5 Weeks Tomorrow

The other day I left work for the day, on my way to see my dad in the hospital. Lost in thought and with the radio distracting me, I realized that without concious thought, I had taken the exit to the VA hospital. I don't remember getting over to the exit lane, putting on my blinker, or even slowing down to exit. And I as sat at the exit ramp light waiting to turn onto La Jolla Village Drive, I just shook my head. Too many visits. I'm on auto pilot. Auto pilot for the hospital, isn't a good thing.

6'2", ruggedly handsome, a Vietnam Vet and such a man's man, my dad has never really been sick a day in his life. Then a car accident, the discovery of bladder cancer stage 2/3, and it all changes. None of us saw it coming.

And over the past two years, that's just what it has done...kept coming.

Tomorrow is 5 weeks.

First there was the unexpected, yet immediately necessary surgery. Another life-changing surgery for my dad. Then the waiting... was the surgery successful, would he recover. Ah the questions and more questions. And then the day I walked into the ICU and saw him sitting up in his bed, eye's bright and mind clear. He said he finally felt like he was going to live again. The surgery seemed to have worked and the doc cautiously watched his progress. They moved him to a regular room, good news and he got to eat regular food again. Coming home was in sight. Saturday was to be the day. But Saturday morning the call came, that he wouldn't be coming home, some complications had occured. Dad was back off food and water, and a few days later back in ICU, an infection had set in. His fever was rising, his white blood cell count too high. Standing in the hall with the docs, them telling me it would be a good idea to have my mom come down that night.

I called my friend and cried the whole drive home.

Prayer, prayer and more prayer, prayer.

Then a miracle, part of the infection was drained and his body was accepting the antibiotics. Such amazing news. The power of prayer! But dad had been in ICU so long and that along with his strong medications for the extreme pain he was in, made for what they call ICU psychosis.

Now dad is stable and everyday a little better. Still in ICU. But better.

I think about what this is teaching me. Simply put, I only get one time around for this life and like Nike says, "just do it".