A Father's Day Special
Introduction: While I was rooting through my writings searching for inspiration, I came upon this piece I wrote sometime in 2021 while the Pandemic still raged and before my mother passed on June 21, 2021. I’d forgotten all about it, and on this upcoming Father’s Day, it feels right to publish on my blog. So here it goes. Revisiting the Pandemic Years: My mother believes she has earned the right to die before my dad does. In 2010 when Mom was in her early seventies, she went through several back-to-back surgeries and stayed in the hospital for over five months. She wasn’t expected to recover, but she did, so now her health issues keep my dad, my four siblings and me on our toes. That is, until Dad was diagnosed with a malignant mass in one of his lungs in November 2019. Dad doesn’t want Mom to find out about his diagnosis because she is terrified he will pass before she does. So, when she asks, “Why are you going to the hospital so often?” He replies, “Don’t worry, it’s nothing major. ...