Blueberry Watermelon Oat Power Smoothie – the last one for Dad

This blueberry watermelon oat power smoothie is packed with flavor, protein and nutrients to help get nutrition into your body when nothing else will work. It has a beautiful summery flavor that reminds me of sunshiny days, strolling through the garden.

I made this for my dad as a last ditch effort as his health declined to the point where all he really wanted to eat was smoothies and juicy sweet fruit. We were desperate to get some nutrition in his body.

I’d been feeding him his most loved smoothie – a peanut butter chocolate banana smoothie – but now his potassium levels were too high so we needed to get away from high potassium foods. Besides, he wanted something different. Watermelon tasted good to him so I thought to throw that into the smoothie. And some protein powder (one loaded with vitamins, nutrients and some fiber) to boost the nutrition intake and make it a “power smoothie”. Blueberries because he’s always loved berries and they are truly a superfood that worked for this situation. He loved the smoothie.

Honestly, I loved this smoothie too. I had to taste it to make sure it was good enough for Dad. I wasn’t really sure how much I’d like the mix of blueberries with watermelon and oatmeal, but I remembered a blueberry “breakfast smoothie” that we had bought for him that he liked, and we both always loved oats. This smoothie seriously tastes like summer. It reminds me of all the delicious oat crumbles and crisps we would make with the fresh summer fruit.

Unfortunately, this was my dad’s last smoothie. I made him another one the next day but it was too late. He only wanted water that day. The next day he didn’t even want water. His body was shutting down. We blamed ourselves, but the doctors said it was nothing that we had done. He had congestive heart failure most likely exacerbated by the intense chemo treatment he went through last year. His body just wasn’t strong enough anymore to fight it. Much as he wanted to stay here with us, it was his time to go. He wasn’t afraid of dying, but he was afraid of leaving us. Just as we were afraid of being without him. I remember his last moments and the empty feeling in my heart when he was gone. In a way, I was relieved for him to not have to suffer anymore, relieved for my mom that the painful struggle of medications and hospital visits was over. It was so hard on her. But I also knew that it would be incredibly hard for her (and all of us) to learn to live without him.

A strange feeling took over me, sort of like my mind was trying to swim but was stuck. I was numb and sad. Really beyond sad. Profoundly bereft. There were periods of sobbing, racked with tears. Times when I was just not quite there. Times when I pretended I was okay, went back to work, put my mind on something else. With the amazing people I work with, I was able to find laughter, to solve problems, to think again. And I went back to teaching yoga as well. It felt good to breathe. To move my body. To remember I still have a body. A life to live. People to love.

My dad has been my rock my whole life. He was incredibly intelligent, always figuring out how things worked. I inherited his mathematical mind (along with his love of cooking and food), so we had many great conversations about all sorts of things. Whenever I didn’t quite know what to do about something in my life, I would call my dad and we’d talk it over. Many of our conversations revolved around food and we cooked many great things together.

To say I will miss him is a great understatement. Oh dad, what I wouldn’t give to make you one more smoothie. One more cup of coffee. One more Jack Daniels carrot cake. To go on one more adventure with you … or simply another walk in the garden to watch your trees grow, or marvel at the baby grapes on the vine. To make one more batch of wine with you. I am so blessed to have so many of these wonderful memories. To have the things that he taught me … and his mind. It lives within me. I know this because I took classes from him in college and realized then that we think alike. My son has the same analytical mind as well.

So this smoothie is in honor of my dad. I hope you will drink it and think of warm sunny days and beautiful gardens full of fruit and life. And as you sip it, share with and hug your loved ones, remembering our time together is too short.

Print

Nutrition facts are an estimate based on ingredients. Your results may vary.