Thanks
Hi Guys,
First, thanks to Allan for starting this thread. I can't begin to tell all of you how much your throughts and prayers mean to me. You guys are fantastic.
Even though "Katfish" is a retarded thief and liar.........Bill Sell has a heart of gold and I thank you my friend. (Now, so as not to tarnish your image, I'll go back to agrueing with you again some time next week. LOL)
Just so you alll know, my dad suffering with severe Alzheimer's disease. He is 2 months shy of 89 years old. He lives alone 2 hour from me and my 72 old aunt lives next door to him and, with some health issues of her own, she tries to take care of him. My mom, his wife of 56 years, died 4 years ago and he's been failing ever since. If you've ever tried to get someone into a nursing home, its a nightmare. He's in the hospital now and they are trying to place him. He is weak and cooperative sometimes and violently angry late at night (a phenomenon know as "sundowning syndrome"). The process is heartbreaking and is tearing me up.
My dad is as tough as they come. My late great friend, Paul Heitz, who most of you all knew and loved, helped me develop an even greater appreciation of the true toughness of my dad's background. (Anyone Paul looked up to as being hardcore, had to be off the page) Sargent in the 1st Marine division in WWII surving first landings in Peleliu, Cape Glouster, and Okinawa, 36 years on the police force, 19 years as Chief of Police. To see him like this now is gutwrenching.
But God works in strange ways. My dad's character was honed by his life experiences. That made him the incomparable person he is. I can only pray that this challange I face, in helping my dad through this part of his life, can make me stronger to face the challenges life has for me in the future. I guess my dad's still teaching me to be stronger, right up to the end.
Tell your dad you love him, next chance you get. And the next time someone tells you how great you are (and you all are, by the way), remember what Isaac Newton said.....
"If I have seen further than other men, it is because I have stood upon the shoulders of giants."
God bless you guys, and thanks for letting me babble a little bit.
Steve