New Beginnings!

I posted the following posts on my former blog...they disappeared, so I'm reposting them...

Ready or not, 2010 is here and moving forward!

Brad and I had planned a relaxing day for the first day of the new decade. It would entail driving to Salt Lake, taking in the 2:20 showing of the new "Sherlock Holmes" movie and having a nice quiet lunch before driving back home. I realized that I left my cell phone in my mother's car the day before so we decided to stop by their place with the intent to pick up the phone, have a quick visit and then off to our prefectly relaxing day.

We didn't make the 2:20 show, we didn't make any show. My dad had taken a turn for the worse and both Brad and I knew that we needed to take him to the ER. We did, and after a battery of EKG's, X-Rays, CAT scans and numerous blood tests, it was determined that he had several compression fractures in his spine (his spine is compressed 50%) and we knew that he wasn't going home that night!

During our time at the hospital, several times we heard people say, "What a way to start the New Year!"

My dad was a trooper! The meds didn't even begin to touch his pain and as the nurses worked to make him comfortable, all I could think to do was bring him warm blankets every 20 minutes or so...he loved that! I watched as he winced in pain. But he kept his cute sense of humor and made the doctors, nurses, techs, and other aids chuckle as he flirted with the nurses with clever comments and joked with the guys who wheeled him to his latest battery of tests.

Then it hit me! One of those "AHA" moments...he was serving the very people who were serving him! Between the stabbing pains of agony and torture, he remained calm and still...he never complained! He turned his focus to those who were so highly skilled and trained to provide the best care possible.

I sat there in awe of this frail old manwho was helplesslyat the mercy of these strangers. He took them in and endeared himself to each one. They giggled at his musings and smiled each time they entered or exited his room. I was touched.

I felt humble. I felt proud and honored...my once "oh so strong" dad, who is now so dependent on others for his care, taught me the greatest lesson I could have asked for. He taught me to Love everyone. He taught me to be Thankful for everything. He taught me to Endure whatver comes my way. He taught me to Live!

So even though my definition of perfect was not in play on Jan 1st, I will always treasure the sweet and tender, most valuable moments that I shared with a man who has given me so much throughout my life. I will always be thankful for the perfect lessons he taught me that day. "What a way to start the New Year!"