emailed hospital reports Fri-Mon
FRIDAY
They are keeping dad in a sedation coma, he is still intubated (entubated?) but he did seem to respond to Mom's voice and would relax if she spoke to him. He was restless while the physio lady was there moving his arms and legs but settled again after she was done. We stayed for a while and chatted at him, he seemed to go into a deeper relaxed sleep and so we left then.
The kidney doctor came in while we were there, he looks about twelve. He was realistic but cautiously hopeful, warned that dialysis is not a miracle cure for anything, but they will start it in the next couple of days. He gives dad about a 30% chance of surviving this disaster, but that is many more percentage points better than he had yesterday. Dad seems to be doing a little better, he is off the blood preassure things and is holding a steady pressure for now, but still cannot breathe on his own, well, if my lungs were full of MRSA, I guess I wouldn't be breathing either.
ICU is interesting, it is a locked ward in the Casper hospital and we had to put on gowns over our clothes and wear gloves. I resisted the urge to pretend to search for evidence like a CopShow. (though I think dad would have thought it was funny if I did, he likes the same copshows I do)
Mostly, it was just scary and depressing and my siblings still acting like idjits really doesn't help. Oh well, can't live with them, can't bury them in the back pasture.
I don't have any idea when I am going to be able to leave here, since I have no vehicle, I am kind of trapped at the moment. I think I would like to trade this life in for an updated model, maybe with power windows and a radio that works, really. Or just one where my parents don't try to die twice a year, ok?
Yes, I know this is what happens when years pass and we don't have paintings in our attics. I get that. I don't have to like it.
Thank you all for the good thoughts and support. I hope tomorrow brings some more encouraging news on the DadHealthFront. He did look better than I expected, but he is not even near the edge of the woods, let alone out of them.
Brightest Blessings and much love
S3
SATURDAY
Dad's still in ICU, still in a sedation coma and still has tubes breathing and eating for him but is now critical but stable rather than critical and with one foot in the grave. His blood is still too thin to do any procedures on him like draining the fluid out of his lungs or operating on the broken ankle/foot. We didn't stay for long as there were a LOT of people there (two sets of my sibling/spouse combo) and he gets agitated when there are that many people in the room with him. He had a good night the nurse said and he seems to at least not be losing ground. They are not starting dialysis yet, which is actually a good sign because that means he doesn't need it right now.
My truck is stuck in Cheyenne until next Friday, but the lovely guys at the shop are going to keep it in their parking lot until then. My cousin is going to get it on his flatbed and take it to his house and then, well, we'll see what happens after that.
Mom is in better spirits and actually got some sleep last night, so that is very good. She's still worn out but I think that she is feeling more hopeful now, and that is a big help.
Today is their 28th wedding anniversary. It is 75 degrees here today, VERY unseasonably warm considering when they got married it was in a blizzard. Go figure.
That concludes the Hospital Report for today. Still no idea when I can leave here, good thing I brought all my laundry with me, I might need it.
More reports as they happen, right here on FamilySagaChannel.
Thank you again for everything.
Much love and Brightest Blessings.
S3
SUNDAY
Remember I said yeterday was mom&dad's anniversary and how it was 75 degrees and 28 years ago they were married in a blizzard?
Woke up to snow on the ground today. Not going anywhere, us.
Phone calls to the hospital today report that they did take dad off the sedation but he is not really waking up. They did a million tests including catscans and ultrasounds and lots of bloodwork as well as draining the lung of the fluid that has been causing issues. Results of tests should be in late today. That is pretty much all the news for today, I hope for better news after the test results are in. In the meantime, we are holed up at home warm and out of the snow.
S3
SUNDAY STILL
So the tests came back and the doctor hasn't called mom and didn't talk to my brother and sister who were up at the hospital, but they have NOT drained his lungs and they HAVE put him back on blood thinner, which means that they will have to continue to wait to drain as they can't while he is on the thinner, but if they found a clot they would have to put him back on the blood thinner. This is not good. Lona says that he never opened his eyes but would respond with a nod when the nurses addressed him and that he was very weak when holding her hand.
