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My father’s body is a marvel of chemistry and engineering. The medical industrial complex understands our innards in minute detail. So many repairable parts. So many pieces that can be ‘swapped out’.

Busy day. Woke up just outside Milwaukee, at my sister and brother-in-law’s home in Mequon.

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IMAG3111We went to their office, where I said goodbye to Melissa and Charlie, then lunch, then to my dad.

No need to come earlier. He was busy getting a pacemaker. The procedure was very painful, but he was in less pain now.

My father’s body is a marvel of chemistry and engineering. The medical industrial complex understands our innards in minute detail. So many repairable parts. So many pieces that can be ‘swapped out’.

It’s all accomplished through science fiction like scenarios. We’ll fix your heart through this hole in your leg!

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The balloon angioplasty he received yesterday is a partial fix. It ‘wears out’ in a matter of months. He needs the valve replaced.

There’s a prerequisite. His kidneys need to settle down. They are too weak to move forward.

So, we wait. And we hope. There’s no guarantee his kidneys will recover. However, my father’s will is very strong. Don’t underestimate him.

He was in good spirits when we saw him. No one at the hospital believes he’s nearly ninety. The nurses all find him adorable.

When they wheeled him into the cath lab, the physician said he heard my dad told jokes. Word travels fast.

Tudi and Jeff drove me to the airport. MKE-LAS uneventful. Do 737-800s have bigger overhead bins, or am I imagining?

I got some airplane sleep, which only passes time and does not count as actual sleep. I’ve never woken refreshed on a plane.

We descended through the afternoon gusts rocking and rolling into Las Vegas fifteen minutes early. I asked Helaine to check for an earlier connection to LAX.

Maybe. It would be tight.

I landed at C-8. My dream flight out was C-11. Perfect.

I walked up to the podium, explained I arrived early and was wondering…

Here’s the difference between Southwest and other airlines. He put me on the flight, no charge. It was smiles all the way.

I was the last boarding pass, C5, and happy to sit in the middle seat in row 10.

So, I’m home.

3 thoughts on “Home”

  1. Geoff- Your Dad looks wonderful!!
    His face is so serene and relaxed. Hope he will do as Doctors say and continues on
    with his get outlook. Sounds like he is bringing fun to them all there too. Bless
    him as he fights the good fight to be up and around as
    soon as his body is ready!!!!

  2. Since you hadn’t posted anything in a few days, I was wondering if you had squeezed in a trip to see your dad—I am glad to find out that you did. In a way, I think it was more of a prayer, on my part, that you would. Modern technology is great, but things happen. Will your dad go home to recoup some energy and hopefully repair the kidneys? I will continue my prayers for him and his family.

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