Sad Day Today...

DECEMBER 14, 2006

This was the day that I lost my hero... My father Lafi Lausi'i Tafua... I truly miss him... I really wish he was here but I know he's happy where he is... Especially now that he has full use of his legs and arms...  I've been working at American Express now for 6 months... I really enjoy working there and the pay is definitely not that bad for being a Customer Service Representative oh excuse me Customer Care Professional ;)... Everyday I drive past the DMV on my way to work and I look at the Driving Test Range and just the other day one of my memories with my dad popped into my head... 

During the last year of his life, Dad was still trying to find ways to possibly rehabilitate his entire body so that he would have the use of his left leg and arm. One of those times was when we went to the hyperbaric clinic (also by my work) and we went in to get their opinion on whether or not their services would assist him. They basically told us no and that he would just have to continue with the rehab plan that he was on and hope for the best. We left (Me, Mom and Dad) and started walking to my car. When we got to the car I noticed a few teardrops rolling down his face. He had hoped so much that this would be his miracle cure and to be told no was more than he could take. I remember saying "Come on Dad... They don't know, we'll look for other treatments..." He just nodded his head and we went home.

He tried. Everyday he would use the little rehab tools to work on his grip at home. He held onto tennis balls and other rounded options to ensure that his fingers would not curl up and get stuck that way. I remember having to open his fingers one by one until all of them were fully extended and he would try to press them down on his leg to keep his hand fully open for as long as he could. After about an hour or so his fingers would slowly curl back up and he would grip the tennis ball to make sure the hand didn't shut completely. He eventually got to the point where he was able to open them into a C shape by himself. He was walking around more using his cane just slightly less and he was so happy with his progress. Around October of 2006 he decided that he was mobile enough to get his license back. One day he woke up and told me that he had called and made an appointment at the DMV and he was going to take his driving test. We got in the Camry and drove to the DMV. After meeting the test administrator I was getting prepared to go with them while he took the test. The administrator told me I couldn't come so I decided to watch from the gate. I watched him drive and perform all the tasks that were being asked of him. To me he did pretty good, so I was happy for him. After they had returned back to the building we went into the administrators office. I remember him closing the door behind us and asking us to take a seat. I remember him telling my dad how they wouldn't be able to renew his license because he did not pass the test. When he was making a right hand turn, he had turned into the second lane instead of the first lane and for this reason he wouldn't be able to pass the test. He was also concerned at how quickly he would be able to move his left hand around the steering wheel. Upset my dad stood up and kicked open the door and told me to get up and let's go. He didn't wait for the guy to say anything else and we just left.

This situation reminded me of the answer he got that day at the Hyperbaric Clinic. It killed me to see him hurt. It killed me to watch this once so physically able man to no longer be able to do simple things like walk or even drive anymore. He was still my Superman. He is still the man who everyone else I have ever dated has been measured up to, and i'll admit, sometimes I still compare my wonderful, loving husband to him too... I know I was one of my Dad's 4 girls but I still maintain that I was his favorite :) So I have a myriad of experiences with my Dad where he doted upon me and treated me like his Princess and at times I guess I expect that of my husband lol.  In the end, on the day of my father's funeral before we went out to the burial, Mele went to check the mail.. I remember her little pregnant waddling body coming up the driveway with the mail in hand.  When she put the mail on the table we looked through it really quickly and one of the pieces of mail was a letter from the Utah Department of Motor Vehicles addressed to my Dad. It was his license. It looks like the guy changed his mind after all and decided to pass him so he could get his license renewed...  

TODAY DECEMBER 14, 2012

Some idiot killed 20 elementary school students for no apparent reason other than the fact that he was psycho. He did not even have the guts to stick around and deal with the consequences of his actions as he like only cowards do, took his own life. I've been thinking about this and my Dad all day and I think that DECEMBER 14th SUCKS!