Our Family Blog: June 16 - July 28, 2009 Grandpa Kostas passes away

Sophia continued her Writing Camp at Slauson and Kostas his EMU Soccer Camp the week of June 16. Dad continued some Physical Therapy sessions to heal and strengthen his leg after his soccer injury. Dad turned 42 on June 21st!!

The week of June 22 Sophia had a Harry Potter Camp and Kostas continued his second straight week at the EMU Soccer Camp. On June 27 we had a parents meeting with Kosta's new United soccer coach Jaime at his house. We like him!

Then early morning Sunday June 28 I wake up to find three emails from my cousin in Greece titled SOS CALL NOW! I then check my cell phone (the Palm Pre sucks!) and see that I had several messages from her. I knew that something was terribly wrong and I called her right away. My father was in the ICU at a nearby city (no beds in our city!) and things were looking grim so I should get there asap! As soon as I hang up with her I called the elite line at Northwest and got me and Kostas tickets the same night, thank you Northwest once again! So we were off back home in a matter of about 6 to 7 hours. Flights were okay. We made it home and then I drove mother every day to the nearby city to see him, he was not conscious. Initially he started showing some stabilizing and encouraging signs. After 10 days in that unit, he was transferred back to our city Larisa and, as the drugs wore off, it was evident that the heart issues he had over the last month or so had affected his brain and he was suffering. Needless to say, it was quite a traumatic experience to see your own father go through this and you are just there not being able to help him, just a helpless sad feeling. I had lined up a rehab center for him to transfer to but the day before he was going to be transferred he developed a high fever and the docs told us "not looking good". After a few days with the fever it became evident that he was dying...he lasted 7 days in that hospital and he passed away on July 15 at 4.20 am at the age of 77. Then it was off to prepare for the funeral and consoling mother who was (and still is) besides herself for losing her mate of 50 years. We postponed the funeral for 8 days until July 23rd so my brother can make it back from Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our father always had health issues but he always managed to get well and we thought this was going to just another one of those times, (albeit a much tougher hurdle this time). The funeral was beautiful, many people came even thought it was at the height of the summer season, and he is buried very near the graves of my cousin and my aunt. My brother stayed behind to take care of some inheritance issues and to be with my mother. For the next year, we would be likely going back and forth until she stabilizes mentally and we decide what is best for her.

Meanwhile, mom had an easier time with just Sophia around who went on to her Allen school camp for two weeks and then spent a whole week at a Girls Scout camp in Linden, MI!

All the pics are from myPalm Pre phone and I now realize they are small!!!! This phone is NOT the Iphone killer, not even quite. Some pics from Greece:

Under our house is the gas station father used to own with my uncle before he retired. Now the gas station is operated by my cousin and her husband. They have a dog Leon...because he looks like a lion:

In our house looking extremely bored. Kostas had some adjusting issues but he managed well afterall:

He spent most of his time with his cousin Katerina

Leon, he ain't no guard dog:-)

Dad spent lots of time at this internet cafe "The Web" downtown and sometimes brought Kostas along:

Yes an ancient theater was uncovered downtown!

the web

This cute girl is my niece Georgia, she is 10 years old and it's the first time I see her!! She lives with her own mother who was briefly married to my beloved cousin who passed away at age 25 when his daughter was just three months old...it is a very very sad and complicated story!