Dad and Memories

Here's an update on my dad:  He had an echocardiogram on his heart last week.  It took a while for the doctor to relay results, and it doesn't look good.  His heart is damaged, which is expected when you've been on chemo a year, and taking all kinds of toxic chemicals to combat the cancer.

While they're in a wait and see holding pattern, he didn't - or couldn't - have his chemo treatment this week; they're giving him a rest and have in on a no salt diet.  He's had fluid in his lungs, and in his abdomen.  His legs tend to get swollen as well.  A no salt diet has helped reduce the fluids, but not quite as much as was hoped.

One of the options for the heart is  pace-maker type unit to help his heart beat strong.  Without my own confirmation from the doctor, what it sounds like is with this pace-maker thing, he can't or won't have chemo.  Not trying to sound flippant or uncaring, but just facing reality, the bottom line is with the pace-maker thing, it could get him 3 years.  But without the chemo.... the cancer would continue to ravage.

With every day, with every decision, with every step, there is progress.  Dad has been amazing throughout this, his doctor calls him Superman because of what he's been able to calmly endure.  I know the last time I was home, he said his feet/legs and hands were just numb, hardly feeling anything.  But did that stop him?  Nope!  I took him to the recycle center.  We did yard work in the back yard.  Every day he takes a walk around the back yard.

The one thing that I wonder, but never have asked, is what he thinks about as he walks around the yard.  Does he remember the hours we spent building the family room?  the many times we changed the yard around?  Trimming the tree, raking leaves, planting a garden, year after year?  Does he see in his mind the kids as they played in the backyard, riding trikes then bikes or scooters?  The summers the three of us kids had a little kiddie pool in the yard?  Pulling the engine in the Rambler to replace the clutch, and whatever else was needed?

When it comes down to it, we are all just a pile of memories.  My friend Helen always says that the things we do (especially the things we don't want to do) aren't done for us, they're done to make memories for the ones we will leave behind when the Lord calls us home.

Go... make a memory right now!