family
By beachgoer01
@beachgoer01 (52)
United States
October 15, 2008 12:28pm CST
I went on a trip yesterday with my father. He is 78 years old and I don't like for him to drive very far. He has a sister that is gravely ill with cancer. I really don't like for him to go see his family very much because he always get so depressed because they are getting older and in poor health. He has 1 sister with cancer, 1 with parkinsons disease and others in just generally bad health. He had 11 brothers and sisters but now only has 5 left. He gets so depressed and starts talking about dying. I know it is part of life and it happens but I really don't want him to sit there and think about it all the time. My mother and sister both died fairly young with cancer. Dad is so scared he will end up in a nursing home and wants no part of that. I will do everything in my power to see that he doesn't but you just never know. He can't do things that he used to be able to do and he gets really frustrated about that. How do you handle things like this? Life is precious and way too short sometimes. I have learned to try to enjoy life as much as possible because it may be gone tomorrow.
1 person likes this
2 responses
@ShellyB (5241)
• United States
15 Oct 08
I am sorry your dad is passing through such hard times in his life.
TO me the best is to let him go see his family, that is what seems to be the right thing to do for your dad, he can still drive so that gives me a clue that there are things he can still do for himself.
Keep hope and faith and like you say live one day at the time.
@beachgoer01 (52)
• United States
15 Oct 08
Thanks so much. I will keep the hope and faith. I will keep taking him whenever he wants to go.
@mansha (6298)
• India
15 Oct 08
Thats real scary stage of life he is going through and I wonder if ever things will come too this way for me too. We all know that we have short lives and we are here and gone tomorrow but it must be a sad feeling to see youur loved ones go one by one and to carry that burden on your heart of parting for god knows how long. Why don't you take such trips too often if he is more involved in their lives it will help them and him to draw strength from each other as I felt its more saddening that he may be feeling he can not help them in anyway when they are so sick.
@beachgoer01 (52)
• United States
24 Sep 09
I try to get him to go more often but he says it depressing him too bad to see all of them like that. He doesn't go anywhere very often. I have to go get him and just make him go out to eat or something. Sometimes he goes sometimes he doesn't.
