My Dad. My Hero.

My dad and my son

God took the strength of a mountain,
The majesty of a tree,
The warmth of a summer sun,
The calm of a quiet sea,
The generous soul of nature,
The comforting arm of night,
The wisdom of the ages,
The power of the eagle's flight,
The joy of a morning in spring,
The faith of a mustard seed,
The patience of eternity,
The depth of a family need,
Then God combined these qualities,
When there was nothing more to add,
He knew His masterpiece was complete,
And so, He called it...
Dad

 

This past year has been hard for my dad.  

 

Yet...

my dad, my hero, would be the first to tell you to not bother worrying about him (in fact, I can hear him telling my mom that I never should have written this post about him.  Too bad.  I win.).  In the past six months, what started with a trip to the ER due to dehydration has become full kidney failure.  Daily treatments and nightly routines of kidney dialysis are what my dad faces every day.  Blood draws.  Doctor visits.  Total change in lifestyle.  It would be enough to make anyone want to quit. 

 

Yet...

my dad, my hero, faces the challenges with dignity, strength, honesty, and optimism.   He has his good days and on those days, we rejoice that the medical world has made progress which allows him to have control over this disease.  He has his bad days and on those days, we cry, we worry, and we wonder why he has to go through it.

 

Yet...

my dad, my hero, would be the last one to tell you to feel sorry for him.  He says, "the bad days are bad.  But they end in 24 hours, and they are fewer and farther between than they used to be.  When I feel good Chelle, I feel good.  And you can't ask for more than that." 

No, I don't suppose we can (although a new kidney would be nice).

 

He taught my siblings and I that, no matter what else, family comes first.  He believes that philosophy to the core of his being and it is evident when you see him giggle with his grandchildren, hug his wife, or talk on the phone with my brother.  He taught his children to laugh at themselves, stand strong and be independent, to love fiercely and with all we possess, and to never settle than for less than what we deserve. 

Thanks for the lessons, Dad.  

 

His legacy lies in his children. 

And his grandchildren.

 

 

 

I hope we have made him proud because we are proud of him. 

Each and every day.

 

I Love You, Dad.  

(Kim and Patrick love you, too.  I just happen to have a blog that allows me shout it to the world!)