What A Difference A Year Makes...

What a difference a year makes!! One year ago today was one of the scariest days of our families life. A year ago today my dad went in for a simple procedure for his heart and it went horribly wrong! I will never forget Melinda calling me and telling me that we needed to get to the hospital now! I called Kim who quickly dropped Aaron off with mom and then decided to all meet at my apartment. Guy would pick up Matt on the way and we would be on our way...it seemed like FOREVER before Guy and Matt got to the apartment so we could leave. We all crammed into my car and drove as fast as we could to downtown..except there was one thing wrong with that situation...it was rush hour traffic! It felt like it took us 2 hours to get there. When we finally did we met Melinda and Nan in the cardiac ICU waiting room where finally (after what felt like forever and I'm sure felt like an eternity to Nan & Melinda who had already been waiting so long) the doctor or nurse (I can't really remember who because it's all a blur now) came out and said that he was stable and in CICU (cardiac ICU) and that we could see him shortly. Nothing Melinda or Nan could have said (though they tried their hardest) could have prepared me to see dad in the condition that he was in! All I could do was cry and barely say I love you to dad who honestly looked like death warmed over as he lay there. I told Brian I hope he couldn't hear me crying, because that was all I could do was cry! He spent a total of 5 days in ICU and those were the longest 5 days of our lives! The first time my dad woke up was on Sunday and he asked Brian what day it was and we told him Sunday (he knew he had gone in on Thursday) and all he could do was say he was sorry and I kept telling him not to worry about it that he was going to be fine! He spent another 7-8 days in the hospital and was finally released to come home the last day of July!! What a day that was!! There was honestly a moment in that hospital that I wondered if that day would ever get here! I am so thankful that God was there watching over my dad that day (as He always does) but that he had some extra protection over him! I can't imagine a single day without my dad and am so greatful that we had so many people praying for us for those 12 days! Dad I love you more than you'll ever know and don't know what I'd do without you! Your love is unwavering and I love you as big as Texas! Thank you for being the best dad that Kim, Matt, or I could ever ask for and loving us unconditionally! Thank you for being the best Pops to our sweet Aaron Baron!