My father's pipe smoke served as a symbol of an eternal life






On this day we honor a man Senator John McCain.  His life and accomplishments remind me of my father Frank Mastini's life. The parallels are quite astonishing and anyone that knew my Dad would agree he would have made a great politician. Though many of the great things he did for others were not public knowledge.  He confided in me many personal things, and I guess it was because as he said to me "you would not judge me". My Dad did not have a eulogy, or a casket, which upset me so, but all my Dad really wanted is to be remembered by his kindness, stern ideals, and an immigrant that truly made his mark on the world.  I only wish he could have instilled his sense of fairness in my sister and brother.  My Dad was all about that.  It would make my father so sad to hear that even in his death he wanted his children to have a bit of his miraculous journey.  He crafted three model ships for each of his children.  It was in his will that they would be given to us in a very fair way.  It is sad
 that my siblings ignored and voided his will.  Petty and mean.
My father was none of that. Francine and John need to remember what OUR father was all about .  Fairness, came first.  How sad that they have forgotten what and who my Dad was really all about.
He wanted so much for me to carry on his heritage and that is what my trip to Italy was all about.  He instilled his presence in me.  I hope my entire family understands the man he was and the joy he had knowing that a bit of him lives in me . 
My Aunts and Uncles in Italy know that I carry his spirit of kindness and tenacity.  They told me so. I felt loved. 
Late at night as I look at the stars,  I can sometimes smell the faint whiff of cherry tobacco in the air. His way of reminding me that he is still around watching and I 
smile. 
I love you Dad.  I have the memory of seeing you smile and knowing you always had my back. 



Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Trying to live a healthy life

Image
Familial Adenoma Polyposis. It has been described as a “ ticking time bomb”. After years of diligent follow up suddenly I acquired a lot more polyps.  I’ve had most of my colon removed,  but if more polyps come back, they might have to do additional surgery.  Once you’ve had hundreds of polyps, it’s hard not to imagine what it would be like to have that major surgery.  The past 11  months have been rough, but i’ve been able to do everything I’ve done before. Just a lot slower. Sometimes it’s an all day encompassing exhausting scenario.  I’ve tried to remain positive.  I won’t lie.  In the back of my mind I’ve been thinking what if it is cancer next time?what if I need more surgery.  The bottom line is that the reason I have some of my colon is because I was quick enough to listen to my body.  Quick enough to have regular screenings.  The hundreds of polyps could not be removed.  This time there isn’t a colon to keep. It could evolve into Cancer. It’s hard to hear others talk about this
Read more

This is going to be a challenge

Image
  Having a partial colectomy is a huge deal.  I know my family doesn’t want to think about it but it has to be addressed.  This is a hereditary disease.  It’s called Familial Adenoma Polyposis.  There’s no cure. There’s real solid hope of one on the horizon.  My hospital stay was five days and I lost a lot of blood. I was very anemic when I got home. I had to take care of myself though the nurse stopped in to check vitals. I think the worst part of this is getting your body acclimated to eating differently. First of all you don’t know what you can eat. So you stay home a lot. It’s really a difficult position to be in when you don’t know from one day to the next or one hour to the next, just how your body is going to react.  I’m supposed to be gluten-free for Graves’ disease and also eat healthy grains.  That’s not always possible from day to day when you’re faced with many trips because of healthy grains.   I’m blessed that I was smart enough to read my body and get colonoscopies regul
Read more

My two battles with cancer/ interview with Madame Arcati

Image
Sunday, March 30, 2008 Stephanie Mastini: 'My two battles with cancer' Kevin Spacey's former sister-in-law Stephanie Mastini has suffered two bouts of breast cancer in less than two years. Here she gives a graphic account of dealing with her illnesses - and offers advice to women everywhere. Steph! So glad you're on the mend. Tell us the history of your cancer problems leading up to the recent serious health episode. It all began on a relaxing sun kissed day. I was enjoying the sun and applying protection lotion when I suddenly felt a small pea-sized lump in my right breast. I knew immediately what it was. It didn’t move like the other cysts I had felt before. I have always had an uncanny way of knowing my body. I waited a few weeks to gather my thoughts and get prepared. I should have acted immediately. Act quickly. After a few weeks, I asked my internist to feel the lump. She didn’t think I had anything to worry about but had been my doctor for years
Read more