Still The Boss of the Skating Rink After All These Years

ff Note: This post is part of Fatherhood Friday at Dad Blogs, where all the cool kids are hanging out. (Moms are welcome over there!) Welcome to my visitors from DB; thanks for stopping in!

My (and Julesie’s) Dad used to regale us with stories of his teenaged years. I always pictured him to be a little like Danny Zuko in character; you know, mischievous with a heart of gold.

grse One of my favorite stories really isn’t a story; rather, it’s a slice of a story whose image plays in my mind often when I think of my Dad.

As a teenager, he used to be the guy who rollerskated around the rink, pushing people down.

That’s it. That’s the slice of story. For some reason, I think that’s hysterical.

Fast forward about fifty years. Dad has had three surgeries in the past 2 1/2 years: first, hip replacement. Then, one knee. Yesterday, the other knee.

Since he had the hip replaced, I have another slice of a story that plays in my mind right alongside the one of my Dad pushing people down in a roller rink.

Before each surgery, Dad spent time doing the exercises that would be required of him post-surgery, so he would be used to them and ready to rock and roll when it was time. He’s got a great attitude about doing what he has to do to rehab his renovated joints in order to get back on his feet.

Each time we’ve talked to him post-surgery, we say (of course) “How are you doing, Dad?” He then tells us about how he’s already *totally impressed* the staff on his particular floor of the hospital with his physical abilities. He tells us how *in awe* they are at him and how amazing it is how he’s getting around already. Of course this is great news; it’s just that the way Dad talks about how stellar of a patient he is, he makes us laugh…not only because it’s true, but because in our family there is often no shortage of–ahem–great self esteem.

Last night I spoke with him and he said that he had already walked around the entire hospital floor twice and was told that most people have only done it once on the first day. (Go Big or Go Home!)

I’m hoping that, as he does his walking around the floor later today, there aren’t any other patients walking slower than he is, blocking his path. They might find themselves on the floor.

Go, Dad!

Irv

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16 Comments

  • Bella Daddy

    Tell you Dad, he just became honorary Grandpa of our little one. She would TOTALLY be the one pushing people down and giggling….Kudos!

    Happy Mother’s Day to YOU!

  • Isabella

    Thank you for providing a picture of your dad. It made the mental image of him pushing other patients down that much more hysterical…flying hospital gowns, squeaky floor sounds…

    Wow. I haven’t laughed this hard in a while. You rock.

    🙂

  • Anonymous

    Grandma W: Well He did look like Danny Zuko as far as the curl in the middle of his forhead, slicked back hair, even to the cigerette and leather jacket. I do have to find those pictures again. Yes, he is Go Big or Go Home also. That is one of the things I love about him. He is determined and willful about a lot things. But he has a true and trusting HEART.
    I Love Him.

  • smartfathers

    Hope your dad recovers quickly and thoroughly. If laughter is the best medicine then he should be fine.

  • The Microblogologist

    I would so challenge him to a race if I were there! Like I did when I was 17 and the 9 or so year old boy in the next room had also had an appendectomy. I smoked him!

    I wish him the best =)

  • surprised mom

    Great post. It had me laughing imagining your dad pushing people down on the skating rink and people in s hiway in the hospital. Best of luck to your dad in his recovery. It sounds like it’s going to be speedy. I hope you’re feeling better. Happy Mother’s Day to you!

  • Melissa

    Holy cow am I glad I’m not on the same floor as him…I never learned to roller skate!! 😉

    I hope your dad continues to heal quickly. He really is rather amazing, huh? 🙂

  • Michelle

    Whoo! Go Dad! I’ll have to remember that trick for surgeries. Fingers crossed the rest of the recovery is as smooth.