I’m one of the few Mets fans to have had an uplifting Harvey Day Saturday. You might say I had a Charlie Day.
Charlie’s my father. Charles, really. Dad to me. Dad doesn’t care about baseball, which is why he doesn’t show up often in these pages. But this week Dad has been front and center in my thoughts because on Wednesday something was found on a CAT scan that necessitated his being hospitalized immediately and being operated on in an extraordinarily serious manner by Friday.
How did he come through it? Let’s just say I have a hunch Charles Prince will be playing rehab games before David Wright and his stenosis are cleared again for a single baseball activity.
This is Bonnie Franklin territory: one day at a time. Yet the first day — Harvey Day in Pittsburgh — was a winner for the Prince home team. My dad was about as recovered as a person could ask for during his first full day of recovery from what amounted to life-saving surgery. What he had removed from his brain you shouldn’t know from. What he’ll be going through from here on out you shouldn’t know from. But you should know from championship form. We haven’t seen any in the Metsian sense since 1986; I’m seeing it this weekend from my 86-year-old father.
I also saw the Mets get Pirated on the TV in his hospital room, albeit with the sound mostly down and my attention mostly diverted. I tuned in to SNY while he was napping. We watched the last couple of innings of the 8-2 defeat together. I’m tempted to call the game a disaster. I know it was in competitive terms.
Truth be told, though, I’m relatively happy, even with our ace’s best stuff having last been seen floating somewhere between the Allegheny and the Monongahela. My father eked out his first post-op win. Matt Harvey will have another day.
Great news Greg. Ya Gotta Believe!
Greg – here’s hoping your Dad continues to outperform the May 2015 Mets, although I suspect he can set the bar higher than that. That generation is made of strong stuff.
Well wishes from Flushing. Charlie will be in all the periodicles and New Years Day will be his best!
Best/Well Wishes for your Father & family from Met fan in LA!
Hang in there with your Dad!
Bob
Hey, best wishes to your dad, Greg, and I’m glad the operation went so well. It’s cliched to say it’s moments like this that really put the highs and lows of a baseball team in perspective — but they really do.
Greg…
I’m praying for your father and you. I am a Lutheran Pastor so I got the other side covered for you! Shalom!
Fred Page
One of two certified Mets fans in North Idaho!
Get well soon, Charlie!
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I’m just reading this right now (Monday Morning) as I was out of range all day yesterday (fortunately including the Mets Game).
Greg, I hope your Dad makes a nice recovery, leading up to a wonderful Father’s Day next month. Give him a hug for all of us.
–Ken
I’ve spent the last few days away from the computer screen. Best wishes and prayers for a speedy recovery to one Charles Prince!
Hi Greg,
Late to the party on this with barbecues and such over the weekend and admittedly little to no patience for bad baseball. Best wishes to you, your Dad and the rest of the family. Sounds like your Dad has no plans to go anywhere anytime soon, and that’s good.
Interestingly, I had a somewhat similar situation in November. My uncle was in the hospital following his heart attack and while he was resting, the TV in his room showed the Giants-49ers game from that Sunday (with Kevin Burkhardt on the call). Talk about having your perspective and priorities right. Eli threw five picks and they lost, and I couldn’t have cared less. My uncle pulled through, though he needs a procedure done on his throat later this year. Perhaps post-surgery the Mets will be on and at least for one day I can care little to none about the result.
Again glad to hear your Dad came through his surgery and here’s to a speedy recovery. I’ll save my Mets thoughts for a future post.