Hi, June!

ZOMG!!!!  I'm back!  You'd think I'd have been busy or something.

But, no, not really.  I've had a lot of houseguests, though.  Pretty much the month of May, similar to March (and similar to what my August will be), we have had people staying with us.  Both my parents and Craig's parents came to stay with us--my parents for the first two weeks of May (with an extended stay that was unexpected and fairly scary) and the last two weeks of May with Craig's parents.

To cut a somewhat long story somewhat short, my dad was hospitalized while he was visiting.  I haven't said much about my parents' health problems (and my problems with their health problems), but my dad basically has the equilivant of one kidney left (and had a heart attack and quintuple bypass in 2002, AND, as of his hospitalization, was still smoking and drinking).  My dad=health nut.  Here's more math:  my mom+prescription drugs+"chronic pain"+Dad's heart+Dad's kidneys+smoking (both) +drinking (Dad)=banging my head against the F*&#@ wall each and every time I think about it.

Anyhoo, my dad caught a stomach bug while he was here.  Dehydration does not sit well with his ol' kidneys, so two days before they were set to leave, my dad suggests he go visit the VA just to get a check up.  He had been acting weird the previous couple of days.  A little confusion, sleeping a lot.  So, I take him to the VA.  We get him all checked in with the Ohio VA system and go wait in the ER waiting room.  THEN, HE PASSES OUT.  Oh my god.  I freak the hell out.  Honestly, I do.  Fortunately, the nurses are right on it and they wheel him back (I guess it goes without saying he jumped to the head of the triage queue).  The triage nurse takes his blood pressure.  It's low.  Very, very low, which causes the passing out. They admit him and begin to take his vitals.  In addition to the low blood pressure, he has a low heart rate and his kidney levels are sky high.  At one time, his heart rate was as low as 27.  27 beats PER MINUTE.  That's less than once every two seconds.  For a total of 30 seconds each minute, my father's heart was not beating.

In the end, once he got rehydrated, his levels evened out and he was back to his old self.  But it took four days.  I've KNOWN that he is not a well man, but I was really slapped in the face with it this time.  My.daddy.is.not.a.well.man.  I've tried to make my peace with it.  I try to make sure that I tell him I love him every time I talk to him because I know that one of the these days, I won't get another opportunity (which is a good lesson, regardless, methinks).  I've tried to make sure that Johnathon has as much time with him as possible to try to burn in some memories into Johnathon's subconscious or to make sure I have pictures to show J that he had a Poppie who was the best and who loved him very much.  Because I am completely convinced I don't have much time.  I truly hope to God I am wrong and being way overdramatic about this.  I hope that my father goes when he is ready to go, with memories of a life well lived, knowledge that he is loved beyond comprehension, and a smile on his face.  That would be nice.

Wow--you didn't think my post was going to take this dark turn, did you?  Neither did I when I started it, but clearly, I have something to say about it.  When I am not sobbing and wiping the snot from my nose, that is.

On to happier things (please!)

Summer is here and it going to be full of the awesome!  My child is a total water baby and is so full of energy and fun and laughter that I just can't believe it.  It bears repeating, he is sooo much fun!!!!  I laugh at the things he does every day.

Ok...I'm just going to have to leave this post to be continued.  I started this earlier this week while home.  I am now in Arkansas at my parents' house and I have no access to the cute water baby pics I have planned on posting.  So, that will just have to wait until next post (coming soooner than next month, promise!).