Aug 15, 2014
More dips than ups actually. Two nights ago I reached my limit with the phone calls and the siblings. Kinda had a melt down. Then yesterday hit me pretty hard right in the heart.
Dad finally had his angiogram about 5PM Wednesday. He says he watched the entire procedure on the monitor. My brother was there when the Dr. came by afterwards. This is was he emailed me.
The guy who did the procedure said it was bad but not as bad as thought though lots of stuff was lumpy and bumpy but did not elaborate.
So I that to mean that things were better than worse. Not quite. Yesterday ( Thursday ) when a team of 5 MD’s came in, my sister very fortunately was there. She was let off work an hour early and for some reason came straight to the hospital and arrived mere moments before the Docs came by. One was the spokesman and was pretty blunt. Dad’s heart was in a very bad situation but it was too risky to operate, even with using the new trans catheter method, they the doctors could not justify it????????? Basically it was inferred that Dad had a choice of dying from likely a stroke due to his heart or from too much medication. They would increase his heparin so he could breathe and move but then he likely would have internal bleeding ( including his brain ). They also told him that he had to be moved to a less care area as his bed in the cardiac unit was for those who needed more care. In other words, they were telling him that there was nothing they could do for him.
Last night via my brothers’ cell phone on speaker mode ( yes everyone heard our very private conversation ) I had to go over the information with him and tell him that he was not going to get much better. Of course I gave a lot of support and suggestions but I had to be brutally honest so that he understood what lay ahead. My brother later told me that Dad’s face just fell listening to me. The important thing is that Dad wants to go home, not anywhere else. So it that is what he wants then that is want he is going to get.
So now today I am researching renting hospital beds and electric wheelchairs ( for easier mobility so as to not wear him out ). I also discussed with him, moving things around so that everything is in the same area of the condo. I’m thinking of moving his office to the living room area. It is a lovely condo with fabulous views but it had a lot of long hallways. Also things like getting another microwave that would be at counter level so he doesn’t have to reach up and then down with something hot in his hands. I told him that he has to wear his emergency pendant all the time or he would not be able to be on his own. He thinks that he can manage it all on his own, meals, showers, etc. Right now he can’t even get in and out of the hospital bed on his own nor lift his legs up onto the bed. I’m also thinking companion care for 2 -3 hours per day in addition to the home care visits or possibly a live in care person for a few months. I’m not sure that the research I did on assisted living is going to be used.
Just now my other sister called after visiting Dad and said that a Dr. has visited today and said that a team of MD’s has come up with a possible plan and that Dad should think about it over the weekend. What plan? Think about what? She didn’t ask and Dad didn’t know. The only thing she could tell me is that the guy in the other bed thought I did a good job explaining things to Dad last night! By the way I figured today that my father has been in hospital three months out of the last twelve, all related to falling. I think that that is a lot.
Speaking of roller coasters here is a shot from the late 80's, one of my helicopter flights with Colin.
We were living in Vancouver back then and were hired by the Port of Vancouver.. Colin still works for them even though we now live in Kelowna. He flies for them once or twice a year.
He did this shot the July 1st. It will be used to promote Vancouver around the world.
Just called the hospital to check on what the heck is going on with Dad. The roller coaster ride continues, he is now scheduled to have another test to confirm the severity of his heart problem. Based on that he may be having a valve replacement after all. Good news, bad news, who knows what it all means. I am officially on the chart as the “go to” person yet neither myself nor anyone else knows the que pasa of it all. One day at a time. Time for a glass of vino……
Sorry for the long paragraph, don’t know why, it looks okay before I hit the publish button. Oh well at least you got a post, I don’t have time to play with it.
Aug 11, 2014
These shots were taken last night.
No cropping, no editing whatsoever.
I couldn’t believe that I had 150 shots still in my camera. I guess I’m managing to take the photos but not get them downloaded nor posted. Hopefully I will be able to start spending more time on the computer. I saw my eye doctor last Friday and the good news is that my eye is greatly improved so now I am tapering off of the steroid eye drops and will continue with the others. It is great news as I was concerned about my eyesight. Our highs of 95F continue as does the smoke in the air. This is a very unusual summer with the weeks on end of heat. Many regional parks have been shut down to protect them from fire. Just too many careless people out there.
I so appreciate your comments and emails about my Dad. Thanks to the world of technology that we live in I am receiving photos of my Dad on a daily basis. It really helps me stay connected and makes me realize how frail he has become since I last saw him the end of April. Sadly I have to tell you that my father had yet another fall, Friday lunchtime, this time right next to his hospital bed. He was trying to put his lunch tray away without using his walker. He likes everything to be just so and very tidy. Needless to say he was rushed to X-ray and he has no broken bones but he certainly is sore and shaken up and his breathing has been affected. My youngest sister Lise arrived just as he was taken away to X-ray and threw a very loud conniption fit. Not helpful at all.
