He was turning into a little old lady watching the house across the street being built and giving me the details about what contractor was coming when, and if the building looked like it was on schedule, and why they’d build something like that when only two people lived there.

He’s had whatever respiratory illness I’ve had and he has a lingering cough.

I’m still learning not to panic when he gets sick, it’s just left over from my mother when every little symptom meant an extended hospital stay. I’ve been resisting the urge to call him several times a day to see if he’s still breathing.

I haven’t shared that with him since I think he’s think I’ve finally gone around the bend.

Post from: Blisstree

Back to school for my dad

He called me today to tell me the doctor’s office called, “Go to the drugstore and get the thyroid medication we called in for you.” That’s all I know, he didn’t think to ask any questions.

He starts his medication tomorrow and I was a bit concerned, but then I had to tell myself that he’s not my mother, who would typically have the one side effect of a medication with the .0000001% chance.

The diagnosis does kind of explain a few things that have been going on with him, some for many years, though. We’ll see how this goes, it has the potential to make him feel better and I shall ignore everything else Dr. Google told me.

I broke my own cardinal rule and started looking things up on the Internet. Don’t do it.

I asked him about it, and he said that in 1961, a doctor told him he had low thyroid levels and gave him some medicine which was news to me.

My dad: “It got better after that.”

Me: “Yeah, I guess you oughta keep getting that checked every 50 years or so, whether you need it or not.”

Post from: Blisstree

The “What now?” Files yield hypothyroidism today

Now, while it’s good practice for people of a certain age to get them at prescribed intervals, this came up rather suddenly.

It’s routine-ish, but still, so was my mother’s carotid surgery which launched a 3 year nightmare of complications and lung cancer.

And, it’s scheduled for when I’m out of town and my husband is alone with the kids. While that’s going to be some logistics juggling for him (my husband), I am secretly glad I don’t have to go to that particular hospital right now.

Forgive me if I seem a little skittish, I’ll get over it.

Post from: Blisstree

My dad gets a colonoscopy

It’s a blessed wonder my father is still alive since he can’t drive worth a darn. That’s not a new development, so don’t worry that I need to have “the talk” with him, yet.

When I became an adult, I realized that his driving skills weren’t great, but had never known any differently because my mother didn’t drive and I had always ridden with him.

God bless the Toyota Prius and it’s reliable braking system.

How in the world did I learn to drive?

I know I dispense a lot of advice here about how to know when your aging parent shouldn’t be driving anymore, but I don’t know how I’m going to tell the difference between his baseline bad driving and the eventual decline in his driving skills due to age.

I rode with him today, and if I haven’t ridden any great distance with him in a while, I forget.

The whole way I couldn’t help but think of the Jack Handey saying: “When I die, I want to die like my grandfather–who died peacefully in his sleep. Not screaming like all the passengers in his car.”

Post from: Blisstree

Driving fear into my heart since 1964

Me: “How’s your back been lately?”

Dad: “It’s not my back, it’s my knee.”

Me: “Your knee?”

Dad: “Yes.”

Me: “How long has it been bothering you?”

Dad: “Oh, I’d say since about the beginning of the year.”

Me: “Are you going to have it looked at?”

Dad: “Yeah, I guess I’d better. (pause) Hey, I’ve been riding my bike every morning.”

Me: “Oh, really?”

Coincidence? You decide.

I’ve just decided to let it go.

He’s lived in the same neighborhood since I was two, so if he lands in a heap in the road or a ditch, someone is bound to recognize him and call the ambulance, I suppose.

Post from: Blisstree

It’s baaack.

Through the howling wind (you could hear it inside the house, and, he’s only a few miles from me) and the frantic weathercastersI was talking to him, and, he, in his own inimitable fashion, says, “What wind?”

Either his auditory acuity is slipping, or, I’m the one that needs checking upon, and, not him.

Post from: Blisstree

And they call the wind my father

Despite thinking he was having a back relapse, he continues to do well in that department, and, it’s too cold for him to be riding his bike.

You may recall, he is a high school teacher, and, I have no idea what I would do without them, the faculty, the staff and the students.

To say that my father is well-loved and respected there is an understatement, and, I may or may not take advantage of that fact from time to time, I’ll never tell.

OK, you talked me into it, I’ll tell because it was kind of funny.

I took the kids to a basketball game there the other night.

The guy behind us (cheering for my dad’s school) was yelling and screaming at the referee, and, it’s a small gym and it was getting obnoxious.

Now, this school isn’t known for stellar athletics, so, people that passionate are few and far between.

He was dropping some naughty words as well, and, I had the kids with me, so, I felt compelled to say something, though I was mostly irritated at the volume of his colorful expressions.

I also knew that, as a home fan, he likely knew my father who was sitting on the bench with the team, and who would be coming over to where we were sitting at half-time.

So, I kind of dramatically turned to him, and, said, “Do you mind? I have children here.”

He sputtered and spewed, but, eventually shut up.

Sure enough, my dad wandered over at half-time, and, I looked at the guy, stood up and hugged my dad hello. Loud obnoxious guy turned as white as a sheet, and, suddenly became my best friend.

Turns out he was married to the assistant coach, and, is the guy who drives my dad on team trips and they’re pals.

He was all sunshine, rainbows and unicorns for the rest of the game.

Post from: Blisstree

Random dad story

I was touched by the sentiment since they haven’t been neighbors for very long, but, one part of their “bond” is that they went to the same high school.

My dad is an active alumnus, and, this is a school with a long tradition of turning out some fine gentlemen, and, he’s doing the right thing caring for his neighbor, and, I think they enjoy each other’s company.

Either that, or, the man thinks my dad’s adult daughter is neglecting him and he should make sure my dad is getting fed (attention, if my Career and Kids troll is reading this, that was a joke).

My dad was telling me that they were going to a very nice steak restaurant, and, my dad is a big steak fan, so, I thought that would please him.

When I asked him if he was looking forward to going, he replied, “Well, I guess so.”

That puzzled me until he said with vague exasperation, “But, now I have to think of some way to reciprocate”.

Alas, a gentleman’s work is never done?

Post from: Blisstree

It’s hard to be that popular, I guess

If you’re new here, my mother died last year, and, my dad lives alone.

He’s a Marine and a man of few words, but, when the word do come, they have been hilarious (to me, anyway) sometimes.

Remember his silk flowers (which, by the way, he did buy and arrange them himself)?

Well, now he’s in the market for more because: “I’ll need some in Spring colors in a couple of months”.

Post from: Blisstree

Flowers by My Father

My mother had known her in the small town they both grew up in and it was a coincidence that they ended up living on the same street many years later.

She moved off the street after her husband died a few years ago, and, they really hadn’t kept in touch, but, she was one of the first people to bring us food and check on us when my mother died.

No, it’s not an “eligible bachelor” thing, she is just a really nice lady. She was actually using a vase that my parents had given her for a wedding present lots and lots of years ago, and, it made her think of my my dad and she just called to check on him.

Call someone right now just to say “hello”, it will really brighten their day.

Post from: Blisstree

Keeping in touch