Well, as many know from my post over the past few months, my father was battling terminal cancer. In such, during his radiation and chemo, he had 2 heart attacks in a 4 day period and lost a healthy portion of his blood pumping ability. He did not finish the radiation or chemo due to his fragile state. I took some leave and packed the wife and our daughter to go see him, he'd never met his Granddaughter up to that point. Sadly, my family was sure he was holding on to meet her before he laid himself to rest in peace. Well, over the past few weeks, he has come off his oxygen mask, determined as all he!! to go back to work, he's started mowing the lawn (about one acre using a riding mower) and other things around the house. Of course we've all told him to settle down and relax, but as I mentioned in my chapter of this saga, he is a fighter and provider, actually the best provider I've ever met, heard of or otherwise have knowledge of. His last visit to the DR was a good one, with the DR's approval for him to return to work! I can't believe it myself, but my mom said she heard it herself. So, Monday 9 July, my dad will be back at work, where he longs to be. The largest of the tumors shrunk from 5.5cm to a mere 3mm. He cannot receive radiation or chemo ever again, his body just wont take it. The DR said he's still working on borrowed time, but as of now, he is stable enough to get back to doing what he wants to do, which is working to support his wife, our mom.
My dad and I talked the night before we left from our visit, and we shared a lot of that father-son deeper emotional stuff. I knew he was scared for his life, and played it off like everything was fine and I was the strong son he needd me to be... I had never known my dad to be capable of the emotions he shared that night, it shook my foundation hearing his words or praise, and to hear how proud he was of me, from my career in the Army (which he's saved every newspaper clipping I was in, and photo of me in uniform) to the family I am now responsible for. He also urged me not to follow in his footsteps, always working and never spending time with my children. Of all the things in his life he said he could regret, the only one is not being there for my brother and I on the emotional level, and always taking the extra hours of overtime at work. We agreed if things were different none of us would know where we would be today, too many things to factor in, so we celebrated for a moment in the most endearing hug I've ever felt from him, the sacrifices he made to raise my brother and I as his own children even though were not.
Hearing his voice last night when I called to wish him well returning to work was incredible. Only a week ago, he was this frail old man who could barely talk and needing things repeated to listen. Now he sounds like he did last year, ready to help build the world.
I appreciate every single prayer, thought and well wishing received. My dad also asked me to extend his appreciation. When I read the remaining ones my mom had stopped on, he wept. Thank you.
Sincerly.
Charlie
My dad and I talked the night before we left from our visit, and we shared a lot of that father-son deeper emotional stuff. I knew he was scared for his life, and played it off like everything was fine and I was the strong son he needd me to be... I had never known my dad to be capable of the emotions he shared that night, it shook my foundation hearing his words or praise, and to hear how proud he was of me, from my career in the Army (which he's saved every newspaper clipping I was in, and photo of me in uniform) to the family I am now responsible for. He also urged me not to follow in his footsteps, always working and never spending time with my children. Of all the things in his life he said he could regret, the only one is not being there for my brother and I on the emotional level, and always taking the extra hours of overtime at work. We agreed if things were different none of us would know where we would be today, too many things to factor in, so we celebrated for a moment in the most endearing hug I've ever felt from him, the sacrifices he made to raise my brother and I as his own children even though were not.
Hearing his voice last night when I called to wish him well returning to work was incredible. Only a week ago, he was this frail old man who could barely talk and needing things repeated to listen. Now he sounds like he did last year, ready to help build the world.
I appreciate every single prayer, thought and well wishing received. My dad also asked me to extend his appreciation. When I read the remaining ones my mom had stopped on, he wept. Thank you.
Sincerly.
Charlie
