Prayers for my Father

[Dragon Lady]

Last year I lost one of my heros, my Uncle Roy who was a vet of WWII, Korea, & Viet Nam, he was also a POW in Germany.

Last night I received a call from my sister that my father is doing very badly. He has COPD, which was brought on by years of smoking and the damage from emphezyma (sp?). He is also suffering from Congenitave Heart Failure. So you see, it doesnt sound good.

My Papa is a Vet of Korea & Viet Nam. Although he never served in those arenas. He was Air Force, just like me. He was a telephone lineman. He would go in to help return communications and helped bring both Germany & Japan up to the modern ages. He received a Purple Heart when he fell from a pole and broke his back in Japan in 1968.

Even with this massive injury he managed to come back and continued to serve his country for a total of 20 years. He is the one who taught me compassion. He taught me my work ethics, that just because it doesnt go the way you want, you stick with it and make it work. He was the one who would bring home G.I.'s from the base hospital at Yokota for Sunday dinner at our house. The holidays were always filled with people. We had 7 kids, what was a few more appetites?

I know that the chances he will recover are very slim and these may be his last days. If that is the case then please pray that he goes gently into that cold dark night. But if this isnt his time, then please let him heal that we may all benefit from his smile and positively contagious personality!

This is so hard! I was ready when my mother passed. She was sick for so long and we all knew and prepared. I'm not ready for this!

It hurts.

I Love You Papa!

[BLUEHAWK]

Go easy DL... easy now.

All prayers for you and your Dad... there will come a time for his peace, and he pretty much knows right when it is to come, and it is his choice, would be my guess.

I'll venture this one more idea, as we are all together here and now... did you ever or constantly say to your Dad that you did NOT want to talk about the end time when he was trying to bring it up gently?

[SparrowHawk62]

My thoughts are with youself and your Dad.

[DMZ-LT]

Baby steps , girl , baby steps. Don't worry what ain't happened yet. Be sending angels his way. Keeep movin. Peace

[Tina]

you and yours are in my thoughts and prays..
but like LT said take it in baby steps..

prays are on there way..
love ya
your friend and God Bless,
tina

[Arrow]

DL,

Your Papa is quite a man. He sure gave you a magnificent code to live by. I know he is proud of you. One day at a timelittle girl. That's the best you can do. Stay strong. My heart goes out to you. I'll pray exactly as you asked. It is always the better way to hold them gently because we know they are not ours forever and yetit maybe that we will see their smile a bitlonger than we anticipated.

Arrow>>>>>>

[Stick]

Prayers going up.
Father, show our sister and her Papa the Light and shine it on their path to You.
DL. It's not a dark cold night but a bright warm homecoming to the Father that we all strive for.

[catman]

DL...prayers on the way, keep your head up now and let us do some of the work.

Trav

[Dragon Lady]

Thanks Everyone,
Papa and I have always had an open and honest relationship. We've talked about this many times. He even told me he decided to leave his body to science. I may not agree with that, but I listened and it is his decision.
I'm just not ready to lose him. Daddies are supposed to be 12' tall and bullet proof. Chasing the evil monsters from under the bed (I still sleep with my legs curled up!). They are not supposed to be 5'6" (and shrinking), frail people.
I'm taking each moment. It's just so difficult to take in all at once.
I know my mom is waiting for him. They were always in love; for over 50 years they were together. I've felt her presence this weekend and I know she is trying her best to smooth things as she always did.
I'm just not ready to lose Ol'Papa Joe. I don't know one human being who has ever met him that has anything bad to say about him. Everyong loves this man and I don't know if he knows that or not. To be so rich in all that is most important. He's certainly not perfect but he is everything I have ever wanted to be. I have tried so hard to tell him that and to show him how much he means to us, to me.
God gave me an extra special Christmas present this year when he made sure that my dad was in good health so he could travel to Seattle for the holiday and his birthday. Because it was then that he met my oldest child for the first time and she told him that he was going to be a great-grandpa. I wish I could have seen his eyes.
I'm doing it again, I'm rambling and I need to get busy.
Thanks for being here and allowing me to vent some of this.
Thank you too for your prayers.
DL

[revwardoc]

Dragon Lady,

While I've never been particularly religious, I'm sure God won't refuse to hear my prayers to take care of a fellow vet in his time of need.