On Friday July 18th, my father Steven had a seizure and was airlifted to Nanaimo General Hospital in British Columbia. He has been in the ICU since his arrival. My father has been traveling for several years across a number of countries and continents; old and new ailments caught up with him, and we are grateful that he was with his brother when this happened, and is now in great hands at the ICU here.

Since he got to the hospital, he has had multiple blood transfusions, another seizure, has been put into a medically induced coma and put on life support/intubation. At this point there is not a diagnosis, but what we do know is that he had extreme confusion and delirium before the induced coma, and has kidney failure, brain damage, as well as an enlarged heart and liver.

Anyone who knows me has heard of if not met my father. He is my world, the love of my life. He has always been my hero. There is no one quite like him, for better or worse. He is the definition of an artist. He is a brilliant man, a true intellectual, and an exceptionally funny individual.

My dad has been my champion my entire life. He made me feel what I know to be true from his close friends and family: He is my light as I am his. He was my nurturer in every way; physically, intellectually… he surpassed any expectation one would have of a father. Anyone who knows him can attest to that. When he and my mother were expecting me, he pivoted his existence into being the most present father I have ever come to know of. I became his existence. And now it is time for me to take care of him.

My dad showed me everything I love. I do not know what I would do without him. I am quite literally living my worst nightmare.

When I first got to the hospital and he was completely unconscious, I played him music. I’d like to believe he could hear. The first song I played for him was one he’d sing to me when I was a small child, Robin Williams’ “Swee’Pea’s Lullaby” from the Robert Altman “Popeye” film. To follow came Andy Prieboy, Jesus and Mary Chain, Neil Young… At one point, a nurse came in when I was playing “On The Beach,” and asked if it was a song I liked. I hesitated for a moment; of course it was for my dad, but I was thoroughly enjoying listening to the album with him, one that he had shown me so long ago. My dad used to always say Neil Young was his biggest style inspiration. I think he meant this on a few levels. When I was surprised with tickets to see him a year ago, I sobbed the second he came on stage and frantically tried to call my father as rain poured on my phone. I wanted to share it with him.

I have never seen my dad sick before. Even with a cold. He never asks for help, which is part of what led to the situation he is now in, and I inherited this trait from him, albeit to a lesser degree.

I am in BC indefinitely to be with him, which means I am not currently working. I need to be with him here not just because he is my father, but because I am his medical decision maker/proxy and sole point person for his medical team. In the immediate, donations would help me stay here with him. I am already running out of money for personal accommodation for my stay here. My father’s family’s financial contributions in this situation for both my father and myself is limited. Meanwhile my mother is contributing every cent that she can, sacrificing more than anyone I know would, but the hard truth is that it is just not enough.

In the short term, I am terrified by his looming hospital bills. Beyond that, god willing if and when he is discharged, his long-term care will include regular and consistent visits to a number of specialists for the foreseeable future.

If you have anything to spare, I will be forever grateful. Thank you for taking the time to read this. Please keep my dad in your thoughts as we continue to pray for his recovery. This world cannot afford to lose my father.

-Clementine