It's 3am and I can't sleep. With every toss and turn, I have woken up worried about dad. Sometimes I wake myself up crying. I hate how uncomfortable and miserable dad's days have been. I know he can hide it well with his boyish grin and sense of humor. However, today was different. He must have forgotten his "mask" to hide the pain because he was really struggling. It's been a rough few days for him. The pain meds are to blame for a lot of the misery and discomfort (and the damn ALS too!)
Anyway, DBA stands for Dad's Big Adventure-perhaps after being cooped up for a month in the nursing facility, dad needed some adventure and excitement in his life. So, with all of his discomfort and pain, the nursing facility and family thought it was best if dad was transported to the ER to get checked out.
Thus, DBA begins...
No trip the the ER is every quick or an easy process. DBA turned into a 12 hour ordeal. Ironically, he was admitted to the same exact ER room that he was in on July 4th! The hospital ran some tests, xrayed his tummy for his severe stomach pain, and discovered an infection-curable with antibiotics. Just a few hours ago around 1:30am, dad was released to go back to Heritage House. He welcomed his homecoming by vomiting up the pain meds he was given during his DBA and felt the best he did all day! Go figure!!! Mom and Erica were by dad's side all day. We finally got mom home to rest around 10pm. Erica stayed with dad until he got back to Heritage. I am so thankful to have an amazing sister.
A sister is a gift to the heart, a friend to the spirit, a golden thread to the meaning of life
- Isadora James
It's days like these that make you realize how short life really is. I know there are times when the challenges that dad faces and his discomfort are unbearable. His spirits keep pulling his broken body along day by day, giving us another day to enjoy his time. Today was one of the rare days, when his spirits weren't strong enough for the chess match between the mind and the body.
And life is short and precious. My girls found our first caterpillars of the season. Meet Tom and Jerry...
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| Tom is chillin' in the upper right corner and Jerry is snacking in the lower left corner |
Tom and Jerry visited dad today. Addi wanted to show him her new friends. These caterpillars will one day become monarch butterflies.
In the summer, my kids and I hunt for these caterpillars who are born on milkweed plants. Luckily, milkweed grows wild in many unexpected areas...the side of the road and golf courses! The caterpillars will become classroom pets in a few weeks. Unfortunately, these little guys are 3rd generation butterflies which means they will only live 2-6 weeks after they metamorphosis.
There are 4 generations each year of monarchs. The first 3 generations live 2-6 weeks. Each generation lives long enough to lay eggs to keep the life cycle going. The last generation emerges in September/October and migrates an incredible 2,000 miles to Mexico and California. The same generation returns in the spring about 6-8 months later to lay its eggs before dying.
 Monarch Caterpillar Becoming a Chrysalis |
Monarch Emerging from a Chrysalis
People say butterflies symbolize endurance, change, hope, and life-
very much symbolic to dad's journey to recovery.
I love you dad! Keep fighting, stay strong, and never lose hope. Bad days don't last forever! Praying today is better.
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