My DAD ♥

Back in September (I meant to blog about it back then... oops!), my dad took a temporary (6mon-1yr) job opportunity in California. He'd been out of work for awhile and his former company called him up and asked him to supervise a multi-million dollar home remodel so although it was a tough decision to leave, he needed to take the job as a means to support his family.

(picture taken before he left for California)

The week of December 6th, Dad just wasn't feeling well. He took himself to the ER in the middle of the week due to a massive headache that wouldn't subside. They gave him fluids, some meds and sent him on his way. That Thursday, my mom was scheduled to make a visit out to California and thank goodness she was because the weekend was full on insanity! I know she was there for a reason!!

To make a long story short, he wasn't getting better so my mom took him back in and he was admitted to the hospital with dangerously low sodium levels. They ran all sorts of bloodwork and tests to see what was causing the problem and they found a small tumor on his pituitary gland.

Dad wanted to be released from the hospital there so he could have the surgery here in Arizona in order to be closer to family and recover at home before Christmas. Upon leaving the hospital (with orders to drive straight to a top neuro hospital here in the Valley), things went downhill and we had to do a LOT of convincing in order to get him back to the hospital ASAP. All of us girls were feeling quite helpless here while my mom was left to deal with all of this there. There are lots of crazy details that aren't important anymore, but we all know that Heavenly Father was truly watching over my dad. Tuesday the 14th, he was finally able to have surgery to remove the tumor and it was confirmed benign. Mom & Dad were able to come back home on the Monday evening before Christmas and it appears that there are no lasting effects due to the tumor.

I remember learning in a human psych class in college that teens have this invincible mentality. Well, I guess that still applies to me in some ways because you never really think stuff like this is going to happen in YOUR family. My dad is still young and we shouldn't have to worry about these things. What this whole ordeal taught me is that your life can change in the blink of an eye and not to take anything for granted (easier said than done). I just knew deep down that everything would be ok; I felt peace. I love my Dad so much and can't imagine my life without him!