My Dad entered the Hospital on Monday and got his high-dosage chemo treatment, followed on Wednesday by his stem cell transplant. Out of an abundance of caution due to illness in my vicinity and his diminished immune system, I couldn't see him this week until I finally got a chance to visit on Thursday when I was sure I was not sick.
Tuesday night was a bad night for him, as he was struggling with nausea from the intense chemotherapy. I texted him some words of encouragement and thanked him for going through all of this, because I know he's primarily doing it for us. This was his response:
"Thank you for your kind words. You, Mom, and Mike have certainly enriched my life far beyond anything I could have imagined. The kindness, love, and concern you have given me are a great source of strength. I am very proud that she and I have raised two young men who are very intelligent and talented. But I am most proud that we helped instill love, compassion, and strength in you that make you the men you've become. Always remember that when things look hopeless that you are blessed with the intellect, strength and support to overcome and actually grow wiser. I love you, Dad."
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| If only this conversation had gone so well. |
I finally got to see my Dad on Thursday, the day after his new birthday (to see what I'm talking about read my post "Happy Birthday Dad") and he seemed to be doing well, despite his continued nausea. His moral was very high and he was comfortable. We talked for about an hour and I updated him on what was going on in my life and he did the same. It was good so see him doing well. I gave him a bumper sticker for the link to this blog and headed home. Before I got there he called me to thank me for everything I had done.
I explained to him that this was really all of his doing- that the will to do what it takes to make the world better, even just a little bit, was a value he had instilled in me, a value he had exemplified throughout his life as my father and my role model. That all of this was being done so that he could know that if and when he left this world we would still be here, doing good in his name. And then I reminded him that his life wasn't over yet, and I looked forward to spending the rest of it making him proud.
Dad's condition seems to be holding strong, mine however has not. I am prone to nasal and throat infections, especially around the holidays, and for those of you not in the retail profession, yes we are in the holidays.
This is especially disheartening as it means there is no way I can see my father until I have completely recovered.It doesn't however preclude me from doing other things, so I chose to spend my Saturday working on the armor. I got up early (at my girlfriends insistence) and got down to cutting and welding. In the middle of this process I was interrupted by Kelly, my Mom's next door neighbor, with the terrible news that her Husband had passed in the night.
Richard Lilly was a good man, husband and father, who has been struggling with cancer almost as long as I have known him. Before Troop For The Cure ever existed my brother Michael and I had leveraged our fan base from our band Empyrean to help us locate O- blood donors to help him with a much needed transfusion, and this event was one of the stepping stones that has directed me down this path.We are all very saddened to see him go.
On a plus side for the day, I completed my armor enough to make a surprise visit to the Birthday Party for Victor Shea, son of my good friends Melanie and Steven Shea. Steven's father also passed away a few years back from cancer, and his efforts in raising money for the cause have also been inspirational to me to do this project. Steven has been a good friend and very supportive through all this with helpful insight and generous donation, and It made me happy do be able to do something special for him in return.
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| Plus his Kid is frigging adorable. |
I think one of the most beautiful things about the 501st is it's ability to inspire people. It touches me at my most innocent of places, reaches back into the simplest, happy times in my life, and tells me to do better- to be better than I am and make the world a better place, through volunteerism, through charity, and one smile at a time. Those smiles become very important for people who are stricken with these illnesses, and for the people around them as well, because happiness even at is simplest is infectious and distracting. After all, what is the point of all this work to prolong life if you don't get those simple moments of enjoyment out of it?
-TFTC
TK- 75%
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