Cornhead
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- Dec 4, 2010
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As I've mentioned in Warp's thread on his upcoming hip replacement, my Dad has been battling complications from a recent broken hip and subsequent hip replacement. September 3rd will be his 92nd birthday. His mind is good, but most of the rest of his body is failing. Regardless of the outcome, I know the end is near. I have foregone working out after work in order to spend time with him. When I decided to take a week's vacation to be with him, it dawned on me that I could paddle to Lourdes Hospital. My usual paddling excursion takes me from my home on the Susquehanna to the Rockbottom Dam, and back. The trip to Lourdes would involve a portage of the dam, and an additional two miles paddling beyond. I enlisted the aid of my Brother to meet me at the dam and help with the portage. I made the trip twice, once down and back on the same day, the other I slept on a recliner in my Dad's room, and returned the following day.
My Dad was released from the hospital last week. He's now in rehab at Good Shepard nursing home. Good Shepard is about a quarter mile from the river. Today after work I canoed to directly South of the nursing home, locked my boat to a tree, a hoofed it the rest of the way to the nursing home. Tomorrow morning I plan to paddle to the dam, and stop and visit Dad on the trip home.
Could I have just gone to the gym in the time I've spent canoeing to visit Dad? Sure, but I found it quite spiritual to go through the effort with the end result arriving at my Dad's side. I told him that my journey on the river was a metaphor for life itself. Both journeys are long and hard with many twists and turns. There is much to be experienced, and seen, along the way. When the journey is done, there's a sense of accomplishment, and relief, and the slate is clean, ready for the next adventure. It's been quite a trip Dad, well done.
Rockbottom Dam, the old Crowley plant in the background
Tree growing sideways to survive, like Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park, life finds a way
Dragonfly perched on my cooler, I was sure he'd fly away before I got my phone out of my pocket.
Sunset on the Susquehanna
The Waxing Gibbous Moon, getting dark a lot earlier these days, ski season is coming.
My Dad was released from the hospital last week. He's now in rehab at Good Shepard nursing home. Good Shepard is about a quarter mile from the river. Today after work I canoed to directly South of the nursing home, locked my boat to a tree, a hoofed it the rest of the way to the nursing home. Tomorrow morning I plan to paddle to the dam, and stop and visit Dad on the trip home.
Could I have just gone to the gym in the time I've spent canoeing to visit Dad? Sure, but I found it quite spiritual to go through the effort with the end result arriving at my Dad's side. I told him that my journey on the river was a metaphor for life itself. Both journeys are long and hard with many twists and turns. There is much to be experienced, and seen, along the way. When the journey is done, there's a sense of accomplishment, and relief, and the slate is clean, ready for the next adventure. It's been quite a trip Dad, well done.
Rockbottom Dam, the old Crowley plant in the background
Tree growing sideways to survive, like Jeff Goldblum says in Jurassic Park, life finds a way
Dragonfly perched on my cooler, I was sure he'd fly away before I got my phone out of my pocket.
Sunset on the Susquehanna
The Waxing Gibbous Moon, getting dark a lot earlier these days, ski season is coming.