book- Dad

Page 57 place after para 3 just when I thought..) ( delete from On New Years Day to We got a call...)

It was just another New Year's Eve. Uncle Henry and Aunt Sue were over. Mom set out cold cuts and we played cards while watching Dick Clark from Times Square in New York City. We laughed and reflected on 1976. The Bicentennial was so cool, especially the wagon trains rolling through town on the fourth of July. Dad seemed fine as we brought in the New Year together.

Dad always went to his family doctor to get his blood sugar checked. Every month without fail. Back in those days you couldn't  check your blood sugar on your own. The doctor was vacationing in Florida for the holidays. Instead of seeing the doctor who was filling in, Dad decided to skip the check-up. I'm sure he thought it was no big deal. Missing one month wouldn't matter.

On New Year's Day Dad became violently ill, vomiting, with fever and chills. He stayed in bed over the holiday, thinking it had to be the flu.But he was so damn sick it scared Mom, so she called an ambulance. Dad couldn't get out of bed on his own, so the paramedics carried him down the stairs to the ambulance.

I remember being downstairs in Dad's favorite brown lounge chair ,shaking with fear as I watched him go out the door and into the freezing January air. He looked at me, so pale and withdrawn, and mumbled "I'll be alright. Take care of your Mom."

Mom met him in the emergency room. Later that day they transferred him to Philadelphia. That scared us even more.

We thought  he was turning a corner with the blood infection that started with a sore on his right foot. The Philly hospitals were the best. He was in the right place.He was getting better and should be home soon.

Three weeks later he died. I never had a chance to say goodbye.