In Sickness and In Health

My mom has a medical condition known as fibromyalgia, as well as rheumatoid arthritis, and a slight case of claustrophobia. All that to say sometimes I would imagine that it’s hard for my dad to love, but he makes it look so easy. And for that, he’s my hero.

For the longest time my mom has needed an MRI. Basically you get in this machine that scans and X-rays your body, at least that’s what it seems like to me. But for some reason my mom feels like she’s being put into a casket each time she gets an MRI and she freaks out. I’m not trying to make my mother out to be a loony fruit-basket, she literally freaks out. This has happened four times now, and every single time my dad simply calms her down, holds her close, tells the nurse to stop the procedure, and drives her home.

Because of my mom’s medical condition she has to go to the hospital frequently. Sometimes just for checkups but sometimes for emergencies. My dad has taken several days off from work just to take my mom to the hospital and take care of her when she gets home. He never complains. He never even regrets marrying her. If he has to get her dressed, that’s what he does. If he has to wake up in the middle of the night to give my mom medicine or put a heating patch on her arm or shoulder that’s what he does. If he has to brush her hair because she can’t lift her arms, that’s what he does.

I have an endless supply of stories to tell and things to say about my father. He is easily one of the funniest and bazaar people to ever walk planet earth, but I’ve decided to write about his love for my mom because honestly it inspires me. I hope I’m able to love my wife with the sacrificial, self-denying love that my dad has shown to my mother.

I wonder if when the preacher asked “In sickness and in health?”, at their wedding if my dad ever thought he would have to prove his words were true. He probably wasn’t thinking, I feel like most people don’t. They just want to get to the last “I do” so they can kiss. But at my wedding I’m going to mean it. And hopefully my dad will remind me to live it as well.

Thanks Dad
I acknowledge you and I really love you