Sometimes when I am at home I think about how can I get dad to talk to me? Because when I try at the nursing home he mostly says a word here and there and smiles or laughs a little "heh, heh". Is dementia really taking his world even his thoughts? Then I think and pray about dad. Think and pray. Even now as I write this note... I begin to tear up and I wish God would just take dad before his last incredible thought is taken.
I recently happened upon a website, 23andme.com, and purchased one of their DNA kits. My hope was to be able to delve into my genealogy and find what parts of the world I came from. They are even able to give you insight into your health. And guess what? This report had a list of conditions that showed your percentage of what you might possibly have in the future and at the very top of my health concerns was ALZHEIMER'S. It showed at 14% chance of getting Alzheimer's. Now, what do I do about this? Well... I am not going to cry myself a river. You know why? Because I know who is in charge of my life and I know I don't need to worry about something that may never happen.
This past weekend I took mom to a Memorial Day celebration in Willshire, Ohio. There is a store over there that shuts down for a week to get all kinds of war memorabilia from local residents and show it to whoever wants to see it. The Willshire Home Furnishings store welcomed all kinds of people into their store throughout the entire weekend. I took mom over because we have dad's Air Force uniform on display there. I took a few pictures which I've included here.
Dad was in the Korean conflict and was stationed in Japan. He was in charge of the mess hall activities, feeding all the people stationed there on his base. He told me a long time ago of a dream he had to open a restaurant. I wonder why he never followed his dream?
My sister, Sheila, was a year old before dad ever got to meet her. I wonder how hard it was for mom to be raising my sister without dad around? I know she lived with dad's parents during that year. And that in itself had to be so hard for her because she was from Tennessee and didn't know anybody from Indiana and had to live with people she had never met and have a baby too?? Wow! But she tells me they were very good to her and that made her situation bearable. Don't we all have things we have to bear in life? Sometimes it's a choice and sometimes it's not.
On this day I just want to say Thank You to my dad for being my dad and for always loving me no matter what I made him bear...and I just hope his last incredible thought will be a perfect and peaceful one.
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