Thursday Morning, December 6, 2007

Yesterday (I’m am honestly sorry about all of the “yesterdays” but when I get home from work, I just end up eating and konking out) they put Dave in a special chair so he could sit up. Though it was kind of a weird chair, it’s a big step. He was sitting there when a group of managers from the company and I walked in the room.

He immediately knew who they were and jumped right into conversations about business. He congratulated Bill Burko, from our store in Carson, for being the top location in November and then wanted more details on how everything was going.

December is rarely a great month in the RV business with the concentration on the holidays and the cooler weather, so I kept trying to change the subject but that didn’t work well. Thank God for nurses coming in the room to check his vitals. They are more interesting than I am, I found out.

Oh yeah, whatever happened to literary license? My point is that my sister Judy is blond and pretty and my niece Debbie is blond and pretty and it was actually Debbie who was shovelling the food, not Judy. That was pointed out to me yesterday. Since they all look kind of alike to me (and they all sound EXACTLY alike on the phone - you tell me what you would do if someone calls you and says its your favorite sister or niece), I offer no apologies. I'm going to buy them some hair color for Christmas so I can tell them apart easier. I think it would help Dave also.

Dave’s family had a meeting with his team of doctors. They are starting to talk that that soon he will no longer need hospitalization, and will take the next steps (possibly a skilled nursing facility and physical rehab place) on his way back to his home. Hooray! The road will still not be an easy one but at least it’s a road.

Dave has a friend, Dr. Vince Fortanasce, who also came and visited and helped with the translation of what the meeting actually meant. This gentleman is truly a gem, not to mention an expert in the field of Neurology and two other words that I cannot spell or even know what they mean. His visit with Dave was such a kind and helpful act, the entire family is indebted to him. And since none of us can pronounce his last name (some Italian name from Long Island), we just call him Dr. Vince.

We also learned that there were some early signs of this problem. On his recent trip to the Mediterranean with Marla and a big group of friends, he noticed some decline in his eye sight. He thought it was merely age (welcome to the world of the rest of us). It wasn't but it didnt stop him from winning $67 from his good friend Steve Simon playing Gin on the plane coming home. Even though he couldn't distinguish between hearts and diamonds. You won't see me playing wth him anytime soon. That $67 would pay for the hair dye for my sisters.

Dave also had a long talk yesterday with his family members explaining that he knew he might die and that, while he will fight this with all of his strength, that if the Good Lord is ready for him, he is ready for God’s will to be done.

He hopes to continue to live, and love, and watch his grandchildren grow up (and probably annoy his younger brother). But whatever the outcome, God had granted him a great and blessed life with a family he loved, a tremendous group of treasured friends and colleagues, and a business that fulfills the people’s dreams everyday.

At first, we were all saddened and afraid he had lost his will to fight. But we discovered he wanted us to know he was at peace with what ever happened.

In June I had planned an outing to Disneyland with lunch at the very exclusive, very secretive Club 33 with some of my sisters and a friend. That day finally came so I won’t be much in touch with Dave. I have moles on the inside though to get me information so, until tomorrow, have a great day!