I Missed My Dad. Thousands of kilometers away, I… | by In the Presence of My Thoughts | Aug, 2025

Thousands of kilometers away, I received news that shook my world.

Arriving in Japan was surreal. Everything felt new and exciting, despite a few challenges. After two years of living abroad without visiting my family, my phone buzzed with a message from my brother: “Dad had a stroke.”
He explained that my father had suddenly lost control of the left side of his body. They rushed him to the hospital, gave him oxygen, and he regained about 80% of his movement control. I was out shopping when I read the message. I froze. My heart raced. Tears welled up.
I told my brother I had been expecting something like this. Before I left, my father had been unusually tired. He struggled to walk, had dizzy spells, and once came home missing a slipper without realizing it. He often passed out from sudden blood sugar spikes. Still, he insisted it was just stress and overwork. I had begged him to see a specialist, not just a general doctor. I warned him: “One day, you’ll collapse.” Sadly, I was right.
I called him shortly after receiving the bad news. He sounded weak and tired. The specialist said two of his left and right arteries were severely blocked—90% and 85% due to smoking. He needed surgery, but there was a risk of another stroke during the procedure.
We began searching for a good surgeon. I had doubts about the one they chose. My family, feeling overwhelmed, accepted the recommendation. He had no reputation—good or bad. In the absence of better options, we moved forward.