In the spirit of my last post, regarding the split between our blog world and the “real” world, I thought I would share a bittersweet moment in my life.
As I was growing up, my engineer father was always coming up with ideas that he wanted to get patented. I got this message that getting a patent was of great importance and something to really aspire to. Weird huh? I guess its better than emulating something like a beauty queen or basketball player.
I went on to become a scientist. The summer after I defended my dissertation my dad and I drove from Virginia to Los Angeles for my first postdoctoral fellowship. It was a grueling and crushing trip, not because of the miles but because my father could not even remember my name at times and he grew more and more disoriented. I got half way across the country and called my mom in desperation, asking her if she realized that my dad had Alzheimers. She didnt know, she was in denial I guess.
For the next 8 years my father descended into the hell of early onset Alzheimers and then died at the age of 61.
So, when I finally got my first patent a few weeks ago, as you see in the photo above, it made me very sad because I do not have my father to celebrate this experience with. He would have been so fantastically proud.
I am proud to be his daughter.
13 comments for this entry ↓
1 Kalyn // Jul 27, 2008 at 3:22 pm
What a heart-wrenching post. I a friend of my parents go through this, and it was hard to see even from the sidelines. Now I am trying to help my own father who has Parkinson’s and is pretty much confined to the house (with my stepmother, who is also not in good health.)
I’m sure your father must be so proud of you, with all the talents you have! And I know just what you mean about being proud to be his daughter. I feel the very same way about my own dad.
2 Kitt // Jul 27, 2008 at 3:25 pm
Oh, how bittersweet. You know he would be proud.
I miss my dad every day.
3 James Shields // Jul 28, 2008 at 2:52 am
Congratulations on the patent! I know that I was so very happy when I received my first (and only) patent. And, it was only a shared design patent.
I’m sure your father would be very proud of you. Not just for the patent.
4 Mom // Jul 28, 2008 at 7:52 pm
I am very proud of you! Finally a dream realized…
Dad would be so estatic about this accomplishment.
5 Aparna // Jul 29, 2008 at 3:01 am
I know, from my experience, its tough watching one’s parents suffer knowing there’s only so much we can do.
I’m sure your dad would be proud of you.
6 Lisa (Homesick Texan) // Aug 1, 2008 at 3:35 pm
I’m so sorry he’s not here to share this with you, but congrats on your first patent. What an accomplishment!
7 Curt // Aug 2, 2008 at 10:13 am
Congrats on the patent… and I’m sorry your dad can’t celebrate with you.
8 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Kalyn: I am so sorry to hear about your dad! These are brutal neurological diseases. We had/had awesome dads!
9 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Kitt: aww, thnx for writing!
10 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:15 pm
James: Patents are patents! Design patents have GOT to be less of a magila - mine was a living hell, I filed in 1999 and it issued just this year, thats almost 10 years in prosecution.
11 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:16 pm
Aparna: Indeed, the only thing worse (much worse) is watching something horrible happen to our children.
12 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Lisa: Thnx! He would have toasted it all with his high octane margaritas, a bowl of chips and pace picante sauce, and a big smile on his face. Dang, making me sad to think so particularly about it.
13 n // Aug 3, 2008 at 7:18 pm
Curt: Aww, thnx! Its nice to share with friends like you tho!
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