Day 134

"Eat every carrot and pea on your plate."
~Papa

Grateful for Papa's stories

Papa is in the chair in the hospital room.  He has his irish sweater on, hiding the hospital gown.  The iv is unhooked, because he wanted to go out of the room with the girls.  He smiles through however he is feeling right then.  He appeared tired, but still had that irish twinkle in his eyes.  Grammy, she sits next to him, and is so very tired.  She looks worried and exhausted.
Brother Jimmy was there, instructed all of us to use the foam before we went in the room.  Jimmy is calm, and composed.  Sister Erin is in there, in the candy jar, offering goodies to the girls.
We chatted for a bit, but Papa wanted to get out of his room.  The girls pushed the wheelchair at times, and Matt and Jimmy did too.
Papa wanted to go outside to feel the air, but it was too cold. 
He told us stories about when he was a kid....(one of my favorite things about Papa.)
He told stories about Matt being the "Whitefish baby"...because at child number 10, the doctor down the road in the other cabin didn't seem too worried that Mary's water had broke, and continued to play tennis for a bit.
Jimmy laughed about this, remembering the blue and white tablecloth thing Mary had to sit on in the car.
Papa asked about my family.  Asked after Reno, and said, "My, he's a good man...he has done a lot with those houses for those people."  And then he asks how my job is going, and if I like working for my Dad.  I said of course I do.  He asks about my brother, glad that he has a job with Amtrak now, and we went into conversations about different train routes, etc.
(of course then he had train stories)  :)
He asked about Jamie and Mark, and the boys, and commented that "That Austin...is it?  He is one smart kid...he knows more than most people...and Jamie does such a great job with him."
He talked about Lynn, Mark's mom...said, "She is wonderful.  She is one hell of a lady...strong."
(this is coming from a man of ten children who is the strongest man besides my father that I know.)
Papa ate a Hershey bar.  He couldn't get it open, and so Matt helped, and he said, that's it....I have finally become an "invalid."...or in-valid.  What has happened?"  Then he mutters "Thank you, Matt", and then goes directly into asking the girls if they liked "Al- monds.." heavy on the "al" and then went into another story about allergies and all the grandchildren that have had allergies.
You get the point.
Papa has the best stories.  We could sit and listen to him all day long.
He began to get tired, after the girls had pie with him in the cafeteria.
We walked him back up.
We took a family picture, and then said our goodbyes. 
I have never seen nor heard Papa cry until this day.
Papa is strong.  Papa will fight this cancer.
We are a team, and we are strong.  LIVESTRONG, Papa.
<3
We love you.