The State Of The Harold Report

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before? My dad goes into the hospital for one thing and ends up with some sort of package deal from hell!

It was supposed to be one simple operation. Instead it became a string of procedures, removing organs (gallbladder) we didn’t know were in play when we started.

IMAG0250 (1)-w1200-h1200

We’re back. Stef and I have returned from Milwaukee. We spent the weekend visiting my father and the family.

IMAG0129-w1200-h1200First things first. My dad looks great. This is not what we or anyone expected. The state of the Harold is strong!

Tell me if you’ve heard this one before? My dad goes into the hospital for one thing and ends up with some sort of package deal from hell!

It was supposed to be one simple operation. Instead it became a string of procedures, removing organs (gallbladder) we didn’t know were in play when we started.

gallbladder stone.-w1200-h1200“The largest we’ve ever seen,” said the surgeon who extricated a single gallstone. Even this had demanded two trips to the hospital.

Anyway, it’s all done. My dad’s come through it well. But, he went through a few months of tsuris to get to this point.

With a walker for security he moves at a brisk pace. The shortness of breath that preceded his TAVR surgery is mainly gone.

We kept him busy this weekend. He stood up to the test, then crashed once he got home.

“I never even put on my pajamas.”

Stef and I visited him at his apartment in a senior living facility. He doesn’t need assisted living in the classic sense, but has someone who’s with him all day. We’re lucky he found LaTonya.

IMAG0138-w1200-h1200He keeps the place a little warm.

I mated his cellphone with his hearing aid. It worked well in my presence. I’ll lay 2:1 it’s not working within the week.

I have ten Milwaukee relatives. My sister and brother-in-law have been there over twenty years. Their two daughters have started families nearby. And now, of course, my father.

IMAG0173-COLLAGE-w1200-h1200Stef stayed at Cousin Melissa’s enjoying the company of Charlotte, aka Charlie. She is wide eyed and beautiful. I stayed with my sister and brother-in-law.

We got to spend time with all the family. It’s sad we’re such strangers to Trudi and Jeff’s grandchildren (Charlie, Judah and Gabby). A few thousand miles does that.

We watched the Packers lose in Wisconsin with Packers fans.

We found an airport store where cow shaped Wisconsin Cheddar can be bought.

We lived through this morning’s five below reading on the ‘carmometer.’

We spent lots of time with my dad.

Most of the way back America was a white, frozen tundra. There were plenty of snow capped mountains from the Rockies west, even here in SoCal.

We live in amazing times where you can sit in a chair and be transported through space to see loved ones far away. In four hours we traveled 1,753 miles, losing two hours and gaining 75º!

5 thoughts on “The State Of The Harold Report”

  1. Welcome home after what sounds like a wonderful trip. Our love to all, and thanx for the great update on Uncle Harold and the rest of the family. sherm and Zel

  2. I think the cold/snow this winter has been a big change for the last two: The areas of the USA from the Midwest to the West has had all the cold snow…while the east and far east (East Coast) has escaped any real winter. Places like NYC, New Haven, Trenton, Wilmington, DE …etc have not even reported 1 inch of snow so far this winter and few nights even below 30 F.

  3. Glad to hear you had a nice visit, and Dad is doing so well, but I have to ask what kind of a “camera” was that group shot taken with?
    I’ll be kind and just say it’s not up to your usual standard, even though I know it’s not your Cannon.

    A chance of our first major snow storm this Fri – Sat. Care to give us your prediction?

  4. So glad for such a positive update on your Dad!!
    seems like ages since we had any updates on
    him and lots of us care about him!! Will be nice
    when he can travel back to stay with you and
    get out of the cold for awhile and you can have
    some more quality time together there. Please
    let him know that there are many of us thinking
    and rooting for him and so glad he is feeling so
    well and happy!!

  5. Glad to see all the pictures of family and that your dad looks like he’s back to normal. I wondered when we were going to hear something, as last I knew he was in the hospital, probably awaiting GB surgery. It is good that he has family close by–keep tabs on his private home care person. You say you are not close to Trudy’s grandchildren–but you’re a lot closer than you used to be (distance wise).Glad to hear there is snow on the mountains. Now you can boast about roses in the garden, hummingbirds at the feeder, and snow off in the distance.
    Be well–and enjoy your life–we have close odds on a NorEaster’ this weekend.

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