Pouring

As soon as I got home from the hospital on Saturday my wife sat me and my kids down to give us some news. I honestly had no clue what was going to happen.

On Thursday my stepmother died. My wife and sisters found out on Friday but since I was in the hospital they did not want to add more stress to my situation. I am thankful for that. They know me well.

She had cancer and we never knew about it. The whole time I was laying in the procedure room wishing my dad had done was I was about to do I thought about talking to my stepmom. About how she probably would say the same thing. If only dad had done this he may still be around! All the while she was probably, I mean they were probably right there with me.

My dad died 21 years ago and now, for the first time, me and my sisters have to go through all of his stuff and divide things up. I went over to the house yesterday for a few hours to visit with my stepbrother and discuss things. He asked me to give the eulogy at her service which I will be honored to do. 

All those feeling that started 21 years ago are finally going to have some sense of closure which I am thankful for. My step mom spent those 21 years waiting to be with my dad. I am happy she is with him now but miss her terribly. She was not the stereotypical step mom, she was awesome and has been in my life since I was 8. 

Now I sit here thinking about all the memories with my dad, how thankful I am that the procedure went well and I have dodged a serious genetic bullet, and what the future holds for our family.

When it rains it pours. 

Tomorrow my sister has a double mastectomy scheduled and biopsies on her lymph nodes to determine the spread of cancer in her body. I am numb thinking about all the it will entail and the discomfort she is up against. Still there is no one stronger I know that can handle something like this. But cancer is an evil bastard and I am asking for all the prayers your can spare for my sister. 

Rain can dampen but it can also provide. A new perspective. Renewed hope. A clean start. In those difficult times is when we find our strength and as a family we have proven that my entire life. We not be perfect but we love each other unconditionally and that makes this the perfect family for me.

Our umbrellas are open.

We got this.

Eighty Percent

Thursday afternoon I went in to have a treadmill stress test at my cardiologists office.
I was concerned how well I was going to hold up since I am not the sportyist of spices.
After about 20 seconds into the test the assistant stopped it, called for the doctor, and may me lay down.
Laying there looking at their faces changing while looking through the EKG was scary. In the end he said that the test shows a significant blockage and that I need to have an angiogram as soon as possible.
To make a long story short(er) I had 2 stents put in yesterday to repair an artery that was 80% blocked.
This morning I am sitting in the hospital recovering. It was a long scary couple of days but I feel like I won the lottery.
My dad never knew what was going on with his heart and I am thankful that I know. Regardless of how scary all this was.