More was revealed

When a friend went to visit my father-in-law yesterday, I met him at the nursing home. I had more clothes to drop off and some laundry to pick up. He took those things back to Pop. They talked for a few minutes. When he came back to the nurses' station, he said, "Hey man, he seems to be in a good mood so what if I ask him if he wants to see you?". He came out nodding yes.

When I went in the room, Pop smiled at me and asked how I was doing. Well, I sat down next to him and told him how sorry I was for my actions the other night. I told him that I hoped we could still be part of each other's lives. When he said that things happen sometimes and all is okay now, I felt such relief.
It was one of those moments when a great weight is lifted. It is like the soul lets out a deep sigh.

So we had a good visit. My friend, D., likes history so Pop told him stories about the naval war in the Pacific. The nurses said that they liked Pop and thought that he was "sweet". What a difference a few days made.

When I called my wife, she cried. She did not want to be estranged from her dad. I realize that all of this is one day at a time, but I do think that by understanding more about his disease, I am better prepared for any change in mood. He is on a mood stabilizer which helps him, but I can't help but think that other things factored in. My friend D. who has been a recovering alcoholic for 21 years can be witty, charming and disarming. The Higher Power provided a positive energy and opportunity. I know that things can change, but I said what I wanted to say to him with love and no anger.

We left on the boat early this morning to catch the tide. So far, we have walked on the beach, read and slept. It has been a good day. Tomorrow evening, we will head back and C. will visit her dad. Her mom is visiting tomorrow afternoon. For the moment, things seem positive and possible.