A Trooper

Dad is being such a trooper. He's still on the ventilator today and is a bit sedated. It's best to be sedated while you're on the ventilator, I think. That way you won't pull on any of the tubes or IV's. His blood pressure is fine and he's receiving some pain meds today. This surgery was pretty stressful on his body. The docs will consider taking him off the ventilator tomorrow if his vitals remain strong. He has a good medical team watching over him. Please pray that they continue to do their best for him.

My dad has always been a trooper. I've been a Girl Scout since elementary school. Mostly, it was my mom that participated in my events with me. She was our troop leader so she attended campouts, parades and such. However, there was one yearly event that Daddy had to attend with me. It was the Father-Daughter Dinner near Valentine's Day with our service unit. The first year, I made us a box to hold our dinner. It was white with red hearts and little doilies on it. We used that box every year for probably 11 years. Dad attended that dinner with me faithfully. He would patiently watch all of the entertainment by the Girl Scouts and eat his dinner with me and the other scouts in my troop and their dads who were enduring the same thing as him. (Maybe he saw that as a right of passage for being a good dad?)

I know that when I started driving he thought he wouldn't have to attend anymore. But, I would just meet him there rather than go together. I would pack our dinner in that same box and wait for him at our designated spot. He was a trooper all through those events.

The message today is to be a good sport and be a trooper through it all. The payout will be well worth it!

Thanks to all for the prayers, visits, calls, emails and cards. We appreciate it so much! Blessings to all,
Tena