My Dad

My Dad at Schooner or Later Restaurant on the waterfront, Long Beach, CA, May 2008

I have heard and used this phrase, "put it out in the universe and you never know what will happen." If you have stopped by to visit my blog, please send positive thoughts out for my Dad. If you pray, please say a little prayer for him. I am putting this out in the blogosphere universe in the hopes that my Dad makes a full recovery and gets to go home to his own place. Not some assisted living situation that I think will kill him.

My Dad at El Torito Restaurant in Long Beach, May 2008

My Dad is 81. He is the wisest man I know and also the most compassionate. He is funny as hell. He can be stubborn and has a lot of the old school in him. However, he rolls with the changes.

My Dad taught me how to drive, how to take chances, how to travel to foreign lands without fear.

My Dad served in Vietnam. He asked my mother to send care packages which he distributed to the orphanages in Vietnam.

He told me that many of the members of the armed forces were racist towards the Vietnamese. It sickened him and hit close to home since he suffered his own share of racism as a young man.

My favorite Vietnam story is when he had some young enlisted man come up to him to complain about a Vietnamese man who he was helping refuel a plane. The young kid called the Vietnamese man a "zipper head." So my Dad with clipboard in hand, taking notes to report the complaint, stopped, looked at the kid, and said, "how do you spell zipper head." Can you just see the look on the kid's face now?

My Dad in the garden of my home, Long Beach, CA May 2008

He had gall bladder surgery. We thought he would be home in a few days. It is seven weeks now. He developed a urinary tract infection that was so bad he has suffered kidney damage. He has arthritis and not walking has made walking again extremely painful. He is using a walker and getting physical therapy. He has excellent insurance so is in a good rehab, but man does he want to get home. Who wouldn't?

My Dad in the garden of my home, Long Beach, CA, May 2008

Anyway, I could go on and on about my Dad, but feeling a little emotional right now. So will ask again, if you pray, do yoga, meditate, please send positive thoughts my Dad's way. His name is Albert. He is in Tucson.

My sister is there and has been doing an excellent job acting as his advocate in terms of making sure his needs are being met. There are so many stories about elder abuse that having my sister there is a comfort. I am thinking of moving back home to assist in his transition home.

I am driving home this weekend. I will be spending Valentine's Day with my Dad and his lady friend in the rehab center. Can't think of a better man to spend my Valentine's Day. He's a good egg.