Wilson Family Blog: Dad's heart surgery

Friday, June 27, 2008

Dad's heart surgery

Dad had his heart surgery on Monday the 16th. He had a double bypass and a valve replacement. He did great and was able to come home on the 22nd, which is sooner than we expected. The doctors said it went very well. He's sounding better each time I talk to him. Rodney is down there with him, cooking & taking care of things while dad recovers.

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My Summers With You

GRANDPA HAS ASKED ME FOR YEARS TO WRITE A STORY FOR YOU TWO, AND HERE IS THE BEST I COULD EVER TELL.

I’M WRITING THIS BECAUSE I WANT YOU BOTH TO KNOW HOW IMPORTANT YOU ARE TO ME. YOU SHOULD KNOW HOW MUCH YOU HAVE INFLUENCED THE PERSON I HAVE BECOME. FEW CHILDREN ARE AWARDED SUCH LONG STAYS WITH THEIR GRANDPARENTS AS WE WERE WHEN WE STAYED DOWN IN LEBABNON. YOU HAVE EACH PASSED ON CERTAIN QUALITIES TO YOUR CHILDREN, AND THEM TO US, AND WE WILL UNTO OUR OWN CHILDREN.

GRANDPA, I TAKE A STRONG WORK ETHIC FROM YOU. I INHERITED THE ABILITY TO PUT IN LONG PHYSICAL HOURS BECAUSE IN A STRANGE WAY, I LIKE THE WAY IT FEELS. IT HELPS ME SLEEP AT NIGHT. IM SURE YOU UNDERSTAND. I ALSO TOOK THE BLESSING OF YOUR HUMOR, UNENDING AND TRUE. YOUR HUMOR IS ALSO A CURSE, AS I HAVE OFTEN BEEN ASKED IF I CAN BE SERIOUS FOR “JUST ONE MINUTE!” YOU ARE A MAN WITH A SPIRITED LAUGH AND A CAREFREE SPIRIT, ALWAYS WILLING TO LET US PLAY A BIT LONGER, OR CLIMB INTO YOU CHAIR AFTER LONG DAYS ON THE ROAD OR WORKING. TO SIT AND WATCH THE REDS WITH YOU, EATING POPCORN, “LOTS OF BUTTER, LOTS OF SALT” OUT OF THOSE GIANT STAINLESS STEEL BOWLS IS TRULY ONE OF THE FONDEST MEMORIES FROM MY CHILDHOOD. BEING TRICKED INTO DRINKING BUTTERMILK, HOWEVER…IS ANOTHER STORY.

GRANDMA, FROM YOU I TAKE MY WIT, AND MY CALM. AS A LITTLE BOY I ADMIRED THE WAY YOU WERE CONSISTENT AND STRONG. EVEN IF ONE OF US WAS BEING A BURDEN YOU ALWAYS TREATED US FAIR, AND WITH LOVE, NOT HARSH PUNISHMENT. I DO THE SAME THING WITH MY JOB...I TEACH THE KIDS WITH COMPASSION AND UNDERSTANDING, NOT STRICT RULES OR JUDGMENT. THESE ARE TRAITS I LEARNED FROM SPENDING MY SUMMERS WITH YOU, GRANDMA. I REMEMBER SITTING IN THE TREE, THE BRANCH SLUNG DOWN IN A PERFECT SEAT, WATCHING YOU CLEAN BLUEGILL AFTER BLUEGILL, EVEN AFTER YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T CLEAN ANY FISH WE MIGHT BRING BACK! YOU TAUGHT ME TO FINISH WHAT I STARTED, BECAUSE IF YOU STARTED PICKING A ROW OF BEANS, OR WEEDING A PATCH OF STRAWBERRIES, THEN IT WAS ONLY NATURAL TO COMPLETE THE TASK. I DIDN’T ALWAYS FINISH THE CROSSWORD PUZZLES I STARTED, AND THAT SOMETIMES MADE TROUBLE, BUT STILL, YOU FORGAVE ME. I LOVE HOW YOU LET ME WIN IN RUMMI AFTER WE PLAYED A FEW GAMES…BUT I STILL THINK I’M BETTER AT KING’S CORNERS

I TELL STORIES OFTEN OF MY MANY SUMMERS IN LEBANON. THE BASEMENT, THE POOL, MAJOR, THE HORNSBY’S, THE TRICYCLE, THE COUNTLESS, BOUNTIFUL GARDENS, THE OLD BLACK TRUCK, GREEN BEANS SENT STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN, GRANDMA’S OLDSMOBILE DIESEL AND HER LEAD FOOT, BUILDING THE GARAGE AND THE DECKS, THE BIG BROWN CHAIR THAT COULD BE IMAGINED INTO A CAR, A SPACESHIP, A TANK, A SUBMARINE AND A WRESTLING RING, THE APPLE TREES WHERE GRANDMA BIT INTO A WORM, CATCHING LIGHTNING BUGS, GRANNY AND HER STORIES AND THE WAY SHE SMILED WHEN I WOULD COME VISIT HER IN THE MIDDLE BEDROOM, ROLLING DOWN THE BIG HILL, SLEEPING IN THE CAMPER, READING BOOKS WITH KAT, ENDLESS BOWLS OF CHEWY STARBURST CANDIES, FIREWORKS ON THE PORCH AND THE BEST MEALS I’VE EVER HAD, ANYWHERE, IN ALL MY TRAVELS.

I LOVE YOU BOTH VERY MUCH. YOU ARE WHO I AM, AND WHO I WANT TO BE. I’M SO SORRY THAT YOU HAVE HAD TO BATTLE THIS ILLNESS, AS I KNOW IT HAS TAKEN ITS TOLL ON BOTH OF YOU. AS A FAMILY, WE HAVE PULLED TOGETHER TO HELP YOU, AND TO SHOW YOU BOTH HOW MUCH WE CARE. YOU HAVE GIVEN ME SO MUCH, AND IF THERE IS ANYTHING I CAN DO, ALL YOU NEED TO DO IS ASK, AND I WILL COME RUNNING…

EACH NIGHT WHEN YOU LIE DOWN TOGETHER TO SLEEP, TAKE A DEEP BREATH. AS YOUR LUNGS FILL UP WITH AIR, KNOW THAT YOUR BODY IS ALSO FULL OF LOVE FROM YOUR FAMILY, AND THAT WE ARE THINKING OF YOU AS WE LIE DOWN AS WELL.

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR BEING SO WONDERFUL, SO KIND, SUCH PERFECT GRANDPARENTS. I PRAY THAT SOMEDAY I WILL DO THE SAME FOR MY GRANDKIDS AS YOU HAVE DONE FOR ME.

Written by Joseph Robert Wilson 2007

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Friday, June 27, 2008

Dad's heart surgery

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My Summers With You

Mom and Dad

Mom

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