| Dad |
[Dec. 22nd, 2009|11:18 am] |
When I was 8, my mom and dad divorced. Mom got custody of us kids, and Dad got visitation. However, his job as a gas-pipe inspector/engineer meant he had to travel a lot around the country, so we hardly ever got to see him, though he would send gifts, etc.
He turned 80 last month. He's retired and living near Seattle (thousands of miles away) with his second wife, whose family is mostly there. And on Sunday, after I got back from a Christmas get-together with some longtime friends, I saw he had left a message, called him back, and he told me he has terminal cancer.
He wasn't able to tell me exactly what type of cancer (his memory is starting to go), but it's got something to do with the glandular system. When I guessed thyroid or pituitary, he said it wasn't either of those. (Adrenal?) He said he's not in pain, and it might actually be a while yet. But it's coming.
I told him I loved him. Hopefully I will be able to travel out there and see him before.
I think maybe no one's ever completely an adult until their parents and grandparents are all dead. He's the only one left, of all of them. I guess that means I'm going to be a grownup soon.
I'm going to go on with the picspams (thanks to ![[info]](http://l-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) pie_is_good and wiggiemomsi who paid to upgrade me to a Photobucket pro account so I don't have to worry about my bandwidth running out again). They are a much needed distraction, and your comments are light and joy to me in this time. Thank you. |
|
|
