5C's Que Pasa

Late yesterday a bedside chest x- ray was done as were 3 sets of blood work, 2 within 90 minutes.  He had a fever of 103F and extremely low blood pressure.  An IV was started and antibiotics administered.  It wasn’t confirmed until this morning ( Wed. AM ) that he had pneumonia but I suspected ).  He remained confused and just slept.  The fever broke at 12:40AM, I know as I was called.  My youngest sister stayed the night with him and I arrived at 6:00AM to take over.  Having just done a 9 hour day, then a 12 hour day and another 9 hour day I just knew I could not spend the night and she wanted to. I keep joking with the unit clerk that I was going to put in for overtime.  I have no idea where I got the energy to do as much as I did way back in my nursing days.  

He was much more lucid early this morning and by noon he seemed more like himself.  Seems that the gravol they gave him one hour prior to eating made him loopy and very very sleepy.  That combined with the pneumonia really threw Dad for a loop.  I knew that he was not doing well and in fact had almost stopped eating by last Thursday. That is why he was getting the gravol so he would not be nauseated and would eat. I could hear him drowning in the fluid of his lungs.  In addition to the draining last Thursday they did it again this past Monday morning.  I have been privileged to have been accepted by both Dad’s doctor and the nursing staff and have been included in all decision making.  The doctor feels certain he can get Dad up to par again.  I am not so certain as Dad has lost a lot of weight and seems to be a shadow of himself. But I have to say that by afternoon even though he was extremely weak and frail he was joking with the nurses.  My sister who did the supper shift said he was confused when he awoke from his afternoon nap.  Hopefully tomorrow morning I will find  Dad more energized.  The staff have been so great to him and to me.

A few weeks ago I asked for some input on how to get Dad TV in his new room.  They are moving the entire ward to a renovated area but there is no wiring for television which is about all that Dad can do beside read the newspaper.  By the way the move has been delayed a week as they can’t get the call bells functioning so he won’t be moving until Nov. 3rd.  Anyway, Croft came up with the simplest solution.  Thanks to the others for their input.  I went to Future Shop and bought a brand new digital 32″ Panasonic TV and what they call a flat box antenna.  You just have to plug the TV in, plug the antenna thingy into the TV and place it near the window.  It is supposed to pick up TV stations from pinging satellites or something like that.  The only thing is that you have no idea how many or which stations you will get until you try it.  Best part of all is that if Dad doesn’t like what he gets I can just take it all back to Future Shop within 30 days for a full refund.  Only problem is, is that the entire system has to be ‘approved’ by hospital maintenance first.  Fortunately they are supposed to pick up the system from me this week.  So we shall see.  It is certainly an easy solution and the antenna is only $49.00 so the cost of the TV is the big expense.

I’ve been up for 16 hours so I have to say adios and go to bed.  Tomorrow will be another long day and thanks to you all it will be a better day.  Your thoughts, prayers and support mean so much.

For those that mentioned just telling Dad that he could go, we did and will do it again when the time comes.  He has no recollection of yesterday at all.  He has fought death and won so many times in the past that he is certain to do it again.  He has so much support.  One of the cardiac care nurses came at 1AM and again at 7:30AM to check on Dad during his crisis.  He came to care for Dad very much in the short time he cared for Dad.  That is just the type of person my Dad is, everyone loves him.

It has been a very bad 6 – 7 days. I told Dad last Friday that I was done with the business end of things. Saturday he asked me to write his obituary. I gave it to him Monday AM and about 2 hours later he became worse. Tuesday AM he was worse again and now very late Tuesday things are not good.

I ask for prayers or thoughts sent to whatever higher power you believe in or entity. I and the family support his decision to leave us as it seems to be his desire ( as per a conversation with my sister Sat. PM ). He has no future so if this is what he wants that is alright with us.

I just ask that you send out thoughts to God, the Universe or what ever entity you believe in, that he is without pain and peaceful.

