Dad tonight-Sept. 5th

 

Well, this person is somebody I know well. He is my Father. He gave me life, and I am genetically 50% him. I love him completely, and feel SO VERY SAD at what he has to go through now. I KNOW there is a reason (because my parents taught me so) why this must all be happening, but I am really struggling to understand it. My mind keeps saying, "GIVE THE GUY A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

 

So, my update tonight is this. I went to the "hospital" he is in, and his care is much improved from last night. He is in the ICU at Kindred Hospital in Westminister, and now he has a 1 nurse/2 patient ratio. He is getting some respiratory care (although his breathing seemed very labored to me...and the nurse commented on the same), and his rash seems much better due to a medication change and specific medication for his itching. The nurse told me tonight that the "main" Dr. had ordered a derm. evaluation but the derm. Dr. for that facility was "on vacation" until Sept. 17th (12 days from now) and that in the meantime they would give Dad a med for itching and stop the antibiotic that they believe is causing the problem.

Okay...good. Dad is not itching at this moment, and says he is comfortable. What I think about the 12 day lag time for an elderly person to be evaluated in a "acute skilled nursing facility" I will leave for another day. If I go into that now I think I might bust an artery.

 

So Dad's update is this: he is having trouble breathing, but is not on a respirator. His arms are tied down (to the point of an altercation with today's "day" nurse, because he is trying to pull out tubes, and if he pulled out his chest tube it could be life threatning) and he does not like this (who would?). He is still having some major memory/hallucination problems and demonstrated that tonight with visions of Mom visiting him today and requests to buy some major businesses with "all his money in the bank". So this concerns me, more than I can say.

 

I left this hospital tonight with what I felt was...for the first time in my life...an anxiety attack. Could not breathe, hands shaking, feeling like I would be sick. I do feel like Dad is getting the care he needs, but also worry that he is suffering, and that it may not be enough.


God's will be done.

I'll update tomorrow.
Stef