have thought we were about to lose her and she was sleeping most of the time, hardly eating and had lost the will to live before then rallying.
I asked my DF and grandparents to come for her when she was asleep. I asked them to send me a sign to let me know they'd heard, but not a smell this time - not long after dad died I had a very intense smell of orange fill my house for a few minutes before fading away. There was nowhere it could have come from. Since then however I've completely lost my sense of smell. I also heard my cat m meow in the house shortly after he died. So I'm open minded to these things.
A couple of nights ago I dreamed I was walking arm in arm with my mom - who cannot actually walk now - and my dad came up on my other side and took my hand. Neither of us are/were very demonstrative with each other so this wouldn't have happened in real life. He looked younger and healthy and he was walking - again he couldn't walk when he died. I was flooded with happiness but didn't feel the need to ask whether he was a spirit, what dying was like or anything. I don't think my mom was aware of him.
Then he said he would sit down and watch us carry on walking. I took.a few steps and turned around to see if he was still there. He was, just watching us. I asked quietly, so DM wouldn't hear, "how long?" He understood immediately and replied "soon. "
A friend of mine says she has received messages from her DF and talks about being whizzed down a tunnel. I had nothing like that.
Am I going mad? Was it just a dream?

I would interpret that as a message from your DF yes. How comforting that you have had this. I have heard of others have similar experiences with waves of utter excitement and happiness in a dream about their loved ones who have passed. I think the message may mean that you need to be with your mother right now as she will pass soon. He left you to walk with her so you would understand that she hasn't passed yet and you still have time to be with her

Thank you, @pinkgrapefruitjuicepie
It was a very comforting feeling at what is a very difficult time.

@Papergirl1968 I would say that was 100% your dad's way of getting a message to you in a way that wouldn't scare the living daylights out of you. I had a dream like that of an auntie who had passed who I was very close to. This was many many years ago and the dream brought me great comfort at the time. Very very vivid as well, different somehow to regular dreams. I would definitely take this as a visit 💙

Thank you @Poppyseed14
DO is still here but is going through a bad spell again.I
She has no real quality of life and the GP has started to talk about palliative care.
I'm going to ask dad and grandparents again to come for her.

So many people see their loved ones as they enter End of Life.

Accept it and maybe your Mum will see him and take his hand soon - then they can walk towards their destination; together again.

I wish my parent had seen loved ones. There was none of that. I do think they tried to talk to me at one point but couldn’t speak. I wish I knew what they wanted to say.

Sorry, meant to add that I would definitely say that was a message from your dad. How lovely.

@Papergirl1968 I was wondering but I didn't like to ask. It's such a cruel disease. Both of my DP's parents had it in later life. Sending you much love. I'm sure your Dad is around you both ❤️

Imagination or not, that was a fairly powerful experience.

But I'm firmly in the Yes, it was your dad camp. He's there watching and guiding.

See Hospice Nurse Julie on youtube. Visitors usually come around a month before the end. my mum was with her friend (they were seven) when a group appeared in the corner of the room. The friend told my mother they'd come for her, but it was the friend who died the next day.

Thank you all.
I told one of my sisters and she had had a weird dream when my dad died, although in that case they were in opposite sides of a path and she knew he couldn't cross it to come to her and she couldn't cross it to go to him.
And she said DM once told her she herself had a very similar dream when my grandfather died, although in that case it was a stream separating them.
I think Poppyseed is right and that it was a very unscary way of making contact with me.