Someone has been with him since 7:30AM Tuesday when I arrived and will be be until I return at 6AM Wednesday. Hour by hour is how we will go. There is still a slight possibility that this is because of a reaction to a new medication and he will rebound.

…yes for the first time since Chris & Juan left in early June I have gone off the deep end. I went off my diet! Ay carumba!!! And I can’t stop. I had a fish burger at 4PM and now at 10:30PM I am eating pizza. Well it is a small wee tiny thing ( that is half eaten ) cooked with the intention of providing Dad with a tasty lunch tomorrow. In fact it is so tasty that I want to eat it all.

Yesterday I was at the hospital for 9 hours and today I did my first ever 12 hour shift. I am beyond exhausted and HUNGRY.

I am also frustrated that I can no longer make blog comments, not do a proper post myself with photos, or get Goggle map directions ( but I did manage to find the place with a real map, no GPS for me or my family.

Oops, I am referring to driving from the hospital and back yesterday ( Friday ) almost into the downtown core to Future Shop to get Dad a new TV and antenna set up for his new room. More about that another time.

This posting is going weird on me. I am using Safari on an iMac with a 10 year old software system that I can’t update due to a lack of password.

I am struggling to compose this as it is breaking up into weird letters on my screen…hang in there with me if there are errors.

FYI I stopped at the fish burger ( not worth going off diet for ) and 3 pieces of pizza ( worth going off diet for ).

3 days ago Dad’s private space was violated with a new patient. He came into ER and they had no place to put him. Suddenly Dad’s area diminished by 50%.
He was not happy but at least I was there to help him with the transition. The beds were about 10 inches apart and I do have the photos to prove it. I won’t go into details but it obviously was going to be difficult plus we could not have a conversation.

I called Megan, my trustee unit in charge person. I mentioned certain non safety issues as well as coming in Friday am at 7:30 AM and seeing Dad in distress with his call bottom laying under the bed!!! So bit by bit I planted a few seeds and I really still can’t believe it, but not 8 minutes later Megan mentioned that she was moving Dad’s room mate OUT to another bed and that Dad’s private room status would be honored.

So happy that I seem to have that knack. When I told Dad he smiled. He has had a very bad past 3 days.

His left lung has been filling with fluid and the doctor kept waiting to get it drained, he wanted to see how bad it was going to get. Dad was drowning in his own fluid and was feeling horrible. His lung was drained at the end of the day and a permanent tube was inserted so that from now on the fluid can be syringed out as needed daily or weekly or whatever works to keep him comfortable. It has taken me six weeks of begging to have it inserted. It had been suggested by the cardiac specialist the end of August but his new MD is over cautious. It takes Dad about 4 days to get over the draining and now it will be so much easier on him. FYI they took out 1.5 litres, enough to make anyone feel sick.

I started this post Friday night and am just finishing it now Saturday morning at 6:00AM which is why the tenses are mixed up but at least you are getting a post. I hear on the radio that the weather is remaining way above average, however that does me no good as I am inside from 7:30AM and by the time I get back to the condo anywhere from 2:30 PM to 7:00PM I am still sorting out paperwork. Just one big box left to go.

Adios for today, it’s time to head out. Can’t remember the last time I have had to drive in the dark.

…..I now have a problem with some functions of this computer. I will get back to all your emails, eventually. When I take a break from doing Dad’s paperwork I read blogs, however something is preventing me from making a comment, so just know that I am hovering out here even if you don’t hear from me.

Meanwhile I think I am in the right place at the right time:)

Well, well…..my entire blog dashboard is gone, I can’t add a photo. I was going to show you the difference in temps between here in usually cold Edmonton and back home in Kelowna. Fortunately for me it is about 8 degrees (in Centigrade ) warmer than normal here so I am not yet freezing.

Let’s see if this will publish….darn I hate it when I have no control over my own postings.

…most especially being able to have this extra time with my Dad.

Our reunion yesterday afternoon.

Canadian Thanksgiving that is.