(c) 2015
I wrote this piece as a wife and future mother who watched scripture come to life in 2015. Exodus 20:12 says, "Honor thy father and mother for your days on earth will be prolonged." I had the privilege of seeing my husband honor his father in health and in sickness. While this picture speaks for itself, there is quite a story behind it.
In the early part of 2014, my husband, traveled to New Jersey to see about his father. "Dad" was expected to have surgery on his spine. Unfortunately, he was in so much pain that he couldn't go through some of the test or even lay still long enough to receive the anesthesia. After several failed attempts, Sir Dreck returned to our Southern Maryland home with the following concern: "I want toad bring 'Dad' here to get his surgery done at the VA in D.C. Do you mind if he stays with us?" I had no objections as I'd want his support if my dad needed us.
"Dad" had a plan. "Dad" had ambitions to get his surgery and then return to his hometown, Goldsboro, North Carolina, to buy a house. It was a solid plan. It was later in the summer that I realized he had cancer. I missed the memo. This new revelation lead me to believe "Dad" would be with us a lot longer. Like "Dad's" ringtone, "Roar," my Sir Dreck assured me that I didn't know how headstrong his dad could be. He was, in fact, going back home to Goldsboro to get that house. Metaphorically, he did, in fact, do just that. Until that time, Sir Dreck was committed to taking "Dad" to his appointments when the VA transportation service forgot to schedule a pick up. Sir Dreck took off work early to pick up "Dad" when the transportation service no longer operated after his scheduled appointments were done. I was brought in when necessary to run to the VA hospital, but it was Sir Dreck who, as the priest of our home, took the lead on caring for "Dad." I played a supporting role as his helpmate as mentioned in Genesis 2:18.
For the greater part of a year, our three-member family weathered a series of storms. We moved to a new home to accommodate our spatial needs. We had out grown our condo, and Dad was confined to his bedroom because there was no walking space. He sometimes had to use a cane to get around. The steps were a pain, I'm sure, to go up and down. Once our housing needs were met, we had the great blessing of extending our household by adopting a dog on December 20, 2015; Kato became Dad's best friend. However, there was much training that needed to happen as Kobe was very much a big dog who thought he was a puppy. He had too much weight and could knock "Dad and I down." Two months later, I got pregnant. What a joy to see faith work in our house as science gave me less than one percent chance of getting pregnant, but God stepped in. Even with this great news, I fell terribly ill with severe hyperemis gravidarum (http://americanpregnancy.org/pregnancy-complications/hyperemesis-gravidarum/). So, Sir Dreck had to care for three breathing beings while working two jobs. Life had been exhausting for him, but he kept pushing."
As my condition got better and more manageable with medication, things started to decline with "Dad." I was of very little help, but I tried my best to support when I wasn't ill. "Dad" did, in fact, get knocked down by Kato because he had become more fragile. After being released from my seventh hospital visit, "Dad" had to go to the emergency room because he experienced pain that wouldn't subside. The VA hospital kept him for a week. When he returned, he was NOT the same.
On July 7, 2015, "Dad" took his last breath on earth. He is survived by a son who got a second chance to love on him in the final moments. He has a grandson who honors him by carrying his name.
