The challenge of having a Daddy with health problems

For most of the time Gracie and Luke have been alive, Daddy has been sick or laid up because of his leg.  There is something poignant about 2 year-olds understanding that Daddy has to go to the doctor every Saturday.  They are especially protective of their Daddy.  They ask him if he is okay,

"Are you okay, Papa?  Okay?  Okay." is heard often around here.

This week, Daddy started to develop a problem with his short leg.  All of a sudden, he developed a huge pocket of fluid on his knee.  The doctors say that they could drain it, but are worried about infection.  Instead of getting smaller, it keeps getting bigger and bigger.  It has gotten so big, that he can't put his prosthetic on.  He's been getting around the house using his wheelchair and, until Friday, was getting to and from his car using his crutches. 

Friday, Ed picked up Gracie and Lukie from school.  He used his crutches to get inside and one of the teachers helped him get Gracie and Luke into the car and secured.  When they arrived home, he got Gracie out of the van and started around the front of the van to get Lukie out of the other side.  Somehow, he lost his balance and fell hard onto the ground.  He lay under our carport, hidden from the street by the van, hurt and wondering how he was going to get up.  Gracie was upset and came to check on him. 

When she realized that he could not get up, she came into the house to look for me.  I wasn't there, in fact, I was more than 25 minutes away.  For some reason, she grabbed a phone and brought it to him, "You call Momma, Papa."  Every time, I think of this, I just want to hug her.  She knew Daddy was in trouble and she knew Mommy could help.  Ed's cell phone, usually in his pocket, is across the country being fixed, so having that phone was critical. 

The rest of the story is pretty boring.  Daddy called me, we both started calling every number we had of people who live close to us.  Finally, someone at the guard shack answered the phone and called our neighbor, Linda.  Linda came next door and helped Daddy into a chair.  She let a crying, screaming Lukie out of the van and got Gracie and Lukie to go into the backyard where they could play safely until I could get home. 

Daddy and I are so lucky to have Twinsies who are so aware of his condition and are so smart to figure out how to find help.  I hate that they have to be aware of Daddy's sickness and his frailty.  However, I am proud of them both for being so very giving and caring.