That-that-that-that don't kill me...

(Please sing this post's title, as it is lyrics to "Stronger" as performed by Kanye West.)

Who has a dad that's still alive? This chick.

He did it. I'm typing incredulously, as I sit with my mom and sister in our hotel suite alongside the state of the art Cleveland Clinic. My dad survived an intense, all-day, high risk cardiac surgery; his third time under the knife for a valve replacement. When the cardiologist here we met gave us some real talk last week, he really made it clear that this was serious business, considering the danger of operating on a heart. The analogy he used was "we're on a humanitarian mission but it's deep in ISIS territory." I had good reason to fear the worst.
Somehow they pulled it off.

I sincerely apologize if the caption to my pic up there is a little insensitive. I'm terribly sorry for any readers who don't have a living father. 

Because, had certain things been different, I might not have been taking a selfie with my "thumbs up" and cheesy smile. My parents are not rich people, but it became clear on this trip that they (and by proxy, myself) have certain privileges. At no time did we ever have to worry about how we were going to pay for this. All we had to worry about was my dad's health, not how we'd get by financially.
This hotel suite in which my family is resting comfortably isn't free, nor where the plane tickets that brought us here. Not to mention that we all have jobs where we were able to get time off from work.It saddens me to think that not every family is so fortunate.

In my last post I wrote about how cruel this world was when my healthy, hardworking, loving father has to suffer. Other men and women (some in my extended family) have been spending their lives smoking cigarettes and holding onto other deadly habits. For them to outlive my dad would be a real kick in the face and that idea prompted someone to say this. "And that's when you know that no one's looking out for you," with a hand pointed skyward. 

Ooooh, serious looking bathroom selfie. If you're thinking an intense subject matter is coming up, you'd be correct.

That subject is my faith and what I'm confessing is; I don't have any.
I know that people who share my beliefs aren't exactly the most popular. In fact, I'm betting that here in the lifestyle blogosphere atheism will go over about as well a turd in an organic, kale yogurt. (That's what lifestyle bloggers eat, right?)

Hey, when it comes to popularity, atheists are gaining some. In some polls, we're second to last place--just above Muslims!

Say...how about that grown up coloring trend? 

 I'm a peacock! You gotta let me fly! 

This blog post has a point and I'm leading up to it. I appreciate every prayer said on behalf of my family. I don't look down on those who have faith. Hey, maybe all the praying is what helped my dad pull through, what do I know. Cemeteries are full of people who had faith and hope, both rich and poor. I just think it would be naive of me to thank God for a miracle when a poorer man may not have survived.

There are people that don't have those privileges that afforded my father to travel in order to get opinions from two of the best hospitals in the country. He's a top guy at his place of work, the same job that he has had for decades. He has insurance. My dad has the means to get the absolute best in medical care. What about those people who don't have good insurance and can't take time off from work to travel to get high quality healthcare? 

I guess we pray for them. I mean no offense to those with faith, but I can't help but think it was probably the gifted surgeons who saved my dad's life. 

As a snarky, sarcastic gal, I like to make statements that fly in the face of tradition inspirational quotes. You know, stuff like "everything happens for a reason."

Ha ha, lol, a beach with some sorta sentiment in the sky. 

Nothing happens for a reason! Nothing in this world is destiny! The reason it wasn't my dad's time to go is his life was saved by incredible doctors. That's what I saw, so that's what I believe. That's how those of us without faith operate and I can't change how I feel.
He's not completely out of the woods yet, so if anyone still wants to pray for me...please do. It certainly can't hurt.
Thank you for all of your support, people!