Falling

My dad fell the other night while walking to the bedroom.  It is not the first time he fell, nor will it be the last.  This isn't me being fatalistic, it is simply me being truthful.  My dad is 86 years old.  He has severe arthritis in his spine which has resulted in neuropathy in his legs and feet.  He can't feel the floor when he walks, and his legs are so weak that they sometimes just give out.  Like they did the other night.

When he fell, he called me.  I was able to get him up into his chair this time, although there is a danger that when I lift him from the floor I will lose my hold on him, drop him and cause even more damage. 

I cannot tell my dad's story; that is for him to tell.  However, I can tell my story, which is about caring for my aging father.  Of trying to let him live the last part of his life with dignity and peace. I suspect that mostly we will just stumble along, trying to do the best we can with who we are and what we have.