John’s thoughts, rants, and crazy ideas
We all know the song . . . . “On the Road again, just can’t wait to get on the road again” You’ve probably even sung it when you got in the car for a repetitive drive. For us, the drive to and from the Chicago Medical District this past year and a half has been one of those repetitive drives. Fill up with gas, pack the car, throw in a few water bottles, and out the door we go….
Yesterday was supposed to be a wonderful & joyous day for Suzanne. Yesterday was the day she finally was able to have her feeding tube removed. Postponed because of snowmageddon last week, yesterday afternoon, in her Gibson Hospital doctor’s office, the 5-second procedure was performed and Suzanne was set free from the protruding plastic which has been the cause of much frustration and has limited parts of her life for over a year. Yep, yesterday was to be a spectacular…
We all love a good miracle. Not quite sure who gets to name an event a miracle but the two most memorable in my lifetime were: The Miracle on the Hudson when pilot Sully Sullenberger Landed a disabled Jetliner on the Hudson River in New York; and the Miracle on Ice when the underdog 1980 US Olympic Hockey Team beat the Russians to win the Olympic Gold Medal. Looking up the word miracle I found a number of similar definitions:…
This past week, we took Suzanne’s dad out for breakfast at the Cracker Barrel, in Urbana. As is customary now, I explained to the waitress that Suzanne was unable to eat solid foods and I ordered an orange juice for her. The waitress responded to Suzanne in a slow, distinctive, and very elevated voice, “would you like a water or straw with that?” To which, I shared that she couldn’t use a straw and would be fine with just the…
Growing up, young boys watch their dads for queues as to how to become a man. Up early, work hard, provide for the family, these are all traits fathers hope to pass along to their sons. I was fortunate that my dad passed on another trait, it’s OK to be a man and cry. Not one you were expecting, I’m sure, but it is one that I recognized early in my adult life. I would see dad cry, especially when…
This year has brought so many challenges to our family, it’s hard to imagine. With Suzanne’s surgery in February that changed her eating and speaking ability for the rest of her life, to the clinical trial that she is in that hopefully will keep her cancer from returning, the death of my brother whom I will miss dearly, family turmoil and the many challenges that the pandemic has thrust upon us all, a difficult year is an understatement. But the…
Geneology and discovering details about my ancestors has always been a big part of my life. As a young teen, most kids would have been out riding bikes or playing ball on a Saturday. My fondest memories were spending many Saturday mornings at my mom’s cousin’s house, sitting around a table of eight to ten women, all of who had to be 5 times my age, taking notes on everything they said. Dates and places of family events; towns, and…
Thanksgiving today, and reflecting on what we have to be thankful for seems appropriate. Many would think that being in our current situation, it would be easier to complain about how life has thrown us a curveball, but they would be wrong. Every day, every hour we have the opportunity to continue our life together is something to be thankful for. Yesterday, on her twelfth PATHway Trial visit to Rush in Chicago, Suzanne had her third round of scans along…
Nothing in this universe brings more joy to my wife than a horse. If she can raise them, ride them, bet on them, judge them or just watch them, she’s as close to heaven as she’ll ever be here on earth. I love taking her to the horse races. Since we’ve been married, I don’t think we ever went to the track that after admission, drinks & dinner we didn’t walk out with more cash than we went in with….
I woke up this morning to news shows reminding me it was veterans day, the day we remember all the service members who unselfishly gave their time to protect you and me. I always fly the flag on Veterans day, a tradition my dad taught me, but today was a little different. The inclement weather is keeping me from doing so, a rule I had to look up. According to the Flag Code (Section 6-c) “The flag should not be…