Getting Older
With the birth of Ryder I saw new life spring into my dad’s step (the whole family of course not just him - but this is about my dad). And over the course of Ryder’s almost 2.5 years I’ve seen my dad spend countless hours on the floor rolling around with him, crawling into tents, and even 20 minute horsey rides (I’m usually done after about 5 minutes). One thing I have noticed is that some of the physical activity seems to be dropping off. Not because my dad doesn’t want to but because he’s getting older. My superman is getting older and it’s not fair.
He’s actually laid up right now in the hospitol in excrutiating back pain. Right now on morphine but this morning not able to hold his weight up. Besides the horror when anyone goes to the hospitol this isn’t new for may dad. He’s had this pain for months and no Dr has been able to find anything wrong with him. It’s so frustrating that my dad has recently had thoughts that the pain is cancer or some other horrible illness - he just doesn’t know.
I don’t even let my dad pick up heavy things now…it’s so weird. obviously things could be much worse and there is so much to be grateful for it’s just uncomfortable that the man who raised, provided, protected me is now ailing due to age. And what goes through the person who this is happening to - it must be so difficult to know this time last year you could do “x” and if attempted now you’d be in pain for a week.
To make it worse I know it has to be killing him that he may not be able to do all the flips and jumps he did with Ryder with his first granddaughter.
It really puts age into perspective; and health for that matter. So, on the inside I’m terrified the Drs are going to find something terribly wrong with my dad but I’m praying for the best…like a hangnail or something. No matter what happens my dad will always be my dad, and my dad will be the same amazing strong, proud, father and grandfather to his family that he has always been.
Time is finite. Health declines. But family and love for another never goes away.
9 months ago