Dad, Drugs and Ducks

After NINE days in the hospital, Dad is finally FREE and recovering at home. Whew!  Can I just say, WHAT A WEEK!  I got home yesterday afternoon around 5:00 and I felt wrung out.  It is hard on a girl to see her dad having a hard time of it.  To see him slowly worn down by the prolonged hospital stay, all the while trying to keep a brave and positive face, not wanting to ask for help but having no choice. 

Despite all the worries, weariness, ups and downs and the things Dad had to go through, I think some good came out of it as well.  For one, I got to spend a lot of time with him.  I love talking with Dad and since he was pretty much stuck in that hospital bed until they set him loose, we sat and talked.  I got to spend a lot of time with Mom and Julie as well.  We had some good laughs, some good talks and an all around good time together. I drank a lot of coffee.  I'm not sure if that is necessarily good, but I enjoyed it.

I spent Friday morning through Sunday afternoon in Fayetteville, and on Saturday I went for a beautiful 10 miler through the country.  It was gorgeous!  It has been a while since I have run there and I loved every moment.  I saw a total of 3 cars during my 10 miles.  I was joined by my aunt's dog for a few miles, seeing cows, geese, buzzards, hawks, and a few other dogs and cats as well.  It was a gorgeous day and very nice to run off the worry, weariness and the smell of hospital.

We met a ton of...characters.  Nurses, doctors, friends of Mom and Dad's from church and from their neighborhood.  We learned some new phrases like, "Sometimes drugs are better than hugs." and "Well, Lord love a duck!"  It was good to have so many people asking after Dad and wanting to help but sometimes...I know Mom did not want to tell that same story for the 15th time or discuss with a friend how their cousin's husband's dad fell off a ladder once and ...blah blah blah.  Nurses and doctors also wanted to regale us with stories and sometimes...I wanted to tell them as politely as possible to go away.  I didn't, but they may have seen it if they had looked into my eyeballs. 

I think all of this has brought our little family closer.  I wouldn't have thought that possible, but after this past week, I see that it is.  I'm glad Dad is okay and while he does have a long road of recovery ahead, I think it is going to get better each day. It is hard to be at work and not up on their mountain helping out, but I know God will provide the help they both need.  He has provided so much already and while my heart hurts for Dad, I rejoice that I have such a wonderful Dad to take care of in the first place.