The Easter Miracle

Here's the short version: Wednesday night we got a call from my Dad's pastor who put my cousin Meg on the phone. Meg told us not to hurry but that we should come home. She also said that she told my Dad that, when he got to the other side, her Dad would ask him if he brought his fishing knife.

My Dad is 84 and has been in poor health of one sort or another for the past 10 years. The past 3 years or so has seen him in a cycle of Doing Well-Not Doing Well-Falling or Getting Pneumonia or Some Other Big Thing-Going to the Hospital-Spending a Month or So at a Rest Home for Rehab-Going Back Home-Repeat. In all that time this was the first time Mike and I were ever asked to come home.

We packed fast and left at about 11pm, making it to the rest home by 3am. We stayed with Dad and my Mom until about 6 when we took my Mom home to rest. The next morning my Dad was given last rites. At 4pm that same day he sat up and asked for a glass of milk.

How many Get Out Of Jail Free cards does this man have? I'm not complaining: exactly the opposite! Thankful as I am, however, part of my wanted to clock him for putting us all through this. The nurses, the doctors, his pastor, everyone was completely baffled--again, happy but baffled. His pastor (who I like) said to him, "That's the last time I give you Last Rites!" That's my Dad's kind of humor, if you're wondering.

So the 6 easter baskets I bought to fill with the 3 bags of easter grass and the several bags of candy were sitting right by the door where we left them when we got back to Pittsburgh tonight. We stopped in to see my Dad one more time before we left and he was so much better. So very, very tired but so much better. And while we were glad to be there to help out, I am very glad to be home. I think Donovan is as well--he started smiling and clapping as we came up to the door and he did his little dance all around the kitchen while we unpacked. He was a very very good boy in Elyria. Mike says his great aunts used to refer to he and his sister as her "medicine" and that is exactly what Donny was, especially for my Mom. By the second day we were there, I could say, "Where's Grandma?" and he'd run right to her, which just made her light up.

Here's hoping your Easter was less fraught but just as miraculous. And if you need any candy, let me know.