Monday, August 27, 2012

Not Interested in Dying

We got an email from my dad last night.  My dad doesn't email very often.  He used to write us a great deal, most often on post it notes that accompanied packets of articles he'd hand selected for us.  Sometimes there was a lot crammed onto the post it notes, but usually they were brief.  My favorite was one that read: "Dear Kory, This is more than I wrote to your brother, Love Dad."  His emails are brief as well, seldom more than a half dozen lines at best, but always both poignant and funny.

Last night's email was particularly powerful.  He reminded us that we had reached the one year anniversary of a doctor telling my mom in the hospital that my dad may not make it through the night.  But he did.  And he's still around a year later having settled back in at home, vacationed with us at the cottage, and seen his grandchildren all grow that much taller and more interesting.  If his cancer returns there is nothing left to be done about it, and things are still complicated (particularly from my mom's end), but he's home and getting around under his own power, doing what interests him, and mostly just being my dad.  When I think about the nightmarish hospital stays from last year it's hard not to marvel at the difference today.

Dad also mentioned a recent obituary in the Times that said the deceased "had no interest in dying" and he probably didn't either.  I'm glad that's nowhere on my dad's to do list.  Because I need my dad.

9 comments:

  1. What a really interesting guy your dad is. I'm glad he is feeling better as of now!

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  2. I love the "long" email he wrote you--sounds like he has not only a great spirit for life but also a great sense of humor!

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    1. My dad is adorable and hilarious. I'm a lucky kid.

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  3. Good news! I hope he continues to do what interests him and not that which doesn't!
    Mark

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  4. This post makes me smile. I am so glad to hear he is being his usual awesome self, and I love that I can hear his voice in my head reading this :)

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    1. Jen, do you remember the time I told him you and I were going outside to roller skate and he responded by telling us what time it was in London? So if my dad ever does go bonkers we may not notice, but I'm glad he's around to continue to amuse us all.

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  5. What a blessing he's still around and has no interest in dying. ;o) Funny funny man. :o)

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  6. Lovely. My mom just two weeks ago went in for a biopsy on a lump. Doctors are all "Doesn't look too bad. Let's just wait and see in six months." My mom is ok with that. I hope she's not interested in dying either. I need my mom too.

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    1. Oh, I'm sorry about your mom. That's really scary and I hope it all turns out fine.

      And thanks for visiting my site! So nice to have you here.

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