SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN......

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN........

My Daddy, the 6 million dollar man.... and more!!

THE SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN is an American television series about a former astronaunt with BIONIC implants woriking for the OSI ( Office of Scientific Intelligence)

It aired on ABC network as a regular series from 1974 to 1978.    The title role of Steve Austin was played by Lee Majors.  Austin is severely injured in a crash and is "REBUILT" in a title-giving operation that costs at least 6 million dollars.......6 million in 1973 adjusted for inflation in 2012 using Bureau of labor statistics would be 31 million.  His right arm, both legs, and the left eye are replaced by "BIONIC' implants that enhance in strenght, speed and vision far abovehuman norms.  He can run at speeds of 60 mph and his left eye has 20m zoom lens and infrared capabilities while his limbs all have the equivalent power of a bulldozer.  He uses his enchance abilities to work for the Office of Scientific Intelligence as a secret agent and as a guienea pig for bionics.

Today when I called my daddy on his cell phone... I felt bad... I woke him up.... He was taking a little nap while he was hooked up to the "big Kidney" getting  re-entergized..... after a few minutes he says in 2 weeks he will be soooo much better, maybe even chasing the nurses.... cuz he is getting a pacemaker.  So yet another obstacle... another hurdle to jump over, but knowing the results, what a defference it will make., its a no-brainer!  once i got off the phone, i just kept thinking why, why ,why...When we he get a break?  Through out the rest of the day, my mind wouldn't stop,,,,,as i kept thinking about 'ALL' he has been through, and all of a sudden, the SIX MILLION DOLLAR MAN came to mind.....there is no price tag on people,..... yet once comparing the Bionics Man  to my daddy, I saw paralle lifes....oh and his name was Steve Ausitn, and my daddy's name is Ausitn....

so, i will share his successful obstacles....yet first, i want him and you to hear what a "Everything DAD " is....

a little girl needs her daddy

to love her with manly charm

to soothe her when she's hurt

and keep her safe from harm

a girl needs her dad

to show her a man who's good

to help her make right choices

as only a father could

a woman needs her father

just to be aware

he'll always be there for her

to substain her and care

You've been all these things, dad

i hope that you can see

how much i treasure you,

you mean everything to me.

As long as I can remember my dad has been insulin dependent.  Always testing and writing down his numbesr of his blood sugar, then giving himself shots. It was simply just part of his everyday life......many years later, in fact in 2004, he saw a 20/20 with President Bill Clinton on it talking about his symptoms and his bypass surgery ( that is if my memory is right), My dad's symptons wee almost right on.  In 2004, i took a red eye flight to Kansas City, rented a car and made it to there before the surgery..... open heart surgery... instead of the 3 bypass they intended to do, he had all 5 bypass's.  His chest was opend and the surgery was performed.  Blood vessels were taken from his leg and used to bypass the vessels in the heart that had been damaged or blocked.  It was to improve supply to the heart and then improve the delivery of oxygen and nutriends to the heart muscle. Pretty simple right? Not in this case! Eleven days in  ICU  .... intabated, not able to talk and most of the time in a induced coma. Talk about pray and given a second chance...... finally, on the road to recovery!

The standing joke with my dad was.... he was always ready to go, because his bags were packed.... the bags under his eyes!  They were droopy and full of liquid, then his upper eye lids wouldnt fully lift and it was hampering his sight, he couldn't see.  Visual capabilities were becoming diminished. and his vision was obsured...   so once again surgery, 2007.  One eye worked and the other one didnt, so a repeat in 2010.  Not a complete sucess... yet better than it was.

Being diabetic can cause many other health issues, and over the years yes, it takes it toll..... lack of energy, high potasium, depleted vitamins,  no feeling in hands and feet, lose of eye sight, and kidney failure.  Kidney failure was next.... Watching his kidney function numbers be less and less, to a point where he now needs kidney dialysis.  But first, another surgery...March of 2011.  A dialysis fistula was surgery placed in his arm.   Through the surgical connection of a vein and an artery, this enables greater blood flow, causing the vein to become stronger and larger. once healed in a couple of months hopefully , it would provide an easy access to the blood stream with a lower rate of complications.   a fistula must mature before  it can be used, but once it does it is strong enough to withstand the insertion of dialysis needle on a regular basis. It's now 7 months later and his fistula is ready to be used......

Kidney Dialysis time.... wait.... Franklin Roosevelt once said: "When you come to the end of your road, tie a knot and hang on"  i think we all felt this way, so we tied a knot and hung on....

me just being me....i insisted we explore the possibility of a kidney transplant..... why not?  after many phone calls and doctor appointmetns we were headed in that direction.... St. Louis bound.  A National kidney ttansplant hospital.  a million tests were done, and finally he was placed on the National kidney transplant list.  Ok, but what about a living donor.... remember my daddy is everything to me.... in my heart, i felt it, and knew i wanted nothing more than to give him the gift of life.... sure enough we were a match...Negative 0 blood type, it was a beginning and so much hope.  All i want to say is the man is charge had other plans, and me being a donor wasnt in God's plan.  Next.. Renee, his only grand-daughter a match, once again, not in God's plan. 

so, we go on from here... 7 months after the fistula was placed, dialysis is started.  My dad started his "walk down Dialysis road.".  not always a smooth road, there have been bumps, and detours and really narrow areas.  But having the hand he was dealt, he chose to play the hand with all he had.  He has done that very well, in fact, he even got an ipad and an iphone and has widened his skills and abilities with the leading edge of technology!  He's great with pandora, dice with friends (i let him beat me every now and then!)  texting and even facetime.  This passes the time on his dialysis days! The nurses love him, and the feeling is mutal!  He spoils them ( or i should say my mom spoils them)  by bring them homemade goodies, things from the garden and just by being who is is... his personality and big compassionate heart will brighten any room or any one's day! 

Well, now it's time to tie yet another knot is our rope... a BIGGER KNOT... was just given the news that on August 2nd... yet another surgery.

A small device, about the size of a pocket watch, will be placed under the skin near his heart to help control his heartbeat.  Normal aging of the heart, heart muscle damage, some medications, genetic's (going back to the cards he was dealt) are just a few reasons a pacemaker is needed.  For your heart to function properly, the heart's chambers  must work in a coordinated fashion. Your heart must also beat at an appropriate rate- normally from 60-100 beats a minute in resting adults.    If your heart beats too slowly or too rapidly, not enough blood flows through your body, leding to fatigue, fainting, shortness of breath, confusion and other symptoms.  so, since his heart rate is always in the 40's... its time for yet another surgery\!  But like my mom says... they have faith... this will be the last surgery! 

With the BIGGER KNOT in our rope and with the help of God, my daddy will rise above and continue to live a full and meaningful life.  so from heart surgery, to eye surgery, to kidney failure, to fistual surgery, and disalyis to now pacemaker surgery... it is that srong knot that is allowing him to lengthen the rope of life and to continue seeing the beauty that life has to offer and in store for all of us!

I have to say... there is a unique bond of love, faith and understanding between a father and a daughter, and we have that !  Many things are learned and many things are taught.  Everyday i am grateful that I am a "daddy's girl"

So, as you can see..... he is bigger and worth more than a "six million dollar man" He may not have bionic implants where he can run 60 mph or his limbs may not be as strong as a bulldozer or his eyes may not have infared capabilities.... but his heart, his soul and his every being is prescious and priceless......

and with "HIS AMAZING GRACE......"

trulyadmired and adored..xoxox

God has his back....