Thursday, December 28, 2006

Men Will Be Men

This year's Christmas was kind of bittersweet. We know that it will probably be the last one that we spend with Sherri's dad. We spent the night Christmas Eve so John could see the kids open their Santa gifts on Christmas morning. One of the highlights of my day came at an unexpected moment.

While watching the Laker/Heat game, John and Mary called us kids (Sherri, her sister and husband, and myself) into his bed room for a serious discussion about his health. It was half time, so John thought he would just put the new 42 inch LCD TV on mute and us boys wouldn't be distracted by the game.

John has become completely dependant on his breathing machine, without it he would suffocate. I think that is how most ALS patients die. His doctor said that usually at this point the patient has about two months to live. At some point in time the breathing machine will not be enough.The doctor said we would know when that time had arrived and gave them a prescription that would relieve pain and anxiety when John was at that point. Not an assisted suicide type of thing, just something that would make the passing more comfortable for him. When this time arrives, John would like his family to be with him.

This conversation is going as expected, teary eyes, sad faces, when all of a sudden John goes, WHOA as he is looking at the TV screen. During half-time, ABC decided to go into the stands and interview Siovaughn Wade, the wife of the Miami Heat's Dwayne Wade. She had a low cut dress on that was barely covering a huge rack that John couldn't help but notice. We all said WHOA. The camera quickly zoomed to her face. We all started laughing. The timing was perfect. Siovaughn Wade's boobs put an end to a real bummer conversation. It is good to know that even in times of sorrow, men will be men.

2 comments:

Mocha said...

Wow. Even this post was bittersweet. I'm so sorry to hear about this. ALS is no forgiving disease. Give Sherri a big hug from me. Tell her it's from a long lost cousin or something so she doesn't think I'm weird, ok?

Christine said...

I came over here from Sue's Jayhawk Fever site. I am sorry to hear about the ALS. I worked on an MS/ALS/Huntington's disease unit in a long term care hospital for several years. Of the 3 diseases, ALS is by far the worst. In ALS the mind remains intact. May his passing be peaceful and not too painful or frightening.

Christine