My dad’s not so well.

Last week we took him to the hospital after he’d been complaining about a flue he just couldn’t seem to get over. He’d been coughing phlegm . I tried to be there as much as I could in order for him to get better and to have a sense of someone caring for him.

I discovered many things about my dad. He has an enlarged heart. He has scoliosis of the spine. He is intolerant to B+ blood group plasma. I just don’t know why everyone didn’t appreciate him for his courage and determination that he’s displayed all his life. He has been through so many operations and has always come through the other side. Recently he had eye problems . He had an embolism in his eye. So we had to have his eyes seen to . Eventually after 50 injections in his eyes he had to have his lenses replaced because of cataracts .

When I was 28 he had an operation to have his heart valve replaced. He was told he would live for fifteen years and then it would break. The same heart valve is still working to this day. It’s been 18 years.

He has had just about every joint in his limbs operated because of osteoarthritis . I see my dad as Jesus going through death burial and resurrection every time he faces a challenge. And this is how I know faith works. Don’t come and tell me about your little soul issues and how you’re going to counsel them  away. Your soul is supposed to be saved because you have TOTAL trust in what Jesus did. Make your mind up today. You in or are you out ? If you’re not in today you’d better work out your salvation with fear and trembling . I give you exactly one day to make your mind up. It doesn’t take fifty years !

He had constipation and a lack of energy and many things wrong with him but as I watched him handle the pain for the past week I saw that getting old isn’t for sissies. I saw a man on a cross hoping in the resurrection as he coughed his lungs out. And now finally after a week and two days of coughing he has conquered the flue and the fleghm. I admire his determination to want to live. So many of the people in the world have nothing wrong with them and walk around with the weight of the world on their shoulders. This man is made of steel and he’s the greatest dad that ever lived in my eyes. And ofcourse I am biased. I am supposed to be.

He might have to go for another operation to sort out his enlarged heart. I pray he makes the right decision but for me , my dad has displayed the ultimate walk of faith to me. He has not caved in to what people think of him and always did as he saw fit. He didn’t buy a new car every five minutes to brag and always helped whoever needed help. My dad is my hero.