Off we go into the wild unknown. I'm sitting in the Portland airport waiting to connect to Spokane. Dad was re-whisked to Sacred Heart Hospital this morning as a result of his ongoing urinary infection. Thankfully, Leticia is there to give him support. As for me, the Kral's whisked me to the Tucson airport just in time to catch a flight back home. Such is the life of folks my age charged with the care of their parent. It's unknown at this point whether this will blow up our winter plans, but the possibility isn't unexpected. Judy is in the able care of our friends in Tucson, and I will be able to ascertain Dad's condition when I get to the hospital. It's counter productive, in my view, to suppose anything at this point. Like one of those bands sang somewhat long ago: "Don't let the sound of your own wheels drive you crazy." Having admitted that this is a crazy time, it pales in comparison to the challenges other people face. I've always felt that way, and my response to adversity has never been, "Why me?" Rather, it's always been, "What now?" Not in the sense that what will happen next, but rather in terms of what will be the best course of action given this particular set of circumstances. Regardless, I'll still likely feel that I'm the luckiest man on the planet. The flight from Tucson was exquisite. We were on a new plane. There were no shimmies, no shakes, no angst, and no trouble landing. We even had a magnificent view of Crater Lake, so what's not to like. It reminded me of a bicycle trip we took a few years ago around Mt. Bachelor. Quite amazing how different the perspective is from thousands of feet skyward. Enough of that reverie. The most recent news is that they've installed a permanent catheter in Dad. Leticia entertained him during his stay in the hospital by giving him a manicure and a pedicure and by giving him her unique (and special) brand of irresistible love. I'm sure that calmed him down. They've released him from the hospital, and by the time I get back to Spokane, he will have returned to his home at Harvard Park. I'll spend the next few days arranging for home health nursing to make sure he's taking his medications, and God willing, I'll fly back to Phoenix on Tuesday. I'm not really grasping at that possibility. More than anything, I'll respond to whatever comes, which is in keeping with the notion that life is good, especially today.
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