My Dad was my hero. He worked a lot, traveled often out of town, but any sports games I had in high school he tried to make it to them. Hell 1 football game he flew in for the game on a layover then flew out to be back out of town for 2 weeks.
He talked with me daily when I was living at home after 18. I moved out, got destroyed by a woman, and moved back for a year to save money. Moved back out and took a job out of state. That blew up after a while and I moved back in to my parents place for a year, no rent, just cut the grass and help around the house.
Got an apartment again and stayed moved out for 15 years. Then Dad got sick. So I moved back in and took him to doctors, helped Mom with the house, and went to the gym with Dad a few times a week while he wa still able to walk in the pool. He had one of those rascal carts by then, because he could not walk more than 100-200 steps at a time.
I watched the strongest man I knew, degrade over those years, he kept a stiff upper lip as he hated himself for having to ask for help. He faked doing okay to my 3 older sisters as he slid downhill, so when the end came the sisters were shocked. He had a heart attack at the dinner table while I was off doing some work for a client. I got home about 10 minutes after that before the ambulance came that my Mom had called.
He walked down the stairs with handrails to help so that the medics didn't have to carry his fat ass. His words. Tough old bastard. He went into a coma a few hours later after being put on the ventilator.
He never wanted to be on one, but I fucked up the DNR because I forgot to bring the will and power of attorney.
I was the executor, and had to go against everyone in the family to get him unplugged.
We unplugged him a week later after finally getting through to my family what he wanted was not what they wanted. The old fucker woke up, and got to say his goodbyes to everyone. His primary care physician talked him into some bullshit operation and going on dialysis and that was going to fix him. Fucking milking his extremely good insurance that he worked his entire life to pay for.
4 days after the operation, he finally gave up the ghost.
It will be 5 years ago in a couple weeks. I have had to take care of Mom, who had a nervous breakdown when he died.
I have been living the dream, in Mom's basement playing Wow now for almost 10 years. Taking care of my family, forgetting about my life's goals because they took care of me when I needed help. They are my life's goals now.
Of course I did have my 2 heart attacks almost 1 1/2 years ago, Right at the same time Gravy did. Almost same thing too, except my Ejection fraction was slightly better than his and the damage was less. Not much less though, I have to be careful. Mom still needs my help, even though she is a tough old bird. (She is 76 now)
I miss Dad every day, he was my hero. I would never charge him rent, he never charged me.
Noodleface
, I have some serious respect for your dad. I hope your relationship with him is good, and I hope the relationship between your parents is functional enough that it doesn't fuck with their kids anymore. Straight up fucking awesome. Man taking care of his kids more than the law requires.
