Sitting in the hospital with dad, so I thought this would be a good time to update. Reminds me of when Melissa sat with the laptop and updated when SHE was in the hospital. Hard to believe that was five years ago…
I told Donny I was stepping out of my comfort zone having this party - but I wanted to do it because he deserved it. He has been so good to me, especially in the last five years. He has missed a lot of events because I couldn't go, and he never complained. He is a lot more social than I am nowadays, but even he said he was a little anxious about this party. Neither of us are good in crowds anymore. Makes us both anxious. But it was ok. The party was at The Tropics by the Fraze. The room was free, and I took care of the appetizers -everyone was on their own for drinks. The food was great (or so I heard, I got a couple of pieces of pizza, but none of the other yummy looking food!) Most of Donny's siblings were there, some of my cousins, my sister and Nick, Mere and the boys. Lots of the Franz's and a couple of Melissa's friends showed up - Angie and Stacy with her her three kids. (Two, Emma and Luke, Melissa was there "first friend". Mia Marie, I got to be her "first friend"!) Tim Storm, a friend of Donny's from NCR came in from Columbus (that was a surprise to Donny), and our friend Curt Clifford (Mange) who we've gone on cruises with the last two summers (and this summer) came in from Portsmouth. I think it went well.
The birthday boys…Donny & Dad
Donny & his mom
Donny & Rick Kayser, his roommate at Wilmington
Donny & Deb Ryan (friend from grade school)…she turned 60 the day before!
Donny & Tim Storm (friend from NCR days!)
Dad and his girls
Dad and his childhood friend, Jim Walker. They are the only two left of all his childhood buddies.
Donny and his Wilmington buddies - all Janizaries (local fraternity at Wilmington - all football players. And all coaches.(Mange retired from Portsmouth-head football coach for 30 years; Jay Niswonger retired from Valley View, head football coach for 30 years; Rick Kayser coached Basketball at Stivers; Donny coached at Fairmont; Tim Gabbard just retired from Waynesville, head football coach and girls basketball coach)
And they still get together. It's been 38 years since they left Wilmington.
Neighbors - Carol Slivinski and Bruce Snedden. Bruce is 91. His wife Ruth was a good friend of mine. She died of breast cancer 3 years ago. Donny is getting real close to Bruce - we visit him a couple of times a week. Great guy, great stories from WWII…he was a pilot.
Donny & friend Shelly.
Donny, me with our friends from Compassionate Friends - Randy and Carolyn. (Their son was killed in Baghdad in 2007.) Besides having that in common, we have a lot of other things in common. They'll be joining us in Chicago for the Compassionate Friends Conference along with Bobby and Penny - longtime friends who lost their son to suicide.
Dad with his nieces, Patty (who was his flower girl in his wedding) and Sharon. This was after church on Sunday morning at Holy Trinity. Long family history at Holy Trinity. It's where Dad's parent's were married, he went to school, Sharon and Jim, Leanne and Tony, Nick & Meredith were married there. Grandparents, mom and Melissa's funeral were there. It is a beautiful older church. If I were a church goer, it's where I would go…maybe someday…
Jim, Sharon, Dad, Patty, Hugh & me
This photo was taken right after mass. Sharon, Jim, Patty & Hugh took dad to Marion's afterward. I went home to get a few things done. When he got home, he was ready to go to the Polish Club. He has lots of friends there, and we hadn't been there yet. Right before we got ready to go, he said he was feeling a little dizzy. But he brushed it off and still wanted to go. So we did.
When we got there, several of his friends were there - they all said "IRV…we were wondering if you would come back to see us!" (He's like Norm on Cheers…so was Melissa when she walked into a bar at OU…only it was "FORT"!) then he made a beeline for the bathroom, where he proceed to get sick…came back sat at the bar and ordered a beer. Took a sip, and ran to the bathroom (kind of-) and got sick again. He came back to the bar took a sip, then look at me and said "I think I should go home and lay down." He left two beers sitting at the bar. Not good. I had to help him to the car and he got sick again. So decided to take him to ER. Got him in, nurse put him in a wheelchair and he got sick again. Got him in triage and his BP was 197/97. Went up to 227/100, so they decided to keep him overnight. After they got him situated, I went home.
Back in the morning and he was sleeping, BP was down to 172/72. He just wants to go home. (sleep in his bed at our house!)
Some other issues, but he needs to talk to his family doctor about that later. Not sure if he'll be going home in a week…I suspect that he will DEMAND it. He is only here for a visit. Home is Florida. Hopefully it all works out the way he wants it to!
One more interesting thing…I had a dream about my mom last night. She passed away seven years ago, and it is the first dream I've had about her. I was taking dad home to her - she opened the door and she looked great and we hugged and said I love you and we were all so happy. Another visit…the first from my mom. Made me happy.
So there we have it. A lot going on in a very short time. Hopefully I can update from home later today. (Just order dad's lunch and he asked "do I have to eat it here?" I think he's ready to go home.
I have to say he's not as good a patient as Melissa was…but they had something in common..they wanted to go home.
I'll be back.
OOPS.
Have to end with Andrew & Max.
Fort would expect it.
Flowers for Pamma
…and not to be outdone
Max finds a bigger flower for Pamma!
Have a good one.
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