My dad officially retired on June 1st from Delphi after an entire career lifetime of service. This is an ending of an era since I don't think any of us will stay with the same company for our careers. Heck most of us won't even keep a single career. I know I'm on my 3rd company and my next move will probably be into a different career.
But retirement hasn't been treating him well. I think maybe dad should go back to work! Since retiring my dad has:
1. Had a hole drilled in his head down to the skull to remove skin cancer
2. Had 3 shots into his spine to help alleviate back pain from spinal stenosis (and they didn't even work)
3. Had a strange bone growth removed from his ear
4. Had regular checkups for his chronic myelogenous lukemia, heart problems, sliding hiatal hernia, and sarcoidosis
5. And now, the icing on the cake, he spent 3 days in the hospital for pneumonia this week. His temperature was over 103 when he finally agreed to go to the ER on Sunday. Sooo stubborn and dumb - he refused to let feeling like crap interfere with his beach vacation all of last week.
I believe that my dad's sarcoid and CML are caused by exposure to Agent Orange from his time in the Marines in Vietnam. The sarcoid caused lots of lung dammage and scarring and the lukemia decreases his immune system - hence the pneumonia. He will fight off this pneumonia - I have no doubt. But I hate it that he is sick. In my opinion, noone on the planet worked harder, sacrificed, planned, did all the right things, and deserves to enjoy his retirement more than my dad. And I'm just pissed off and angry and sad that he hasn't had time to enjoy it yet. Plus I'm pissed off at our government for getting into wars and not taking responsibility for the people who agree to serve and sacrifice.
6 comments:
Your dad, your family, and you are in my thoughts Lexy. I'm pissed that he hasn't enjoyed his retirement yet and I have never met him.
My goal in life to be good at what I do - in the top of my league while I'm doing it - so that I can retire as soon as possible and ENJOY it. Sometimes hearing things like this makes me want to switch careers and do something that doesn't sting my nerves and gives me the warm fuzzy feeling of really helping someone every day. Before I went into consulting, I was working as an employment coach for people with developmental disabilities. I felt like I wasn't using my degree so I left the field but more and more I find myself missing how it made me feel to go to work everyday. All the fuzzy feelings without the stress.
You're dad must be an amazing man.
Positive energy his way (and yours) from the mountains.
Sorry to hear your pops is having such a rough time right now. It is fustrating that our loved ones get sent to wars we don't always believe in and even more fustrating that our government turns their back on them once they return.
Wishing your dad a quick recovery & a long vacation from illness!
Thanks for the kind words and healthy karma. My dad is home from the hospital now and recouperating.
Lexy, I love your passion for the poeple you care about.
Hope your dad is feeling better and is starting to enjoy his retirement! I'm right there with you on our government.
I'm glad to hear that your dad is feeling better! I am proud of him for fighting to enjoy his time on the beach, literally and figuratively!
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