And 2008 Keeps On Comin'

I’m in that painful holding pattern of waiting for news.
Let’s back up. Last night I visited my folks in lieu of the cancelled Christmas Day gathering, which we all nixed for the 2 feet of snow that fell. It didn’t go as expected.
My father was compaining of all flu-like symptoms and looked as bad as I’ve ever seen him look. Saying a lot for a near-400-pound man with blown knees, diabetes, and bad heart condition, to say nothing of the alcoholism or his wife’s chain-smoking inside their apartment.
He took to bed early. We left early. Today I got the phonecall from the was-a-nurse-for-35-years stepmom who said it seemed like he’d had a stroke.
It’s a few hours later and he’s at hospital, undergoing a battery of tests. All things considered, it’s like a mildish stroke — but definitely more serious than the one that should’ve been a wake-up call last year. And two years ago he almost died from diabetes.
So, because I still don’t know what’s really going on, and because I believe in the power of good vibrations, I’m asking everyone to think positive thoughts about him not only surviving this, but finding the courage to dig deep and make the changes he needs to make.
Ironically, he told me last night he was quitting drinking today, so I guess he was starting to think on those terms.
And if he pulls through this, I’m going fucking militant on the stepmom’s ass about smoking in the house. Oh, fuck am I.
So, thanks in advance for your well-wishes. I’ve lost a parent before, but if this goes that way, it’ll be completely different, due to the hugely foreseeable with-20-years-history intense medical issues…
Doesn’t mean I fucking want that yet, though. So, yes, positive thoughts = great gift to me. Thanks
***
It’s the next day. I found out last night it’s a return of the systemic diabetic shock that almost shut down his whole body and killed him 2 years ago. This time they think they mighta caught it earlier. We’re hoping so. Total-body-shutdown is never very easy to overcome.
Anyhow, should be a week or two before he’s out and getting better.
I so fucking didn’t need this. The only thing good to come of it is that it was my father’s near-death two years ago as a result of that diabetic infection that made me sit back about my own health and think, “Well, cancer would suck but it’s kinda unavoidable– dying of diabetes tho, that’s completely avoidable.” It eventually got me to lose my weight this year. I will be using this to propel me new places in my loss..
…It’s just going to suck massively in the short term. So much for having a relaxing weekend before I return to work. I finally get the longest time off I’ve had in a couple years and my dad decides it’s a good week to almost die. Great. Grr, Dad. You better fucking live.
Well, time to stretch and shit before the evil into-suburbia commute. Hanging at hospitals, I know it’s MY favourite place to be. Sigh. At least he should get better. We hope.

3 thoughts on “And 2008 Keeps On Comin'

  1. tashe

    Steff:
    Here is a link if it in any way assists you on your quest with your dad: http://www.chaosangel.com/tia/
    You can pretty much get the basics from the top page.
    Tia was 41. FORTY-ONE. She was heavy — tho not proportionately so very much so (unless your dad is awfully tall) — out of shape and diabetic. Apparently had a few little candy hoards. That is literally it, and it was all very brutal to see.
    At any rate, even tho of course your dad logically knows all of this sort of thing… if you think FORTY-ONE or anything else about the story might help, there you go.

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