THANKSGIVING - "To Fred"

I am so thankful to my Dentist, Fred.  I also thank the blog I design for, who gives me the momentum and inspiration to make this post.  IKE'S WORLD CHALLENGE BLOG.  And also I'd like to thank the artist - IKE - for making this image for me.  You can get it at Ike's Store (here) if you'd like to gift your dentist using it.

And Thanksgiving is our Theme this week; I hope you will go over and enter!

Now, on to Fred.

Fred is 82 years old and continues to work because he is irrate that dentists make it impossible for people to get the proper care, due to high fees.  Fred taught dentistry for many years, makes dentures, does implants and all surgeries.

He is a master.

But more than all that, Fred has been living with Cancer for 10 years.  As of my visit today, Fred just found out he has more tumours on his stomach.  His cancer is throughout his entire body.  He goes for Dialysis 3 times a week in Downtown Toronto, 5 hours each visit.  Many times he has nearly passed out on his way home on the subway.  Today he told me about a time he had to lay down on the platform because he was going to pass out.  He said "it was so embarrassing but a guy has to do what a guy has to do."

To put it into perspective, Fred takes a Limousine from the Train, which is an hour from his office, each day.  The Limousine costs $190.00 a day.  He works where I live - 2 hours outside Toronto and travels on the Train, and then by Limo, just to help people who are getting ripped off or getting needless surgeries etc.

There is not a time I have visited and I visit almost every week to see him, that he has not asked about how my mom is doing (without my dad) and how my son is doing at Uni.  He remembers exactly what my son is taking, about his travels and about every conversation I have with him about my own life and family.  I am not astounded that his memory is in tact, as I give this credit to people of this age because it reflects my own mother's memory.  I am astounded because Fred sees most of the people here in the County and remembers each and every person's "story."

Today was his last day.  The Association of Dentists and Denturists are forbidding him to work beyond November 30th, his 83rd birthday, without taking "courses!"  Of course this is laughable to anyone that knows Fred.  He interviewed many people to take his job and told me about one "girl" as he put it, in particular.  He said she told him "she knows all that has to be done."  Fred said she graduated 6 months ago.  Fred answered her "that is extremely impressive because after 10 years in this business, and I've been in it now for 60, I only new 'something' and that 'something' didn't save a person's life!"  I asked him what she replied.  He said "she didn't hear me, just like she won't hear the patients.  In this job you need to not only hear your patients but you need to feel what they feel.  Most of all, you need patience.  Education doesn't breed patience.  It drills it out of you!"

He is a wise man.

Fred said he will come back to visit, and call me when he will be in.  I will make every effort to go and visit with him.  It is selfish really - I feel I am the one who gets the gift of Fred even though he said each and every patient has been a gift to him.

I hope you enjoy the gift I made for Fred.  I filled it with some raunchy, sexy, lude game game similar to checkers.  He loved it! lol  Fred loves EVERYTHING!!!  Most of all - LIFE - something he has beaten the odds at for 13 years longer than the doctors gave him.  I love this man.

Enjoy.