Anniversaries

Today is the tenth anniversary of the passing of my father.  He died of ALS.  When I took him to John's Hopkins for a diagnosis, they told me that there was no relationship between me having RSD and him having ALS.  Now there are some that think that there could be a correlation between diseases like RSD, ALS, MS, etc.

An old friend of my father's was a neurologist at U of P.  He was of the school that RSD didn't exist and was all in the patient's head.  He convinced my father that this was true.  For whatever reason, it was easier for him to believe that RSD was a psychosomatic illness rather than a physical illness.  As a parent, I know that it is difficult to see your child in pain; but I could never quite understand how it was easier to think that I was making up an illness than that I had one.  He died ten years ago today thinking that it was all in my head.  Perhaps the fact that I went to Germany for Ketamine Coma treatment before he died and for the short time between my trip to Germany and his death, was pain free validated that opinion.

We had so many more years other than the five years where he doubted the validity of my RSD that I have to remember him on.  I try not to dwell on the hurt that I feel knowing that he didn't believe that the pain was real.

My dad was born in Germany (a jew) in 1927 and emmigrated to the US at age 11.  Many of his thoughts and values were very European.  He was a hard working man.  My dad built his own business, Altman Weil, that still prospers today in spite of the fact that he and Mrs Altman passed away years ago. 

He was a good provider, a wonderful husband and a good dad.  My dad has a twin brother, John, who is still living.  I look at my Uncle and wonder what my dad would be like if he were still alive as well.  They came into the world together, but fortunately for my Uncle, Aunt, Cousins and me, they didn't not leave this world together.  My Uncle will be 84 next month!

At 73 yrs old, Robert I Weil left this world far too soon and is greatly missed by many.  I will not let one little blip in our relationship (his inability to understand RSD) affect my memory of a wonderful man!

This is one of my favorite photos of him.  He played the flute and loved to go deep sea fishing.  He volunteered helping Jewish Russian Immigrants prepare resumes and get jobs, he was active in his church and most of all a wonderful dad.

R.I.P. Robert I. Weil

You are greatly missed by all who knew you!