From my earliest memories my dad has been there, always encouraging me to be the best that I can be. He taught me to play a wicked game of basketball, helped me with my math homework and watched numerous gymnastic meets, dance recitals and cheer competitions, while all along taking billions of photos! What a fantastic man!
And now as I watch him with my boys, he is proving to be an amazing "Papi". From making "log cabins" out of pancakes with syrup as "lakes", teaching boys to catch fish & clean them, to making homemade designed "weapons", he once again is proving to be unbelievably supportive and encouraging. Even though we are far apart he really has a great relationship with the boys and them with him.
As is true for a lot of men, my Dad is probably what you would call a "closed book", not one for opening up and talking about his feelings, but I sure can see his emotions through his eyes. For the past 11 years he has had to stand by and watch the woman he loves with all his heart deteriorate. As hard as it is for us all, it is my Dad who hurts the most, but says the least. My mom is a young 65 years, but has a debilitating auto immune disease, Inclusion Body Myositis. http://www.myositis.org/about_myositis/inclusion-body_myositis.cfm Simply put your immune system eats away at all of your muscles. In the past 11 years, she has gone from a vivacious woman to a very sedentary person. All her muscles are disappearing and her ability to accomplish simple tasks like brushing teeth, bathing, eating etc.... are becoming her everyday challenges. My brother and I are unfortunately not living in the same town, so my Dad, with some help, is her caretaker.
I know that everyday proposes new challenges, and I also know the stress that my mom is under is not easy. It is not easy to watch your own body deteriorate, but equally as difficult to watch it happen to someone you love more than anything in the whole world.
My dad is not a perfect person. He is a person with faults like all the rest of us. But my dad is some kind of wonderful man. I watch him and see how all he wants to do is make my mom comfortable, but what he really wants is to be able to fix her an make the disease go away. I have days where I am so sad, I can't stand it. But I am away and not there everyday. My dad has to deal with NOT being able to make it "okay" everyday. If anyone has ever dealt with a ailing family member, it is a very difficult, stressful, emotional time. Dad, you are doing an amazing job. Even when you feel lost and helpless you need to believe that by just being there it is enough. Sometimes it is the simple things. Those little things you do( that you have no idea you are doing)is why we ALL love so much. On your 71st birthday I want you to know the world is a better place because of you!
