Ode to my Dad.

My dad, born on 2 October 1952 has always been and still is a strong man with a sense of humor not everybody gets. My dad is a joker, a person who likes to provoke and play pranks in all kinds of ways. I remember so many things from my past, jokes he played on me but one of the biggest is when he told me that he could do real magic. My mom gave me a little chocolate bar and my dad looked at me and said "I can do magic and make that bar disappear." Of course as a kid I wanted to see my dad do his magic and I handed over my chocolate bar. he said something like abracadabra and waved a few times, opened his mouth and ate my chocolate! No, no don't get angry... 

My dad thought there was more chocolate and was convinced my mom would give me two new bars BUT.... All the chocolate was gone. My dad jumped on his bike and raced to the store to get me some new candy and after that I never gave him my candy again! At that moment I was angry of course, until I got my new candy but when I think back about those jokes I always smile wide. Did you ever watch those video clips on youtube where they scare people? Yeah, my dad did that as well on all kind of ways. Relax, I don't have any trauma's, in fact, I have the same sick humor as he does and i am proud of it.  My dad... My oh so funny dad who messed up his own jokes many a time but is still going strong.

I really think the best of my dad and he always supported all my steps, even the bad ones. In my eyes he is one of the strongest people alive. He did not have a good childhood like I did and the family of his side had loads of struggles but he is always showing that smile, the happy man. I know deep inside him is a load of pain and sometimes we do speak about those things. Let's just say that it was not easy, his road in life. My mom and dad always worked hard to give me the best they could. As long as I remember my dad could not work to bring in the money so my mom did that and he staid home to take care of me and the house. We did not have much money but I never felt I came short. I had plenty of toys and my dad liked to craft with me.

6 years ago he got diagnosed with COPD and he already had to face epilepsy and a few other things. But he took the news and made a choice. Yes, he was a smoker, a package a day but he stopped. Of course it was already too late because his lungs were too damaged.
Slowly I saw the strong build man turn into a old man with his past written on his face. The years went by and his condition got worse and worse. At first he could no longer go out on his bike but he had to walk. Then he could no longer walk and he had to start using  a scoot mobile to be able to go out. And again, he makes the best of it. He always tell me that it is what it is and to make the best out of what is thrown at you. He likes to go out on drives into nature and he loves to go to the mall and shop. Mostly for my mom, getting her little gifts or the daily groceries. 

2 years ago he got told after being in the hospital for a week that he had one more year to live. I still remember what I saw in his eyes the moment he told us. I did not see sadness, I saw strength and power to go on. He said that he was not ready to die yet and that he would get at least 80 years old. He was going to proof them wrong. Of course, things changed and his condition is getting worse and worse. He is on 24/7 oxygen now and he can no longer wash or dress himself. Every morning and evening a wonderful nurse comes and gives him a shower and dresses him up. Those moment they both joke around a lot and I can see that my dad is at peace with it. 

The last two years have scared me bot also showed me how strong my dad is. He is still alive and kicking but is also in the hospital a lot because he gets these attacks where he seriously can't breathe anymore. It's not my time yet, is what he always tells me at those moments! I am still not ready to go. And I believe him because I can see it in his eyes. Now he can't eat anything with salt anymore because his heart is too weak to work the salt out of his body and because of that his body holds all the fluids. Again, he makes the best of it and finds out what he can and can't eat. He found a lot of new things and enjoys them fully.

My dad, the man with the always smile on his face told me as well that there is one thing he fears in life. It was a hard conversation and we both cried. He told me with a straight face that he is really scared to die. How do you take away that kind of fear when you know it will come sooner then later?

I am so proud to call him my dad. I am so blessed to have him as my father and I do hope that he will be around a long long time and gets at least 80. He is and always will be my rock, a person I can talk to about anything and everything because he is always ready to listen. Some might say that we take things in the wrong way and add too much humor into bad things but for us it's a way to cope. We call and talk every day and he loves to send me selfies of the most weird moments in his life. I shared one of them in this post. To be honest the others I can't share because they are too hilarious!

DAD, I love you with all my heart and soul. You made me the person I am today. Because of you I dare to fight for  what I think is right and because of you I can laugh about a lot of things. You taught  me how to be kind and honest and you made me see the world in a better way. Thank you for being the most amazing dad ever!