Mom and I are still holed up in the snowbound house. Her chest was tight today and she didn't feel very good, but she ate some and took her meds and checked her blood pressure and blood sugar and all the things that she can check. She sneezed up (TMI HERE SORRY!) a blood clot, but the doctor warned her that she might even months later after the almost bleeding to death/close to stroke incident a few months ago, so she is being careful to get her meds on time and things.
Tonight we are actually making some dinner and watching a movie, though neither of us actually knows how to run the remote controls on the TV as that is Dad's job. It could be a laugh riot in here in an hour or so. But then, when is life here not a comedy of errors?
I was reading the local paper today and on the front page was a write up about the high school musical, a review of 80s fashion and music telling the tale of jocks and nerds in an 80s high school setting. I feel very old now. Also, glad my kids are out of school now as if I had to go see that at the school, well, flashbacks are a bitch, no?
(and yes you may all laugh at me now for being so young. *sticks tongue out at you all* I apologized to my mother for all the 50s/60s dances I went to in high school and thinking it was so cool to be retro. Huh. How little things actually change, yes?)
My niece stopped by today (one of my little kids! engaged to be married! Yike!) and I gave her the sexay nightie I got her(for her honeymoon) in the French Quarter. She seemed happy with it and not at all scandalized. That was good.
I hear mom banging about in the kitchen, so I am going up to see if I can get in the way. Cheeseburgers and fried green tomato slices have been promised for dinner. Yum.
Thank you all for your continued good thoughts, and yes Miss Sparky, we are eating and sleeping in regular intervals.
Love and thanks,
S3
MONDAY
So the snow is being blown to Nebraska, which is all good in my opinion as I went off and left my coat at home, I know you didn't think I actually owned one did you? Tomorrow is supposed to be "60&60" that is 60 degrees and 60 mile an hour wind. Oh yay. The wind tonight was ugly and mom's jeep isn't that high off the ground, I am sure glad I never had any desire to drive a semi.
Yes, I am kind of in avoidance tonight. Dad never really was awake today, though they did take him off the sedative and did a bunch more tests, none of the results are back yet. It took them all damn day to decide to put in a permanent port for the dialysis, and finally got him down to drain gunk from his lungs, though I am not sure they ever did get that done. (and looking on the bright side here, it is a damn good thing he broke his foot as otherwise the MRSA would have eaten him alive and it wouldn't have been caught at all)
The dialysis machine freaked mom out. She knew it was going to happen (they had discussed that at the doctor's back before the foot breaking fall in the bath) but she was really not ready to actually see the machine all hooked up and filtering his blood. And it is not helped at all by him being unconsious and unresponsive all day today. He didn't even squeeze her hand today which he had been doing. The doctor's tell us that he is improving bit by bit, but are still pretty cautious with the survival chance percentages. I keep reminding mom that his CB handle is Old Rugged for a reason. (his last name is Cross. Yeah, it might have started out as a clever pun, but he'd better live up to it now)
I am still privately unsure which is worse, the car wreck that took my biological father so suddenly or this slow sad decline that is painful to watch. Both equally suck, that is all I have to say.
Mom and I pretty much swing between utter dispair and then giggling hysterically at some stupid thing just to ease the tension. Happily we seem to be on the same cycle of that swinging, otherwise it might be really grating. Also, we have a tendancy to tell stories, she has been telling me all kinds of stories of things that happened when she was a kid. I listen and am grateful to be here to listen to them, that she remembers them to tell them to me, and wish that I could taperecord them for later, as I never remember the details later.
I have mostly become numb, which from the outside either looks like indifference or strength, depending on who is observing. And then later, alone, the weight of this hits and I feel crushed under the heavy rock of life as I have always known it changing and not in ways I like. Knowing that I cannot change the flow of these events does not keep me from railing against the reality of that inability to change things.
