Today marks the 3rd anniversary of when I jumped the
corporate employment ship, shifted personal and professional priorities, and altered
my lifestyle. I’m in San Diego, which seems fitting, to visit my father. For
the first period in 3 years, I’ve got time on my hands. Sid is doing well in
assisted living – he enjoys the special attention, the environment is safe, his
drugs are taken on schedule. He figured out how to use Alexa to listen to classical
music. We even solved the hearing aid issue – he now has custom ear molds (thank
you Costco, a caring technician and $80 fixed a very annoying problem). Since walking
has declined, we use a travel wheelchair to go out for non-approved meals (lots
of salt) and occasionally share a glass of light beer.
And me? I’m working on my tan at the beach. I have a few patient
advocacy clients here and there, enough to keep my brain firing. Travel is now
for fun, not work. My lodging hosts make me nightly cocktails. I’m happy that my father has a wonderful last chapter. Yesterday I walked into his
apartment to find him writing it. He hadn’t touched his keyboard in 2 years
other than to try to figure out his taxes. His arthritic fingers type slowly
with lots of errors. His language is very practical in his assessment of his
current physical condition. Yet Dad’s spirit is intact, and he’s a kinder and
gentler person. So am I.
