My Dad's birthday

Tuesday the 28th would have been my dad's 68th birthday. I didn't realize how young he actually was to have passed away almost 6 years ago. But there were so many times that he'd been in and out of hospitals due to diabetes complications and we all wondered how long he'd last. Even after several amputations he went back to work. I remember when he first had his toes amputated he said he sometimes felt 'phantom pains' like they were still there. I remember when he had his leg amputated and woke up from the surgery pissed...a few times, re-realizing he lost his leg and yelling at my mom for letting them lol. He always adapted and even used a prosthetic for a while, although it did result in a car accident--not fatal and no big injuries.  He spontaneously bought a scooter at the AV mall and would ride it around the dirt roads we lived on. It was cute. He'd smoke his swisher sweets and cross his stub over his other leg. He was even able to make our back porch enclosed--just he and my brothers. (this was after I moved to NY) He often made light of his stub (his leg was amputated just below the knee).--and to John's delight, he called it his 'summer sausage.' :) I miss him a lot. Things would be so different if he were still alive. It would have been so adorable to see Lucas and Olivia play with Grandpa Jim.