Dear Dad 4.14.21

So good to be out of the hospital and back at home. Six weeks ago, I could not have imagined being in the hospital 3 times within a month. There is a line from a song by John Lennon “Life is what happens to you while you are busy making other plans”. Although there is some controversy, if this was an original line, it seems to sum up life no matter who first came to this conclusion.

In recent years and especially since the pandemic, Nancy and I have not spent very much time together around people we do not know. After spending much of several days with me during three hospitalizations over the past month, she made this observation, “You have turned into your mother”. “You start up conversations with every person who crosses your path, and you will talk about anything”. I think she may have walked into my room during a conversation with a nurse about the proper technique of expressing the anal glands of a small dog.

For many years I have always tried to find a common interest with those I come into contact. It makes life more interesting. From the relatively quiet young man I have become a quite gregarious older man. Yes, I engage all I meet in conversation and few subjects are off limits. Perhaps the difference with my conversations and Mom’s is just my range of interests is more diverse than Mom’s was. Although, when I think about it, you are highly likely to engage others in conversation about an observation (where they are from, where they worked, who their relatives are, etc.). Maybe we all become friendlier and outgoing as we get older, but Mom was the champion of engaging others.

I am hopeful of getting a clean bill of health next week and to be able to comfortably drive and travel again without a catheter. If this happens, and since we are both vaccinated for COVID, let us start getting out to lunch in some of the small towns around you. Wonder where the conversations in these establishments will take us?