Fortunately she called me and continued her rant and I was able to find about the fall. I called the charge nurse and apologized on behalf of the family for her behavior ( she just wasn’t thinking and erupted ). At that point I finally was able to speak with an MD. He didn’t apologize but said there was nothing to report to me or the family until that afternoon so he didn’t bother to call me back. We had a long 45 minute chat and I got all the facts. Dad needs open heart surgery to have a valve replaced but he could not withstand the surgery. Three heart specialists consulted and came to the conclusion that he may be a candidate for a new procedure. Trans catheter aortic heart valve replacement has only been performed throughout the world since 2012. There are only so many hospitals in Canada and the USA that do this. Fortunately there is a team of 3 heart surgeons that do this in Edmonton at the University of Alberta Hospital. Dad would need to be transferred there but first he needs to have an angiogram to see if he is a candidate for the procedure. Needless to say there are many risks involved plus Dad’s lungs and renal impairment may prohibit the procedure. The first step is the angiogram which was scheduled for today which has not happened yet. After that there will be many consults between the medical team and finally one with Dad and the family when a decision will be made.
As you can see I have been fairly busy. Fortunately I am able to keep our business running at the same time. Some of you feel that I should just drop everything and fly to Edmonton. I see that as a waste of my time, I can continue to be constructive here until such time that I will fly to see my Dad. Right now sitting at his bedside waiting for tests and consults can take another week. Once a medical decision has been made then I will go. We have no idea how long the wait will take for a transfer to the other hospital. If it is 2 -3 weeks and Dad is going to stay where he is while waiting then there is no need for me to rush there right now. However if they send Dad home, then I will be on the next plane. I don’t think he can stay on his own. Enough for now, back to work. Thanks for checking in. I am trying to get back to my daily posts but family comes first. For instance I received 2 calls and 10 emails from my brother yesterday so my time is limited.
Aug 07, 2014
Thank you faithful readers for sticking with me during my difficulties. I truly appreciate your comments and many emails. I do promise to reply to all of your emails as time permits.
A week ago, Big White ( one of our ski hills ) was named the best international family ski resort by readers of an Australian magazine.
Today USA Today, announced the results of a one month poll conducted online and the Okanagan ( the region of BC where I live ) was voted the second best wine region to visit in the world. The entire article can be found here. What an honor. Maybe you ought to come visit me.
I knew there was a reason I like wine 🙂
We have had a number of small wildfire started and contained over the past few weeks. Today a new one started about 2:30PM and it is right next to the main highway that runs through town. The fire is so close to the road that it is obvious that a tossed cigarette was the cause.
Will people never learn? All of B.C. is experiencing above normal temperatures. It is hot and dry and 88F at 7:30PM.
DAD UPDATE:
He is still undergoing tests while remaining in the cardiac unit of the Royal Alex Hospital. He has had a rough few days including a visit from 2 surgeons at 2:30AM to discuss his possible surgery. What surgery? News to us the family. Can you imagine waking an 84 year old up at that time and having a major discussion without him having his hearing aid in?
Is was also discovered that his hemoglobin was extremely low. Normal is 178 and his was 76. He received at least 2 pints of blood and possibly 4. No one seems to know. Then he was whisked away to some corner of the hospital where 1.5 liters/50.7 ounces of fluid was removed from one lung. What you need to know is that he saw his family MD last Monday and a lung specialist last Tuesday ( the very next day ) and no concerns or alarms were raised. Are they MD’s blind or stupid? Apparently he is currently getting numerous tests per day. Despite the fact that the family has been asked to be updated and that someone be with Dad who can takes notes when these things are discussed is not happening and is problematic. I have a very strong request to speak with an MD tomorrow morning for an update. No one has spoken to an MD other than myself last Sunday morning and he seemed concerned that Dad has 3 major problems, heart, lungs and anemia not to mention other secondary issues. All three of my siblings have been to the hospital daily, but no medical personnel is able to communicate with them. Meanwhile I am preparing to fly to Edmonton when needed and stay as long as necessary. I am getting our business caught up and all of our affairs in order so that Colin can continue to do what is needed with some direction from me by phone. We are still taking things one day at a time but hopefully we will be getting some answers soon.
Colin did a photo shoot a few weeks ago where he was paid 50% currency and 50% wine. Makes me happy for sure 😛 Anything to help get me through the next few days.
Aug 03, 2014
Woke up to this, lots of haze due to the heat.
After 12 plus hours in emergency Dad was admitted to the cardiac unit last evening. They finally cleaned him of all the blood and gave him something to eat and drink. I believe my brother stayed with him till he fell asleep. I just found out that he is on blood transfusions plus extra heparin. Not sure why exactly. Fortunately my sister is meeting an MD at 9:00AM tomorrow which is fantastic being as this is a long weekend so we will have a better idea of what is happening.
