updates!

It's been a few months since I have posted anything, and I really thought I was done posting.  However, I am currently throwing my parents onto the Facebook bandwagon, and in the process having a link to this blog....soooooooooo, I thought it best to update in the event any of you are still checking in.

So not much has developed since July.  Dad has his good weeks and bad weeks.  Seems lately they have been good, good speech, good walking.  He has developed a deep admiration of Dibs.  They are similar to Bon Bon's.  His latest thing is to get one Dib per lap he walks around the island in the kitchen at the house.  So, by the time I get down there in the evening, he has a request for anything from 8-14 Dibs.  

A coworker of my Mom gave her a Wii game system, and we are able to feed Netflix through the Wii, so Dad has an unreal amount of Westerns and war movies at his fingertips.  Every once and awhile the rest of us can watch something of another genre.  :)

We got him all dressed up to the nines and drove him down to his niece Kelly's wedding back in September.  The first time he's had his old suit on in a few years.  He looked like a champ!

We found a small owie above his ear that turned out to be a form of skin cancer, but that has since been removed and I believe we are all clear there.

Other than all that.....all is well.

Hope everyone is doing great and looking forward to their happy holidays with family and loved ones, as we are!

Two years...

Since he sat me on the back deck and told me his thoughts.  

Since he walked around the house on his own.

Since he helped make dinner.

Since we enjoyed the sound of his voice.

Since he hugged me with both arms.

Since he had happy thoughts of his retirement.

Since he sang in the shower.

Since he helped himself to a snack in the fridge.

Since he held his wife and told her how much he loves her.

Since he told me "try not to worry"

Enjoy the little things.  You never know when you won't have them again.

Spring update!

All is calm at the Petro ranch.  I can't remember if I blogged about the hydrotherapy before, but we finally got that in motion.  This is my Dad's second week working with this specialist friend, and everything seems to be working wonderfully.  He is outfitted with his own swimsuit, tank top, and aquasox.  I'll see if I can't sneak in there next week and snap some shots to see the old man gettin his fitness on!  Some of my oldest and fondest memories of my childhood involve me riding piggy back on my Dad while he swam.  It goes without saying that I miss those times.

We've also been working hard with the Dynavox system, trying to get him comfortable with that for better communication in the future.

Mom and I are still working on that jewelry idea...well, more Mom than me.  I can't seem to get my creative side motivated back into jewelry.  

With yard work, my various jobs, and various projects around their place, jewelry seems to fall through the cracks....but we're working on it!

Overall, I'd say my Dad is keeping his strength up, however it's difficult to stay motivated as all of us could understand, I'm sure.  He goes through spurts of impressive feats though, which keep me forever impressed.

Feb Update

Well that's frustrating.  I just had a big long post that vanished.  Arrrgh!

Well let's try that again.

So we are embarking on the first ever guys weekend.   My Mom had an opportunity to go stay with her sisters and have a little R&R from reality.  I cancelled my Super Bowl trip to Vegas, and me and the bro's made it happen.  She has been gone almost 27 hours, and I asked my Dad if he was sad that she is not here.  Normally the guys would be excited to spend some guy time without the ladies...ESPECIALLY on Super Bowl weekend.  He admitted that he was sad, despite my assurance that no other husbands were there.  I think he is more sad that he can't take her on these trips, something they once enjoyed doing quite often.  I'm sure he had hoped this would have all been over by now.  

I baked cookies last night while he played online poker.  I got him in a free tournament, and out of 8000 players, he placed in the top 250...granting him a seat at the next tournament where he has a chance to win up to $1000.  I am allllll for him making money any way that he can.  He and I used to play these tournaments all the time, and this is the first tournament he had won since before the surgery.  He seemed to be on a small high from this, and I was elated to see him with a sense of accomplishment again.  He could not wait to get out of bed this morning and get his hands on some fresh baked cookies. 

Brad and I are going to take him for a little drive now.

Hope all of you are doing well.

All our love,

Chris

New Year!

Happy 2010 everyone!

Well let's see, a year ago today we were in a hospital room praying that the pneumonia would subside.  This year, his speech is better, his eating is improving  (though he is down to a slim 148), and his mobility is improving.  I'd much rather have this year than last!

This post comes following a very realistic dream I had last night.  I dreamt that my Dad's brain suddenly "came to", and he was walking and talking again.  This doesn't surprise me, as I was talking with my friend, Mike, about this scenario.  I remember crying in the dream, and hugging him incessantly.  Needless to say, I didn't want to wake.  But, I did.  I came into his room where he was still sleeping and gave him a big good morning hug.

We had a great low key Christmas, and it was just perfect.  For New Years Eve, Brad and I drove Mom & Dad up to the Skagit River.  There is a place up there that they went to prior to the surgery where there are more Bald Eagles than you can count....all in one spot over the river.  We weren't as lucky as they were on that trip, but we managed to see a few.  The weather wasn't as ideal, so I guess our nation's bird is a little particular to when he/she will be seen.  :)

Mom and I have been pumping out quite a bit of jewelry as promised, and I am in the process of photographing each of these pieces for purchase.  Hopefully by my next post, I will have some samples.

Before I leave you, on a recent trip to Portland (just for a couple hours), I found a friend's new restaurant.  If you are in the Portland area, you have to stop by!!  Very tasty sandwiches!  Lisa, part owner, was a huge help in promoting this site to the masses when we first started out.  Her  help didn't go unnoticed, so when I heard she and her husband Brian had opened the first restaurant...we made it a point to swing by on a recent photog trip to P-town!  Pops got the T-shirt!

Here is the link to their website and menu!

http://www.bigasssandwiches.com/

Take care everyone!