Monday evening ~ 10 down 25 to go

Got here this evening as Pop was wrapping up his radiation treatment. Shannon and I had to practically jog to keep up with him on the way back to the Hope house. Well ..... maybe not jog but more like a fitness walk. Told him he wasn't glowing yet from all the radiation but that he acted like he was nucleared powered as fast as he was walking. It was certainly good to see him walking, joking, and acting like Pop. We made it back in time to partake in a Thanksgiving feast cooked by a local group here in Tampa. The whole spread ...... turkey, dressing, ham, beans, corn, biquits, salad .... its a rough life as Pop's caregiver.
Shannon and I made our way into the kitchen area to experiment. See .... Pop has lost too much weight and the Weaver children are determined to fatten him back up. Nothing has tasted good to him and it has been a bit of a struggle to get him enough nutrients in small amounts let alone getting him to keep it down. Many of you don't know ( and now I guess is as good a time as any to tell you) that Pop is a bit hard headed when it comes to eating sometning he doesn't like, so we are determined to mix and mingle any combination to trick him to eat. Toni had sent some banana and berry ensure and Shannon had bought some thickening gel that is used to mix with boost and ensure to make it like a pudding.
Our first concoction was banna creme ensure with the gel .... in hopes of making a banana pudding. Well ..... it smelled good ....... Shannon said like a banna popsicle. As for the taste I thought if we cut up a few bananas and added some vanilla wafers ... we might have something. Pop said don't waste the bananas. The ladies at the table next to us laughed at us and offered us suggestions. Shannon tried a carnation vanilla instant breakfast mixed with OJ and the gel. Tasted and looked like a dreamsicle, just had the consistency of a puddin. Frozen I believe I could eat it. It wasn't that bad and a whole lot better than the banana pudding. Pop was still working on his turkey and dressing and made the comment that if he ate enough regular food he wouldn't have to eat that...... pudding. He ate a great supper..... more than I have seen him eat in a while. Wonder if our determination is paying off?
After supper the folks that prepared the meal started up a bingo game but we passed. Shannon wanted to play but knew she had to make her way back to Lp before it got too late so we made our way back to the room, fortunate that Pop felt pretty good, no nasea.

Laziness on my part and I think exhaustion on Pops, he and I laid around the room several hours tonight just talking about all the blessing we have experienced in our life. It was really good to hear that in all the "stuff" he had encountered, all he could really remember or that would come to mind was the good stuff. Pop said that he had to really concentrate and think to get the hards times to come to mind and even then he couldn't remember all the details. This was probably the first time as father and son we have just set and talked about our life ..... and brought up things we were blessed with and really thankful for. For two hours, I guess the main topic was friends and family ...... other than God ..... the only other things that really matter in life. Pop commented that he believed he was the wealthiest man in Highlands county ..... not rich in money ..... but the wealthiest. He paused a while ..... and I was silent ...... letting it sink in. He finally broke the silence and said ..... yea .. I really believe that. Not much I could say as I had to agree to some degree, although being his son ...... I would have to say ..... growing up with a man such as Pop being my dad, my mentor, my hero ....... that would probably make him the second wealthiest man next to me. God couldn't have blessed me in the care of a better man.
Pop is now resting easy after a long day of treatment. And after our talks tonight I realize that .... what I am about to say as I sign off tonight has been taught to us Weaver kids many different ways ..... through many different circumstances. Love God, love people ...... it's not only what Jesus taught us ...... its also what Sam and Reba Weaver taught us through example. What more could a kid ask for?
TW