dealing with physical separation

Without a doubt, the most difficult part of Benson's is communication. While texting is usually a problem for my father, due to his visual impairments regarding Benson's, I usually have the resources to call and visit my father easily. This summer, however, I am separated from my him by a sea. Never in the past have I been so physically separated from him for such a long period of time (6 weeks!). In such a situation where my communication is limited to mostly texting, there is an immense strain put onto our relationship, one that makes it nearly impossible to keep whatever glimpse of normalcy that we might normally have. Whenever I receive a text, I know it's not him writing it. I know it's not him dictating what to say either. It doesn't sound like him nor does it feel like him. Because of this, the regular distant relationship that we have is further distanced, the gap between us--caused by Benson's-- is only widened. I guess what scares me most is not the physical distance itself, but all of the possibilities of things happening in the time I'm away. With Benson's, the deterioration usually feels pretty gradual. However, when separated for nearly 2 months, things can seem drastically different upon return. In the past, 2 months has meant going from driving only during the day time, to being given a handicap sticker and stripped of the ability to drive in total. So naturally, I fear the unknown. I fear the many possibilities of change over a 6 week time period. But all I can do here is wait and try to suppress my fears, wish for the best, and look forward to seeing my dad again soon.