Honest to goodness, I don't even know where to begin with this post. I've started it and erased it a number of times. So, in the interest of time, I'm just gonna wing it and type as I go. I can't promise you it'll make any sense whatsoever, but if it's gonna make it onto the blog, this is as good as it's gonna get. OK, so here we go...
An update on my Dad:
For the last 6 weeks we have been dealing with my Dad's health. If we're friends on Facebook, then you're probably pretty caught up with all that's been going on. It has been a very difficult and scary and stressful 6 weeks.
A fractured hip due to a fall put him in the hospital.
A heart attack while in the hospital delayed his surgery and placed him in the CVICU.
He was then moved to the extended care unit until he was ready to be placed in rehab.
His declining health and the risks of extended bed rest led to a hip surgery.
It turns out it was his femur that was fractured and not his hip.
A very weak heart placed him back in the CVICU, where he was in extremely critical condition.
The doctors performed a cardiac catheterization, where they found 99% blockage in one of his major arteries.
A stent was placed to open the blocked artery.
In order for this procedure to be successful, he's required to take blood thinners, which make my dad bleed. A lot!
He was put on an extremely dangerous medication to keep his blood pressure up.
He received breathing treatments, blood, plasma and platelets.
He was put on a feeding tube.
He was barely responsive.
They were concerned about infections due to spikes in his temperature.
Last Monday we got called into the hospital for a face-to-face meeting with Jane from palliative (as in end of life) care.
We were told there was nothing more the hospital, or anyone else for that matter, could do for my dad.
That nothing they were doing was making him better, just prolonging the inevitable.
And that we should consider hospice and making him comfortable for his last days, which could be anywhere from 2 to 7 days.
Suddenly his cardiologist stormed into the meeting, asked what was going on, and why we had given up on my dad.
Insert sound of screeching tires here!
So, apparently palliative care had not consulted any of my father's care givers before taking it upon themselves to make the decision it was time to end his life.
Dr. Das, cardiologist extraordinaire, said that he considered it was too premature to involve palliative care, that he was not done fighting for my dad, and that if it were his dad, he wouldn't give up quite yet.
Oh my goodness,...
His timing! His determination! His faith!
Does this man have God's fingerprint on him, or what?
Anyway, fast forward to last Thursday, my dad was awake, aware, talking, discharged from CVICU and moved back into an extended care room.
Yesterday he sat up for the first time in the last 6 weeks.
Today he stood up for the first time in the last 6 weeks.
God is SO good!
A whole lot of complications have kept us on our toes, or knees rather.
The stress and lack of rest has wreaked havoc on us all.
But constantly being there is the only option we have.
For him. For my mom. For each other.
I am so blessed to have the husband that I have, who has been an amazing rock for me during this incredibly trying time.
I am so blessed to have the family that I have. I'm so excited that we're all together and I can't imagine going through this without each other.
I am so blessed to have the friends that I have. Their constant prayers, calls, texts, messages, visits, and yummy meals ;) have been a blessing to me and my entire family.
And I am so blessed to have Hope as my church family. They have been there with us and for us since day one.
To all of you I just mentioned above...
Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!
My dad still has a lot of health issues and the road to recovery is still difficult and long, but he's alive!
And as soon as he's recovered, I'm going to make sure we pay Jane from palliative care a nice little visit. What I'll say or do,... well, let's just say that'll be another post all together ;-)
Saying Goodbye to our Sweet Boy:
In the midst of all of this, we had to say goodbye to our sweet sweet boy, Copper. Copper was 11 years old. He had been a part of our family for the last 10 years. He was our first baby together. He lived with us through 2 relocations, the addition of 2 kids, and the addition of 2 additional dogs. But mostly Copper was loved by us all. And we miss him terribly.
I had no idea saying good bye would be as hard as it was.
The kids handled it better than we thought they would.
But both Scott and I were, and are still, a mess.
On a much lighter note I gotta tell ya, it feels good to blog again.
Really good!
I miss blogging and reading other people's blog and commenting on posts.
I am way behind on all of that! Oh yeah, and responding to e-mails. And don't even get me started on phone calls.
But now that things are settling down in the home front, hopefully I'll be able to get back to all those things I so dearly love!
And on that note, good night, everyone!
