Find the Good in the Bad

My life has felt like a whirlwind. I have a very sick father, so I decided to fly to USA and be there for him and my mom. My parents felt all hope was lost, then the phone rang. Duke Hospital said that they’d be willing to see my dad for a lung transplant. A burning hope consumed my dad and he began to exercise.

Positive thinking is a valuable tool that can help you overcome obstacles, deal with pain, and reach new goals. – Amy Morin (Author)

I helped my parents drive to North Carolina from South Dakota. Once we made it, everyday was filled with tests. My dad was getting probed and poked in almost every appointment. Each day for those 5 days, we felt exhausted. Nearing the end of our time there, we found out even more bad news. He had more issues going on with him than we had thought. Reality hit us in full force.

The doctor explained that a lung transplant isn’t a fix, it’s just exchanging problems for other problems. Another said he had a hole that’s leaking out acid in his stomach, and he has three clogged arteries. Our time here was done, and it was time to see some family before heading back.

But after this overload of information, I felt overwhelmed. I kept myself together. I had to. My parents needed me, they needed stability in their time of need. We made it back to South Dakota and I stayed by their side.

As my dad began to get worse, my sister brought a lot of unneeded drama to the already stressful situation. This heightened everyone’s anxiety and stress levels to the max. Many moments of breaking out in tears happened and many sleepless nights.

It came time for my dad to decide if he wants to be in hospice again once we were back from the road trip. (Hospice is a system that helps people before they pass on). After thinking about it for days, he reluctantly said yes.

Every morning I got up and helped my dad, made breakfast, and worked out to keep my head from exploding. It has been rough watching a loved one begin to fall apart.

After two months, I threw in the towel. My parents understood that I needed to get to my home. They both profusely told me how they were happy and thankful I was there as long as I was. That lifted my heart and I didn’t feel bad about leaving anymore.

Relaxation washes over me. The stress has finally subsided. I could think clearly again. It feels good to be home! My new homeland, Sweden, where my hubby is from. Since I’m far away from the stress, I have another angle to look at it. Many people I have talked to, told me I’m a good daughter since I flew such a distance to be there for them.

Even with this horrible thing happening in my life, I know it could always be worse. My dad could be going through this without anyone. There’s always some good to be seen through hard times.