Message from the heart....
I know I risk this message being deleted (right now I'm clean with no messages deleted).
It's been a tough last couple years.
Some of you have had your share of lifes' deliverance. The debt we owe for life is problems. You want no problems? You are dead. So excuse me for this post but some things you have to get off your chest.
I lost my golden retriever of 9 years the other day....his name was Tucker and he was my best friend. I thought he would live forever.
He was diagnosed with bone cancer and we had him put down (only because he would no longer walk on his leg). I now drive down the driveway now and my buddy is not there to greet me. When I get up in the morning, he is not there as I look out the kitchen window to an empty kennel. It kills me. I thought...the best I can do without him is to get through each day and it will get easier. "You have your family ...right?", I tell myself.
Meanwhile, my father has had his share of heart disease...bypass at 69...congested heart failure for the last 3 years, just had a birthday ...now 85. He hasn't been feeling good...I'm thinking, it's your CHF...that's what it does, deprives you of oxygen, deprives you of life slowly...day by day. Four days ago, he gets a CT scan to see the progression and why he is feeling tired and out of breath.
I told my wife, "it's congested heart failure and they are going to tell him it's getting worse."
But today, he gets called into the doctors office 2 days early before his appt...what do they tell him? He has a large, looks like a tumor, on the bottom right side of his lung.
He just told me 2 hours ago as I was walking past his house. (We all live on the same property). I have worked with my Dad all my life...I'm 53...since I was 24 side by side pretty much.
He is one tough SOB. Army Air Corp...Boxed golden gloves...outworked everyone else to become very successful. Never gave you much of a compliment but worked hard for the family. It's tough to hear that diagnosis roll off the lips of you father.
Further...I never saw this coming. He smokes a cigar every 2 weeks but is not a consistent smoker. The Cigar is with his friend who owns a winery...smokes that cigar as a way to say, "I have congested heart failure...can't get a transplant as I'm too old and too frail so WTF."
He goes in for a biopsy Monday. If you pray...please send them his way. His name is Vern.
God doesn't give you more than you can handle right? Well lord, I'm nearing my limit.
Thanks to a great IHUB board and to all the wonderful posters out there.
I would give up all of this WAMU stuff...investment...everything IN A MINUTE, to get my dog back and to have the doctors say "NO PROBLEMS FOUND" with my dad.
Bless you all,
JHD
