My dad died Saturday morning. He hadn’t been feeling well for about a week. On Monday he scheduled an appointment with the doctor for 2pm. I stopped by and kept him company as he waited for his appointment time to arrive. We had lunch and talked about my book and business. The doctor said his heart was fine and ordered him to get a chest x-ray. Wednesday I had a full day of presentations and appointments. PB had a tradeshow in Atlantic City and he brought back a White House Hoagie for my parents. Thursday I surprised my dad with the White House for dinner. The chest x-ray came back as normal. We went up to his office and talked and then we watched a little bit of 2 and a half men. I took off before the show ended. On Friday I stopped by and had dinner. I noticed my dad’s face looked really red. I told him he had color and was looking good. He said he felt terrible. I kissed him good bye and went home to my place.
Saturday morning I made myself granola and coffee and went up to my office. I noticed my phone was ringing which was odd for 7:30 Saturday morning. It was Lisa. She was hysterical. She said Dad fell down. I tore down the stairs, threw on flip flops and a trench coat over my pajamas and broke every traffic law getting home. There were two ambulances and two police cars at the curb. I don’t remember parking my car, I just was in the house… which explains why the neighbor came by later with my keys and said she turned off my car which had been left idling in front of her house.
It wasn’t more than an hour later that the doctor told us dad had died.
I knew it would happen. But I thought it was out in the future. He was only 73. And he took such awesome care of himself. I thought I’d have him for another 20 years. And now he is only in the past. No more future. I am destroyed. I am totally and utterly destroyed inside.