The perfect metaphor

During the last week of this past August my Dad found out he had Colorectal cancer. But as he awaited treatment details in the subsequent month and a bit since being diagnosed, the less dire everything seemed to be. His doctor’s weren’t rushing back to him with any news. And when they finally did, they were pretty confident their prescribed treatment — being major surgery — while still very serious, would eradicate the issue. I gathered he just wanted it over with. Dare I say it, we all did?

Then along came the day prior to Hallowe’en, the day of his surgery. While it ran long, it was successful. However his initial recovery was slow. And the following Tuesday morning, while involved in his “physio,” if I may label it as such, he had what his doctor labelled a “cardiac event.”

Please don’t get me wrong, I’m not looking to place blame on anyone. But everyone involved in his care after this occurring wasn’t entirely clear on what had happened. Or what was continuing to unfold. His doctor being chief among “everyone.” Point being, “why” is no longer a question I’m particularly interested in asking anymore. I’d much rather focus on the way in which my Dad handled things which he was dealt. Whether it was how he immediately put his entire life on hold when I needed an advocate, or how he passed from this world.

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The Honour Is Entirely Mine

Me with my Grandfather

Back in October of 2008, my Grandmother, sadly, passed away, after a rather nasty, not to mention, lengthy fight with Alzheimer’s Disease. And, in response to that loss, I wrote a piece, titled The World Has One Less Hero. And as much as it pains me to write this, this has to be done. The world is, now, two down. This past Sunday night my Grandfather passed.

First, speaking of my Grandmother, what struck me as so remarkable about her service, in particular, was, following the proceedings, I was approached by a few members of my extended family, with comments on how amazed they were I addressed her being Deaf. For they never considered that fact much. And while, at first, I wasn’t quite sure where those comments sat with me, upon further analysis, it was so true. They were a part of our family first. Everything else was just second, if not, third nature. Or, better still, how they happened to differ wasn’t anything our family spent time thinking about. Signing was as natural as talking. The world should be so lucky…

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Ridiculously Loved and Sorely Missed

A photograph of Freddy

I’ve been thinking about this post for near about a week. And I’ve been trying to write it for, what must be, a few of days, now. The more I think and write about how I feel, the more forced and insincere, I think, it seems. So I’m just going to write and hope I get down all I want to say…

My dearest friend, Freddy, passed away last Thursday morning, June 11th, 2009. Just as quickly as he came into my life, he was gone…

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Thank You For The Opportunity

Well the moment I’d been dreading all week came today, my Grandmother’s memorial. For obvious reasons, of course, but, rather selfishly, I was nervous about being asked if the piece I wrote after her passing could be read as “part of the proceedings.”

You know, if I’d been asked earlier this week, I’m quite sure I’d have said no. There’s something about having the words I write, read back to me that leaves me feeling awkward and subtlety embarrassed. Sounds strange, I know. Because it is. What can I say? It’s the introvert in me.

But, more to my point, I was “dreading” being asked, mostly, on account of it was an exceptionally hard bit to write so soon after hearing she was gone. And I wasn’t at all comfortable with my reaction in response to my ramblings being spoken aloud, not only to myself, but a room full of people…

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