Two things that have shown me that dad is really not his normal self is his disdain for reading and watching TV. While Dad usually only scans the headlines of the paper, he still looked forward to it. Mom told me this morning to "keep the paper, your daddy won't read it". He also looked forward to his favorite TV programs. Now, we hardly have the TV on at all in his rehab room. Only on Sundays for the Panthers game, and even then, this week, my Mom watched the game and related highlights to my Dad while he lay in his hospital bed. I got them two books to read, but they have hardly been touched.
Dad complains of a dry mouth, fatigue, and loss of appetite. He drinks Boost and a daily regimen of veggie smoothies, along with his sixteen daily medications. We are trying to provide a source of nutrition and also some anti-cancer substances, in hopes of him feeling better, and even being cured and regaining his health. But it seems like an uphill battle. We often are confused or in disagreement over what is best for him. He wants us all on the same page, but it seems difficult to arrive at a suitable compromise that makes everyone happy, including my Dad.
It's also discouraging to not have finances or resources to be able to help him more. We are giving him some nutritional supplements that are fairly expensive, and we can only hope that we'll be able to keep re-ordering them. We have been blessed with a few gifts from unexpected sources, caring friends and associates who truly have felt compassion for my Dad and his situation. A local friend provided a juicer. A basketball teammate gave us a financial gift. My guitar class took up a collection for us. A pastor friend came and transferred our family from Charlotte back home. A church men's group has offered to come do some house repairs for us. All of these and more wonderful acts of kindness have been such a blessing to Dad and my family.
Life goes on. Today, I teach my guitar classes, which happen every Monday at the local senior center. I will not get to see my Dad today. This coming weekend, I go out-of-town to play in a basketball tournament that has been planned for the last year. I would love the opportunity to do what I did in Charlotte- stay with my dad around-the-clock, 24 hours a day. But that is not a possibility for now.
Please pray for our family, and especially my Mom. She is staying at least 10-12 hours a day with Dad, and watching over every need, big and small. Then she comes home to face bills, and cleaning, and washing clothes and dishes. We are all very tired. But I'm concerned for her especially. Please pray for wisdom and strength, and for peace and rest. Pray that I will be given strength to help my Mom. We need to clean and rearrange our home to better accommodate my Dad's return.
In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you.
I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again,
and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also. (John 14:2,3)
For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God,
an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Cor 5:1)
For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;
who will transform the body of our humble state into conformity with the body of His glory
(Phil. 3:20, 21)
No comments:
Post a Comment