When I was a child, he was larger than life…he demanded respect and commanded any room upon entry. I was more than a little afraid of him, with good reason. Inciting his temper was an invitation to disaster; we learned at a young age to avoid doing so at all costs, for the penalty was swift and severe…
It was a bit disturbing to see this man, one who always instilled fear and never felt it, looking rattled. At no time can I recall my father shying away from anyone or anything. Until now…this cardiac catheterization procedure gave him great concern.
The last time I saw Daddy was just before Christmas, when we drove to Columbia for our family gathering. As usual, we were late leaving for my aunt’s house because he was delayed at work. He hurried through the front door, stumbled in the dining room and ended up on the floor; thankfully, he was unhurt. I assumed he’d tripped over the edge of the rug, so I didn’t give it much thought.
After the gift exchange, we left for Charlotte around 7 p.m.; Mom and Dad took off right behind us, planning to stop and grab something for dinner on their way home. Everything was fine…or so I thought…
My sister called a couple of hours later, asking if I’d talked to Mom…
Apparently, Daddy fell in the parking lot of the restaurant, smacking the car door and gashing his forehead and temple so deeply that it required a trip to the emergency room…
Two falls in one day.
The hospital performed a CT scan and saw evidence of a stroke, though the timing was uncertain... The doctor also suggested his falling could have been due to inadequate blood flow to his heart. She recommended following up with a stress test.
And then the stress test showed a shadow…
It took a fairly rapid succession of events to convince my father of the need for medical advice and intervention; no doubt the fact he’s close in age to when his father suffered a massive heart attack played a role as well.
Confronting one’s own mortality is a scary business. Ditto that of your parents.
The bad news: he has several serious blockages. The good news: it’s treatable with medication. And a few ‘I choose to live’ life changes.
Namely: Daddy stopped smoking cold turkey last Tuesday.
We’re all praying for his continued strength…and for Momma’s too. Overcoming a 40-plus year addiction isn’t for the faint of heart…no pun intended…
Wishing you many blessings and hope…tg
Tammy will update her blog twice weekly…
