Spanky's Place

Tanya's dad had a massive stroke last December. At the time, we were essentially told that he would never get any better than, to put it bluntly, an unaware husk of a person lying in a bed. They even administered last rites. His stroke was that severe.

He is, as I've said before, a very tough SOB., and pretty much proved everybody wrong by getting better. God was very much on his side, and wasn't ready to take him home yet.

Leonard has slowly continued to improve over the last several months. He still cannot speak (other than a "sssh-ssshh-ssshhhh" sound, and the occasional "Damn it!"), and has lost the use of his right side, but mentally is still there. We were going to have a bar-b-que for his 83rd birthday last week, but had to make due with KFC due to rain.

When I describe him as a tough old man, I mean it. He grew up as a Minnesota farm boy during the Great Depression. He enlisted in the Army 17, and served as a Tanker in WWII. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge, and later drove into Berlin with Patton's army. After the war he returned home, married, and raised 4 daughters. He has owned gas stations, delivered engine blocks, run several businesses, and was a hard worker his entire life. He endured all of the pains life could throw at him, and never complained. He did what needed to be done, because that's what good men do.

Like I said, he has been slowly getting better. The Doctors tell us he will most likely never be able to come home. Of course, these are the same people who just 8 months ago told us he would probably never wake up.

Anyway, he had a heart "issue" last Friday; and had to be taken from the care facility back to the ER. He has heart pain, swelling of his heart, a pretty serious infection, and all the fun stuff that goes with being 83 and in the ICU. However, as of this morning he is still kicking. I'm hoping that with God's help he will pull through this as well, and once again beat the odds.

We could use your prayers.