We have hit the $5,000 mark for NKFM, now let work for more June 11, 2008 Thanks to you all it looks like I set our goal too low. Heck I didn’t even think I was going to do the walk this year and here we have already hit the $5,000 mark. Thank you all so much. I think we can go higher. I really would love to hit the $50,000 mark this year. We would need just $3,000 more. I think we can come close. Jacob and I took the new canoe out on a lake a little north of here. It was a beautiful day. Normally I dialyze during the day so that I can help Andria with the kids when she comes home, but I said The Riverdude needs some water. I went to my monthly nephrologist in the morning and afterward thought, “enough of this damn medical stuff. What is the point of working so hard to stay alive if I don’t get to really live!” We had a great day paddling all over the lake. And got a little swimming in too. Jacob hooked up with some kids, one of which had a minnow net. The bunch were running up and down the shoreline saying, “here are some minnows.” They tried hard, adjusted tactics, but darn if they could catch any. Perfect summer fun. He must have got a fair share of running in, because he sure didn’t paddle much when we launched back across to the lake to get to the boat launch. We came home from the lake and ran over to baseball where I’m one of Jacob’s coaches. He hit a single and caught the final out at third base and really cheered on his team throughout the game. Yes this proud papa loves to watch his son play ball. O.k., o.k. this proud papa also loved watching his daughter, Antonia in her first ballet recital over the weekend. The problem with really living for a day is that I had to get on dialysis at 9:00 tonight. Boy am I beat. I’ll wake up tomorrow and dialyze for three hours since Andria is going to a fancy smancy fundraiser for a client in Mount Clemens. Actually he use to be one of my clients. He throws really nice fund raisers. Heck he even hires models in evening gowns to walk around the joint - I think it is eye candy, but I’m allergic so I didn’t look. Jacob and I will play chess and work on multiplication tables if I can stay awake. Sometimes just the act of dialysis really wipes me out. But afterward we will mow the lawn and make paper. Ever since I mentioned we’d be making paper at Daddy Day Camp he can’t seem to let it go. I once was paper science major and spent a number of summers in paper mills. I know it sounds like a blast and I truly love my time with my son, though I still wish I was a working stiff like many of you. It has taken a real adjustment to stop working orignially at 38 years old . I’m still not use to it. I really loved my work. Hell I was supposed to be a professor by now. Of well, thems the breaks. I’m looking forward to my 20th class reunion this summer, everyone will be talking about what they do and I’ll be saying, “I work really hard at staying alive.” Well it’s a living. Thanks again for your help. Raising this money for NKFM is truly a highpoint for me. Cheers! Erich
I heard on CNN today that 37% of working men would like to stay home and raise their kids if their wives could support the family. Interestingly, 37% of men said they would be willing to take a pay cut to have more time with their families.
Erich, it sounds like even though you’re not working for pay, you’re working pretty darn hard at being a great father to your kids. Too soon they grow up and leave and we wonder where the years went. Congratulations on showing your kids that even though you have a chronic illness, you will live your life as fully as you can and have fun doing it.
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers on the Home Dialysis Central message boards!
Thank you Beth. I remind myself of that every day and as a result try not to be too hard on me if I don’t find time to write.
When I finally decided to drop my Ph.D., this time for good - I had dropped it twice before to work along side my wife on our infertility issues - I swtiched dreams from being a professor to being a wonderful dad to the son I tried for ten years to have and of course now my daughter too.
Your message brightened my day - this day - Father’s Day. Thank you. Erich
[quote=Beth Witten MSW ACSW;16117]I heard on CNN today that 37% of working men would like to stay home and raise their kids if their wives could support the family. Interestingly, 37% of men said they would be willing to take a pay cut to have more time with their families.
Erich, it sounds like even though you’re not working for pay, you’re working pretty darn hard at being a great father to your kids. Too soon they grow up and leave and we wonder where the years went. Congratulations on showing your kids that even though you have a chronic illness, you will live your life as fully as you can and have fun doing it.
Happy Father’s Day to all the fathers on the Home Dialysis Central message boards![/quote]