My Dad died on October 7th, 1991 between 3:15 and 3:20 pm. I was 13 years old.
Cancer took him away very quickly, in about 6 months.
There are so many things I remember about the summer before he died. I can recall most of the campgrounds we stayed at, especially Glowing Embers. We stayed there while Dad was having chemotherapy. He had to drive himself to and from these sessions because my Mom couldn't drive.
I don't ever remember him complaining about this.
I remember when Mike Johnson and his dad, Dave, took me to a Edmonton Trappers baseball game. They were down because Mike had to have his wisdom teeth removed. I'll never forget when I turned to Mike and said (and I don't know why), "Wouldn't it be funny if they played The Beverly Hillbilly's theme song during the 7th inning stretch?" And lo and behold, they did. Poor Mike, with his cheeks swollen like a squirrel's. I'll never forget the kindness Mike and Dave showed me that week.
I don't ever remember my Dad getting so thin.
I remember swimming with Chris and Laurie and walking through a field full of bees and not getting stung once.
I don't remember when my Dad got so weak, he couldn't go to the bathroom without help.
I remember my 13th birthday, when my Dad got so mad at me, he yelled at me and called me a horrible name. I don't remember what I did to make him so angry. I recall my Mom telling me three years later that my Dad was so out of his mind with pain that day, he just lashed out. When he remembered what he said to me, he cried like a baby for a half hour.
I don't remember the day he went into the hospital, but I do know he never came back out. I remember that he wanted to die at home, but I don't remember why the hospital wouldn't let us take him there.
I can recollect everything I did the day of October the 7th, 1991 up until 3:25 pm. After that, I don't remember a damn thing.
For that, I am forever grateful.
Cancer took him away very quickly, in about 6 months.
There are so many things I remember about the summer before he died. I can recall most of the campgrounds we stayed at, especially Glowing Embers. We stayed there while Dad was having chemotherapy. He had to drive himself to and from these sessions because my Mom couldn't drive.
I don't ever remember him complaining about this.
I remember when Mike Johnson and his dad, Dave, took me to a Edmonton Trappers baseball game. They were down because Mike had to have his wisdom teeth removed. I'll never forget when I turned to Mike and said (and I don't know why), "Wouldn't it be funny if they played The Beverly Hillbilly's theme song during the 7th inning stretch?" And lo and behold, they did. Poor Mike, with his cheeks swollen like a squirrel's. I'll never forget the kindness Mike and Dave showed me that week.
I don't ever remember my Dad getting so thin.
I remember swimming with Chris and Laurie and walking through a field full of bees and not getting stung once.
I don't remember when my Dad got so weak, he couldn't go to the bathroom without help.
I remember my 13th birthday, when my Dad got so mad at me, he yelled at me and called me a horrible name. I don't remember what I did to make him so angry. I recall my Mom telling me three years later that my Dad was so out of his mind with pain that day, he just lashed out. When he remembered what he said to me, he cried like a baby for a half hour.
I don't remember the day he went into the hospital, but I do know he never came back out. I remember that he wanted to die at home, but I don't remember why the hospital wouldn't let us take him there.
I can recollect everything I did the day of October the 7th, 1991 up until 3:25 pm. After that, I don't remember a damn thing.
For that, I am forever grateful.
1 comment:
Know that I'm thinking about you now. I'm so sorry you had to face more things like this in October. If you need anything at all, let me know.
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