Thank you all, each and everyone of you for your comments, thoughts and support. Croft made an interesting comment about a stubborn senior who choose to lay on the floor for 48 hours rather than call 911. Nancy suggested that I fly home and deal with this as it would be easier than spending so much time on the phone. I wish it were that easy. Right now I am in the middle of my eye treatment and see the doctor in the 8th and it is too expensive to fly back and forth every few days. Right now we will wait to see what the prognosis is and then make a decision. I personally believe that Dad may be going straight into a home from hospital but what type of home? Can he even manage in assisted living at this point? I hope I’m wrong but I expect that he will be in the cardiac unit for a bit and then be moved to the Glenrose Rehab Hospital where he will be assessed as to where he will be able to go to. Once we have some idea of which direction things are going then I will fly there and likely stay weeks to months. His home will have to be cleared out and put up for sale, etc. as well of course as finding him a place to live and arranging for me to take over his financial affairs. By the time this comes to pass all three siblings will be back at work and the job will fall to me. Of course somehow I will have to keep our business up and running. One day at a time.
It wasn’t quite overly hot this morning ( down to 90F now ) and we decided to so something different. In fact it’s been over 4 years since we went kayaking. It was so nice for me to be able to actually get out onto the water instead of just looking at it. I definitely need to build up my arms, I only lasted about 45 minutes.
I didn't get many photos as I had my camera in the whatever you call the watertight tub which was between my legs, under a dog bed and with Caeli on top of it. She was somewhat panicked at first and then crawled up to the front and rode there. I kept her leash under my thigh so I could grab it if she went overboard. We are going to get them life jackets and I need to get a smaller one. Mine kept impeding my paddling and I ended up dripping water all over me.
It was a nice break. Next time we have to head out earlier because of the heat. Carmeh is sitting in front of Colin. These photos were taken with my old, old old camera as I didn't want to risk getting my new one wet. I never fell getting in or our but somehow I ended up with wet underwear 🙂
Just found out that Dad cancelled the phone and TV that was ordered for him. Too cheap or too stubborn to accept help or perhaps he thinks he is going home tomorrow 😐
Aug 02, 2014
Where has July disappeared to? How can August be here already? Apart from my ongoing eye issue, July has been a blur of phone calls and research. I seem to spend at least five hours per day sorting things out for my Dad. My sister in Edmonton is hands on and I am the one making the calls and assessing things from here. I just hate getting the run around from one government agency after another. “Sorry that is not my department, try calling this number” and it goes on and on for hours. Then there are the calls to actual Assisted Living Homes that after leaving 4 messages they still don’t return my call not to mention that depending with who you speak to you get an entirely different answer. This has become my ‘job’ as Dad has become frailer and frailer. He went to the Glenrose Rehab Hospital mid May in order to learn new ways to help him be able to remain at home. He came home with very little energy or motivation. Prior to his five plus weeks there he was able to drive, grocery shop, cook, do laundry and go to medical appointments on his own. Since mid June he can’t and is too tired to even try. He doesn’t want to discuss much, always procrastinating. Well here we are six weeks later and is just seems to be getting worse. My sister, Lise, can barely get him in and out of the van as she drives him to appointments. He can’t get his shoes on by himself nor change his clothes without becoming exhausted. She is a teacher and goes back to school the third week of August, so who will care for him?
We arranged for an emergency meeting at his home with his Health Care case worker and a respiratory therapist just last Wednesday. I spoke to them at length from here. They also did an onsite assessment and determined that he has declined a level in the past 2 week. However it is believed that he can continue to stay in his home with extra home care for a while yet. The big thing was that he accepted the extra care and also agreed to do some tours of Assisted Living Homes and to actually put a deposit down on a few.
This was supposed to be my post for yesterday but life interfered. I wasn’t going to mention my Dad at length but it got away from me. I had planned to add some fun stuff. By the way I do try to keep up on all of your blogs, those of you who write them and try to leave the odd message. How I miss my daily routine!
When the phone rings just after 6 in the morning it is not usually a good thing. Dad had fallen. In trying to piece it all together it seems that he got up to go the the bathroom, feel asleep on the toilet and woke up disoriented. In rising he fell, hitting his head on some shelving. He was unconscious for over an hour, perhaps longer. No he did not have his ER call pendant around his neck and no he did not use his walker. We talk to him each and everyday about these very things. Somehow he managed to crawl through the bathroom to his bedside table where he reached up to the phone and called Lise. ” I fell and can’t get up.” It took her about 15- 20 minutes to get there and one look had her calling 911 for an ambulance. The bathroom floor was covered in coagulated blood, he was covered in it and his head was still bleeding. Why are the elderly so stubborn? Why did he not just push the pendant for help which was on the night table next to the phone?
He has been in Emergency for 9 hours now. The usual tests have been done and the good news is that his head & brain, despite having a dent in it ( just like when you get a dent in your car ) are alright. No internal bleeding. The bad news is that he has a heart problem which could have caused all of the symptoms that he has been experiencing since early June. He will eventually be admitted once they find a bed for him and hope that it will be in the cardiac unit. More research on my part shows that surgery won’t help his problem.
Do you have any idea how very frustrated I am? So many things that I have suggested over the past several months were not listened to. Sigh!!!!!!!! I’m just sitting here waiting for news from the hospital. Will I have to fly there in the next few days? Will we be able to even go to Mexico this winter? Right now I have lots of questions and no answers.
Sorry to just ramble but it simply came out……now to put a smile on your face and mine.
