May Happy Days Be Upon Us...

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"Family is like music; some high notes, some low notes but always a beautiful song".

Well this time I know where we left off. How could I not. Dad is in intensive care, family rallying around him, including 3 of his nieces who are nurses at the hospital. Talk about the luck of the Irish (well except for that stupid heart attack which wasn't so lucky) but he's in amazing hands and if it's going to happen, Dad had the best outcome possible with the exception of Mom/us being away. 😞

We spoke to him this morning and his lovely great niece Kendra had brought him breakfast and he was tickled pink over that. Dad LOVES breakfast, so despite what he's been through, he's eating which is always a good sign.

Dad has been a fit healthy man all of his life and he's never been on any medication for cholesterol, heart, arthritis, NOTHING. He's also physically worked hard all of his life, including the last few days chopping wood in the cold. He is, as they say, fit as a fiddle and well-tuned! This may end up being the first time in his life he's been bedridden on doctor's orders. So being he's always been healthy, it came as more of a shock to us I guess.

By last night it all hit us what had happened given we had some time to process it. Prior to the news about Dad, we were having a fabulous day with Mom & Ava having a fish foot spa. I've blogged about this before, about the amazing benefits of the fish spa, and mom says her feet have never felt so good in her life.

Then we headed for a lovely lunch & were about to eat when Al took me aside to tell me about Dad. As my face crumbled and tears formed, Al was able to tell me Dad was OK. After Bill...well, I expected the worst.

We had a quiet night in the condo with our doors opened lapping up the wonderful night air, and around 8:30 Al & took a walk to air out our foggy brains while mom rested, all content to just be.

It wasn't a great night of course given the news and our worried little hearts, but we decided to make the best of it and grab a bite. The first place we stopped which was a nice little table with candles & a live band across the street kept us sitting at a table for half and hour until I took the menus and told the manager we'd been waiting for 30 minutes.

So off we go to one of our favorite spots thinking surely we'll feel looked after here, and none of the regular staff were there that we knew. It too went downhill after I asked for a glass of white wine and the waiter brought 2 bottles of red...In my limited Spanish I asked for white, and he asked me, "do you want to use the phone"? What? Why would I ask to use the phone when asking for white wine? I was tired, he was trying hard, and I think it was a case of my nerves being shot. So we decided to pull the plug and go somewhere else given how things were unfolding. Give the language issue (which we rarely have any issues with) I figured if he couldn't understand I was asking for a white wine, if we ordered food I might end up with pelican (haha) instead of lobster. Too bad because it's a beautiful spot to dine in Playa.

So we made ONE more attempt to get a drink & stopped at a little Italian Cafe. First I asked for a glass of water and there was a bit of confusion because I wanted A glass of wine, not a $7 bottle of imported water from the Himalayas for some crap like that. If I am spening $7 it isn't going to be on stupid water.

SO once we got that sorted out, he told us only cash was being accepted as the machines were down. OK, we had cash, and we finally got a drink and we ordered a Maya pizza which is tomato sauce, mozzarella, Italian ham, caramelized onions and jalapenos. It was reallly tasty and I was finally able to eat something after the news about Dad.

I looked like 50 miles of bad highway, eyes red and swollen, and I think my pants were even on backwards but who cares. Then I noticed Al wasn't looking very well. He ended up having a terrible case of indigestion (who wouldn't after poor him having to come to the beach to tell me about Dad). Anyhow, he couldn't eat and drink at all, and then that added to my stress that perhaps he was having a heart issue too because indigestion can be a sign of it. It was like something was blocked in his esophagus/chest and it was making his eyes water. I tell ya, I didn't know if I should scratch my watch or wind my butt I was so concerned for him & feeling very very uneasy.

Al is very fit too & he also works out on a bike trainer in the basement in the winter (which is a piece of expensive equipment that allows him to use his own bike & he can bike 50 KMS a day if he wants during the cold winter months) Anyhoooo, he's never sick or lollygagging around about his health, so I asked the waiter to package up our food to go. Al bought some antacid medication but it took him sipping water for most of the night and well into the night to get some relief. After we went to bed I kept checking on him to make sure he was OK. He's out for a dive now, and that always give him so much inner peace and will cure whatever ails him except for me poking him keeping him from sleeping last night.

Some days are diamonds and some days are stones and boy oh boy we had some stones yesterday. BUT nothing like what Cindy and the family had to deal and worry with at home over dad/poppa. It's amazing what shock, and stress and worry can do to you when you are so relaxed and enjoying life, and then you get hit in the head with a baseball bat and all that good R&R seems to run out of your blood like a tap running water.

Anyhow, we finally all settled down and I can't say we had sweet dreams last night but we were mentally beaten up and very restless. I hope Cindy that you had an extra shot of something for your poor self!!

Today is an amazing day, warm and sunny so we will do some errands, have lunch and keep checkin' in with Dad. I insisted Mom enjoy some R&R and keep well herself. She will be home soon and being Nurse Nightingale for Dad.

An acquaintance Debbie from home is dropping by for a drink and to meet us for the first time. That will give us the right pick-up we need right now. One order of margaritas coming up Debbie.

Signing off for now, will check in. Hope you aren't all freezing your tidbits off back at home...(sorry about the cold, I will bottle up some sunshine & warmth for you all!).

Thinkin' of you Dad...

Sal

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Comments

[Ray]

Your Dad
Wow, you sure know how to get our attention. I guess you know why news like this gets my antenna up. Thank god your Dad is doing OK. Be assured we wish him the very best. God bless, Ray