Memories of my Dad

Well I got this idea from another friend Amy, she has a one dedicated to her mom. So I thought I would share about my dad. I think this will be a good challenge for me. What I want to share first is my last day with my dad. February 15, 1982. There was no school that Monday, since it was President's day and my dad was a self employed barber, his shop was always closed on Sunday and Monday's. The day started with the usual farm chores. Then later that day, I was to go to a Rodeo Play day with friends. They were going to come to the house and pick up my horse, Sparky and me. Dad was concerned that we might not get Sparky out of the pasture, as the gate was somewhat frozen in the mud. We worked on it and we were able to get it open enough that I could get Sparky out. I then continued to get ready and my dad went in the house to help my little brother with his train set. At this time, my parents were separated and I along with my two younger brothers continued to live on the farm with my dad. The older of the two younger brothers, was a second cousin, whom my parents adopted when he was 3. This weekend, he had gone in to stay with his grandparents. So left at home that weekend was my brother, Bill age 10 and myself a teenager and a stubborn one at that.

Back to the story, my friends arrived with truck and trailer in tow. We loaded all the gear and then I went to get Sparky who was tied at the hitching post. I brought her around and loaded her in the trailer. As soon as we closed the trailer gate, the truck stopped running. My friend's Dad, Jerry, was a auto mechanic by trade. He tried to restart the truck and it would not start. After a few minutes the horses started acting up and getting restless. So we unloaded both our horses to calm them down. Once the horses were out the trailer Jerry again tried to start the truck and it started. YEA!!!! Once again we loaded the horses. Guess what??? The truck again stopped running. So Jerry lifted the hood again, the horses became restless again, so Shannon and I unloaded them. Once again the truck started, we loaded the horses and for the third time the truck stopped running, horses were restless, unload horses, truck starts, load horses, truck stops. This scenario continued for 30-45 minutes. It became quite apparent that Shannon and I would not be going to the Rodeo play day. So she saddled up her horse to ride him the 3-4 miles back to her house. While I put Sparky and the gear away.

I headed back into the house, my dad was downstairs at this time, and something was wrong. He told me he needed aspirin and if I could run to the store and get some. So I jumped in the truck and headed to the store. I returned home about 10 minutes later. Dad took the aspirin, and I had to help him, as he dumped the entire bottle into his hand. I told him he could not take that much and gave him 2 tablets. He then got up to go to his room, he stopped in the bathroom and began vomiting. It was at this time that I headed to the phone to call the doctor, looking for his number in the phone book,my brother had come downstairs by this time. The next think I hear is my brother screaming dad, dad. The way our house was designed, I could see from where I was standing in the dining room, through the kitchen, into the laundry room, into dad's bathroom and then into the bedroom, as long as all the doors are open and they were. My dad was now laying on the floor not moving. I grabbed the phone and called 911, I think, it may not have been readily available, it was not enhanced. I gave my name, address and stated the emergency. I had to switch phones (no cordless phone in those days). It was there that the that I was first coached through an emergency, my dad was not moving nor was he breathing. They instructed me through the steps for CPR. My brother, was falling apart at this point and I sent him outside to watch for the emergency personnel. The first person on the scene was deputy with the sheriff's department. He took over the CPR and I went to the living room, by this time the ambulance and fire truck were arriving on scene. My grandparents, who also lived on the farm, were calling, to ask what was happening, as they could see the emergency vehicles. I told them through the tears, it was dad and I didn't know, he stopped breathing. They soon arrived to the house, along with some of our neighbors. I called my mom at her house. The rest is somewhat of a blur, I am not sure if my mom arrived before they wheeled my dad out. I know our neighbor, Mr Hahn, who was a Fire Chief, took us into the dining room, so we not see them wheel him out, he siad it was because of all the IV lines and etc. I know we arrived at the hospital and they took us to a private room. We waited for what seemed like forever. They did come and tell us that he did not make it. He had a major heart attack. That day I lost not only my father, but my best friend. I could not return home, I instead went with my friend Shannon to her house, I called them from the phone at the hospital and they came right away. I think I stayed there for a few hours before finally returning home. The next few days were filled with people, food, flowers and picking out clothes for dad and planning out the services.

Today I am able to reflect back on that day and know that God was there. Recall back to the part of the story...the horses, the truck and trailer. My friends dad, Jerry, never ever found out why the truck did what it did that day. It never happened again and ran wonderfully as it had before.
It took a year or two to pass by and one day I shared the story of what happened in a Bible Study group. It was that day that I realized God was true, alive and still preforming miracles. I believe it was a miracle that occurred that day. Yes a miracle, I believe with all my heart and soul, that God above was watching over us that day. I believe the Lord our God, was the one that kept that truck from taking me away from the home. I do not think, my brother would have know what to do or even how to handle the situation. I was needed at home that day.

I do miss my dad, and I know that someday we will be together again. I think I will now work on scanning some pictures of my dad and share them here, along with other memories.

Thanks to Amy, for inspiring me, it was by reading her blog and her Monday Memories of Mom, that I too have decided to share my Memories of Dad. Not sure how often I will post memory. I'll just keep you all in suspense.

Kristy