Reflections

One year already.  Whew.  What a ride it's been.  In some ways it feels like forever ago. Some days it feels like it was just yesterday.  I am only speaking for myself, I can only imagine what the year has been like for my dad.  Or for my mom.  Yes, one year ago after getting the news 1 week before Christmas that my dad had stage 3 cancer, he underwent two months of chemo and radiation and on March 24, 2010 he had his esophagus removed.  The things I remember about that timeframe:
* My car's radiator blew antifreeze all over the parking lot of TCBY on our way down.   Halfway to Mpls and my car is ready to explode with my children and husband inside. It's rush hour. Really?  Now?!
* My dad engorged himself in delicious food for the week leading up the surgery knowing he wouldn't eat well orally for some time.
* We tried to be "normal" through all of our silent fears the night before as we took the kids swimming in the hotel pool, ate dinner in the hotel restaurant (kids ate free!) and drank wine in the lobby bar.
* The next morning emotions ran high as we (my sister and I) argued about (I don't remember)....but we argued and that's abnormal for us (at least at our age - the good thing was there was no clawing each other's skin like 25 some years ago.  And our mom didn't have to tell us to "go do that outside").
* The short drive to the hospital, the walk in, the waiting room and us....were quiet.  Reflecting, anticipating.
* We were told to expect the surgery to take around 7 hours.  Ryan and I took the kids to the MOA to Nickelodeon Theme Park and Underwater World.  And we still made it back before he was out of surgery.  We didn't get to see him until after 8 pm that night....13 hours from the time he walked back to surgery.
* That night we were so relieved.  We rejoiced.  We were so thankful.
* Day #2, #3, #4, #5..........etc we were rejoicing, we were thankful.
* Then on day # 12 he came home.  It was Easter Sunday.  They (Dr's felt comfortable with him coming home).  After that, he went downhill and fast.  Two days later he was rushed back to Mpls by ambulance where Krista, Lola and I raced around the U of MN hospital trying to locate him. It was horrifying.  I was scared.  I had a pit in my stomach.  We saw him.  I cried.  I prayed.  I begged.  I pleaded....don't let my dad die.  He was dying and I was terrified to see him in the pain.  He made it through surgery #2. 
* He was crabby.  He was ornery.  Who could blame him?  The next two months were long, arduous months.  But he prevailed.  He kicked the crap out of that cancer.  That terrible crap cancer, the thing I was sure would claim my dad's life last spring, he is now busy enjoying retirement, eating delicious food (much earlier than ever expected), golfing! last summer, wrestling with his grand kids and back to tinkering and creating beautiful creations like our entertainment center.  Wow. Amazing.

Here he is, 364 days later - a picture from the Morris Sun and Tribune.

Love you dad.  Keep doing what you do best....being a feisty old German.  It's doin' ya good!