Dad will be in the hospital one more night. Mom and Aunt Charlene went to visit for a few hours. The nurses had just got done walking with him and he crawled into bed and fell asleep. Mom and Charlene stayed for about 3 hours and dad never woke up, even when mom tried to say goodbye. The doctor asked mom if she thought dad should go home or stay and she felt one more night of good rest for both of them would be the best. That didn't make dad to happy. The doctor is trying to get in contact with the urologist to discuss the urinary tract infections. Apparently each one has been caused by a different bacteria but the end result is the same, a hospital stay. Mom said a social worker also visited with her and suggested that they look into the Life Alert program. It isn't covered by Medicare or Social Security so it would be an added expense that they really can't afford right now. I know that it could give mom piece of mind while she is at work so we will see what it will take to make that happen.
That's the latest. Thanks for the words of encouragement for all of us.
Melody
Monday, September 21, 2009
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Bad Week
This last week has been very tough. I will start with the urgent and then recap. Mom called me this morning (Sunday) at 12:45, yes 12:45 (which means something is not right), and she had called an ambulance to take dad to the hospital. She called Aunt Charlene and Chuck to come take her to the hospital. Dad had fallen trying to get up in the middle of the night and he couldn't get back up. Mom couldn't help him up either so he crawled to the bathroom. He was very weak and so mom called for help.
Mom called me every couple of hours with the final phone call at about 6:30 am that they were going to admit him to the hospital. He still has an infection (I believe the same one he has had every time he lands in the hospital.) and they were giving him fluids. He couldn't walk on his own at first but after some rest and fluids they did finally get him to walk a few times.
RECAP: So, last weekend was moving day. Dad worked very hard trying to get things ready. Due to a volleyball tournament that Kaity had, we were not able to be there like we had originally planned. The tournament went from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (we won the championship game). Many people showed up to help move and clean the old apartment but it still took a toll on mom and dad. Emily and I headed to Portland from the tournament while Steve and Kaity went back home because Kaity had to work Sunday. Emily and I got there about 8:00 pm and worked until about 1:00 am trying to put things away and rearranging furniture to make the house more livable. Cable guy showed up an hour early than dad said he would so we were all in our pjs. I'm sure he went home to his family and said "You would not believe this house I was at today...." Anyway, dad was so exhausted he slept all day. He had planned on getting the computers hooked up and going but he couldn't even get off the couch. Emily and I had to leave at 12:30pm so she could be at work by 5:00pm. We tried to have them as settled as possible. The rest of the week was about the same. He got some things done but over did it.
Friday, September 18th was their 45th Anniversary but dad was too weak to really do anything. They made plans to go to Red Lobster on Sunday instead. By Saturday mom said he was not doing well. He kept thinking it was Sunday. While at Costco he thought they were somewhere else and he kept almost running into people with his cart. One lady had to jump out of his way or he would have run her over. When they went to bed, we was very cold and so mom had him all wrapped. That lead up to the ambulance ride to the hospital today. He is still there (at the hospital not in the ambulance).
When mom talked to him late this morning he wanted to know if she was coming to see him and then he just mumbled for minutes. After several attempts to talk to him, mom finally told him that she needed to rest and would call him later and hung up. Mom has spent all day in bed today just trying to recoup from the move as well. She has taken vicadin and it hasn't even touched the pain in her legs. She didn't get up to see dad but told him she would be there tomorrow. She is hoping to get off a bit early from work to do that. We don't know if he will be there for another night or if they will send him home. When mom talked to him later this evening he wasn't mumbling but was still a bit confused about the day. Mom is going to talk to the doctors about this infection that has been lingering for months. Obviously what they are doing isn't working. Every time he has been in the hospital he has an urinary tract infection. They need to change that course of treatment.
Sorry for the length of this update. If you are still with me at this point, you are a good friend or a relative, LOL!!! I will try and update tomorrow but this is another crazy week for my family. Please pray for mom and dad. There are so many needs: healing, physical, mental, emotional, financial.... The list seems endless and at times overwhelming to all of us.
Melody
PS. GOOD NEWS!! My uncle Rick, one of dad's brother's, is coming to see dad on October 1st from Michigan. That will be really good for my dad's spirit.
Mom called me every couple of hours with the final phone call at about 6:30 am that they were going to admit him to the hospital. He still has an infection (I believe the same one he has had every time he lands in the hospital.) and they were giving him fluids. He couldn't walk on his own at first but after some rest and fluids they did finally get him to walk a few times.
RECAP: So, last weekend was moving day. Dad worked very hard trying to get things ready. Due to a volleyball tournament that Kaity had, we were not able to be there like we had originally planned. The tournament went from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (we won the championship game). Many people showed up to help move and clean the old apartment but it still took a toll on mom and dad. Emily and I headed to Portland from the tournament while Steve and Kaity went back home because Kaity had to work Sunday. Emily and I got there about 8:00 pm and worked until about 1:00 am trying to put things away and rearranging furniture to make the house more livable. Cable guy showed up an hour early than dad said he would so we were all in our pjs. I'm sure he went home to his family and said "You would not believe this house I was at today...." Anyway, dad was so exhausted he slept all day. He had planned on getting the computers hooked up and going but he couldn't even get off the couch. Emily and I had to leave at 12:30pm so she could be at work by 5:00pm. We tried to have them as settled as possible. The rest of the week was about the same. He got some things done but over did it.
Friday, September 18th was their 45th Anniversary but dad was too weak to really do anything. They made plans to go to Red Lobster on Sunday instead. By Saturday mom said he was not doing well. He kept thinking it was Sunday. While at Costco he thought they were somewhere else and he kept almost running into people with his cart. One lady had to jump out of his way or he would have run her over. When they went to bed, we was very cold and so mom had him all wrapped. That lead up to the ambulance ride to the hospital today. He is still there (at the hospital not in the ambulance).
When mom talked to him late this morning he wanted to know if she was coming to see him and then he just mumbled for minutes. After several attempts to talk to him, mom finally told him that she needed to rest and would call him later and hung up. Mom has spent all day in bed today just trying to recoup from the move as well. She has taken vicadin and it hasn't even touched the pain in her legs. She didn't get up to see dad but told him she would be there tomorrow. She is hoping to get off a bit early from work to do that. We don't know if he will be there for another night or if they will send him home. When mom talked to him later this evening he wasn't mumbling but was still a bit confused about the day. Mom is going to talk to the doctors about this infection that has been lingering for months. Obviously what they are doing isn't working. Every time he has been in the hospital he has an urinary tract infection. They need to change that course of treatment.
Sorry for the length of this update. If you are still with me at this point, you are a good friend or a relative, LOL!!! I will try and update tomorrow but this is another crazy week for my family. Please pray for mom and dad. There are so many needs: healing, physical, mental, emotional, financial.... The list seems endless and at times overwhelming to all of us.
Melody
PS. GOOD NEWS!! My uncle Rick, one of dad's brother's, is coming to see dad on October 1st from Michigan. That will be really good for my dad's spirit.
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