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Monday, April 17, 2006

Thank God It's Over.

His favorite ice cream is Cherry Nut, and he has a sweet tooth that could rival a six-year olds. He loves children, euchre, and MN Gopher basketball. He’d give you his left arm if you’d ask, but he’s stubborn as hell. He doesn’t like ketchup on his fries, but will put maple syrup on his cottage cheese. He has a sense great sense of humor and loves a good joke.

I’ve been gone because of him. My dad. He was admitted into the hospital last Tuesday with a case of the flu, and ended up with a trace of pneumonia. There’s a history here though, one which I don’t feel like getting into. One that has to do with a brain tumor and three strokes…for further reference you can go here. It will explain it in more detail.

Anyway, I’m not up to going into detail here. How his stubbornness kicked in and after day two he was ripping out his IV’s and devising his escape plans to be able to go home. The first hint was this conversation between him and my mother that went something like this. (Which was after they had given him enough sedatives to “knock out a horse.”)
Dad: Where did you park your car?
Mom: I don’t remember.
Dad: Well, which side of the hospital is it on?
Mom: Ummmm…Hmmmm….can’t remember.

And I’m not going to go into detail how my brother, sister, and myself all ended up getting said flu and how I spent all Thursday hunched over the toilet in a vomiting haze.

He went home on Friday hopped up on so many sedatives he didn’t know where he was, or what year it was and ended up sleeping the majority of the day. I guess he ended up being a bear to watch, very hard to keep still and wanting to do whatever he wanted to do. I’m lucky because my shift didn’t start until Saturday when he was pretty good. Actually, getting me ice water and scooping out ice cream for everyone, and by Sunday he was even better.

This Easter we sat out on the back deck and watched the golfers go by, barely even remembering what had taken place only days earlier. He doesn’t dwell on things, and that’s what I think makes him so strong and able to preserver through the tough times. He’s a great man, and I’m proud to call him my dad.

7 comments:

Bud said...

Wow, that sounds like fun! Glad you're both feeling better. He sounds like a very cool guy.

Darcey said...

Glad to know that everything came out on the good side. *hug*
(And I know all about people ripping out their IVs... not pretty.)

m.a. said...

I'm sorry to hear about your father, and I am so glad to hear that he is doing much better. And he's lucky to have you for a kid.

Mr. Toast said...

Not much of a fun week for you and your family, but I'm very glad to read that he pulled through OK. (I've had a little experience with hospitals myself, and can certainly relate to your Dad's desire to get the heck out of there and go home.) He sounds like a really cool (and fiesty!) guy; I'll include y'all in my prayers, and hope he continues to do well.

Glibbidy said...

You better hide the car keys, and the ice cream scooper in case he trys to make a break for it!

I love maple syrup on my cottage cheese!

Carl Spackler said...

i came across your blog after visiting aliecats page. great stuff you have here! hope all goes well with your dad.

mysterygirl! said...

Sorry to hear about your dad-- but I'm really glad to hear that he is better (and that you are, too). Sounds like you had a pretty nice Easter together after all.