Ok, so I have blogged about how stressful my dad can make life when we try to have family gatherings!  Just the thought of any of us coming over to visit is cause for stress for him.  He is 80 and always wondered what all the fuss was about when my sisters and I say we all need to get together and do something as a family (because we live on 2 of the 4 corners of the world!)  My parents have always had a “don’t let the door hit you in the butt on the way out” kind of relationship with all of us….out of sight out of mind….and if we are there he has to worry about us….kind of weird! but we love them anyway

I say all this because since we lost our mom 6 years ago we have all offered, suggested etc that dad move closer to us or move in with us and get out of the huge house he shared with mom as it is too big for him to take care of.  (Yes, he does most things himself, just hates to have help or hire help……very independent!) 

Anyway, dad has a really bad hip and we have for YEARS!!!! tried to get him to consider having hip replacement surgery.  He took a bad fall last Thanksgiving and the Emergency room doctor told him he couldn’t afford to have any more of those as it could kill him because of the medication he is on! and that he was a great candidate for hip surgery!  During this whole ordeal we found out that he actually has fallen on several occasions.  Well, my sisters and I are hoping and praying he will finally get this done.

Today he has his first appointment with an Orthopedic doctor to check it all out and while I write I am praying that it is a good experience and he gets a lot if not all his questions answered and he moves forward with getting the surgery.   He has a golfing buddy, (yes, my dad still tries to golf a couple of times a week!) that just had it done and is recovering and we are hoping this will be an encouragement for him as well.

So this is where my mind is today, if dad wants to continue to be so independent he really needs to have this done.  He doesn’t make swift decisions about things and he brings a lot of stress on himself and I am hoping this can happen with some rapidity so he doesn’t have time to change his mind!  I just don’t want him to fall again and have no one there to help him…..that is my biggest fear and I think if he gets the surgery he will have better mobility and the life of his golf game will be extended and that in itself would be a great thing for him.

So, I am off to wait by the phone to see how the appointment went…….

bye!

Grace

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