8 Hours with Dad & Sis

Wanting to visit Auntie who broke her leg, Father had a ride with me on my way back to Taichung. Afraid that Father may not be able to handle the trip on his own, Sister, Father's 24-hour nurse, came along. Three of us left for Taichung at 9:34 A.M. and arrived in Taichung at 11:35. The trip could have been 20 minutes shorter if Father hadn't asked me to drive more slowly. For the first time in my life, I drove 10-15 kilometers slower than the speed limit on highways. Well, in Father's eyes I am always a daughter who should listen to him! :-)
After we arrived home (my home in Taichung), we spent about 20 minutes stretching out--using the bathroom and drinking some water. Then we went to have lunch. By the time we left, one more person joined us--Dan. There in my car were four people, but we four had only one desire-to go to Fei-Chang-Zhan (Unique Inn) for dim sum. Having maneuvered in the noon-rush-hour traffic for half an hour, we finally sat down in the restaurant with our watering mouths and greedy eyes wide-open. This is Father's No. 1 restaurant because of its tasty food and great service. Since Father was undernourished because of the strict diet he had been on, his doctor told him to eat more food with protein. With this "order" in mind, he ordered a lot of dishes he had dreamed to eat--crispy roast chicken, shrimp balls with pineapple, asparagus with another two rare fruits, and several plates of dim sum. Thinking Father may need some Vitamin C, I also ordered a pitcher of fresh kiwi juice for us. In an hour, four of us gorged ourselves with a whole table of food. Hard to believe, but it was true. When seeing Father's big smile and hearing his loud belch, I knew he had been enjoying the meal! Actually, everybody had a great time!
After lunch, we went to Auntie’s. She and Uncle were waiting for us. Auntie, who had suffered a stroke and recovered from her brain surgery, just got back from the hospital for another surgery-she broke her leg one day when she got up. While visiting, Father looked very tired. This was the first trip he took after he started his daily dialysis. He just didn't have enough energy to handle trips like this. So, we didn't stay long. We said good-bye and left. Before we left, the 84-year-old Uncle patted the 81-year-old Father on the shoulder saying he would go up to Taipei with Auntie when she gets better. Upon hearing it, my eyes were red. I tried very hard in order not to cry in front of them. When would that be? Is it possible? On what occasion will they see each other next time? We all know what the answers might be. Maybe this was why Father, a fragile patient who needs to have dialysis every day, insisted on coming down to visit Auntie. Who knows what will happen?!
On our way to the bus stop, Sis went to buy some beef jerky for Mom and her daughters. Then we drove all the way to the destination. Luckily, the bus to Taipei would arrive in 10 minutes. Father asked me to leave first, so I "took his order". We waved good-bye to each other--one was at the bus stop and the other, in the car! The time was 4:30 P.M.!
I stayed with my beloved father for 8 hours only! But I thanked God for this accidental trip. How many more eight hours will I have with my aged parents? I don't know, but I know I can go back to Taipei more often to spend some time with my dear family!

Dad with his beloved granddaughters, 2011