This man I call "Dad", his scooter, "trusty". He has been without legs (not in the literal sense) for about 20 years or so. A person might think that after that long your wheels become your legs and you adapt accordingly. But not MY Dad. He likes to challenge that scooter and his legs and my Moms patience!!!
2 days ago, while my Mom was gone to the doctor, he went outside to water the lawn (which is a no-no, being outside while Mom is gone...it's been a battle for years....). As he was rolling along to get to the hose, he noticed one of their turtles moseying along and he swerved to miss him, and an overcorrection later, his trusty scooter dumped him out like a bag of rocks onto the hot, hard and non forgiving cement sidewalk. Luckily ( if there is any luck to be had here) he was dumped face up and not face down!
All the while, my Mom is waiting at the doctors office feeling anxious and nervous because it is taking a lot longer than it should and normally does. After about an hour, she finally gets called back into the room. And waits. And waits. She askes the nurse if anyone has walked out because it was taking too long. The nurse assures her that she is next. 45 minutes later the doctor comes in to see my Mom. 20 minutes later they leave his office another 20 minutes later, they are home.
My Mom goes to look for my Dad and sees my Dads trusty out in the backyard but does not see my Dad. She peers out the kitchen window only to see him laying there, still. She runs out the back door and yells to my niece to call 911.
My Dad had been "dumped " for about 3 hours in the hot 100 degree sun, waiting, waiting and more waiting for someone to get home to help. He was barely responsive.
Heatstroke, bad sunburn, blisters and a badly bruised ankle were the first to rear their ugly heads. Then came the fever, chills, lethargy, hallucinations. Diagnosis: Pnuemonia.
Today he is responding to treatment, but I am not sure that he will be able to fully recover from his injuries. My Dad is a great man who has had many a difficulty in his life. He has had many challenges to overcome, many battles to fight. I know that his body is tired. I know that he has put up a good fight. If it is the Lord's will, I hope he can continue to fight, if it is not the Lord's will, I hope that we can find the courage to accept his will and continue to live a life Dad would be proud of. I love you Dad!
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