Mom saw the first robin of Spring today, it made her happy. I silently hope for it to be a positive omen of something turning out for the better soon.
Thank you for your continued good thoughts.
Brightest Blessings
S3
They are keeping dad in a sedation coma, he is still intubated (entubated?) but he did seem to respond to Mom's voice and would relax if she spoke to him. He was restless while the physio lady was there moving his arms and legs but settled again after she was done. We stayed for a while and chatted at him, he seemed to go into a deeper relaxed sleep and so we left then.
The kidney doctor came in while we were there, he looks about twelve. He was realistic but cautiously hopeful, warned that dialysis is not a miracle cure for anything, but they will start it in the next couple of days. He gives dad about a 30% chance of surviving this disaster, but that is many more percentage points better than he had yesterday. Dad seems to be doing a little better, he is off the blood preassure things and is holding a steady pressure for now, but still cannot breathe on his own, well, if my lungs were full of MRSA, I guess I wouldn't be breathing either.
ICU is interesting, it is a locked ward in the Casper hospital and we had to put on gowns over our clothes and wear gloves. I resisted the urge to pretend to search for evidence like a CopShow. (though I think dad would have thought it was funny if I did, he likes the same copshows I do)
Mostly, it was just scary and depressing and my siblings still acting like idjits really doesn't help. Oh well, can't live with them, can't bury them in the back pasture.
I don't have any idea when I am going to be able to leave here, since I have no vehicle, I am kind of trapped at the moment. I think I would like to trade this life in for an updated model, maybe with power windows and a radio that works, really. Or just one where my parents don't try to die twice a year, ok?
Yes, I know this is what happens when years pass and we don't have paintings in our attics. I get that. I don't have to like it.
Thank you all for the good thoughts and support. I hope tomorrow brings some more encouraging news on the DadHealthFront. He did look better than I expected, but he is not even near the edge of the woods, let alone out of them.
Brightest Blessings and much love
S3
SATURDAY
Dad's still in ICU, still in a sedation coma and still has tubes breathing and eating for him but is now critical but stable rather than critical and with one foot in the grave. His blood is still too thin to do any procedures on him like draining the fluid out of his lungs or operating on the broken ankle/foot. We didn't stay for long as there were a LOT of people there (two sets of my sibling/spouse combo) and he gets agitated when there are that many people in the room with him. He had a good night the nurse said and he seems to at least not be losing ground. They are not starting dialysis yet, which is actually a good sign because that means he doesn't need it right now.
My truck is stuck in Cheyenne until next Friday, but the lovely guys at the shop are going to keep it in their parking lot until then. My cousin is going to get it on his flatbed and take it to his house and then, well, we'll see what happens after that.
Mom is in better spirits and actually got some sleep last night, so that is very good. She's still worn out but I think that she is feeling more hopeful now, and that is a big help.
Today is their 28th wedding anniversary. It is 75 degrees here today, VERY unseasonably warm considering when they got married it was in a blizzard. Go figure.
That concludes the Hospital Report for today. Still no idea when I can leave here, good thing I brought all my laundry with me, I might need it.
More reports as they happen, right here on FamilySagaChannel.
Thank you again for everything.
Much love and Brightest Blessings.
S3
SUNDAY
Remember I said yeterday was mom&dad's anniversary and how it was 75 degrees and 28 years ago they were married in a blizzard?
Woke up to snow on the ground today. Not going anywhere, us.
Phone calls to the hospital today report that they did take dad off the sedation but he is not really waking up. They did a million tests including catscans and ultrasounds and lots of bloodwork as well as draining the lung of the fluid that has been causing issues. Results of tests should be in late today. That is pretty much all the news for today, I hope for better news after the test results are in. In the meantime, we are holed up at home warm and out of the snow.
S3
SUNDAY STILL
So the tests came back and the doctor hasn't called mom and didn't talk to my brother and sister who were up at the hospital, but they have NOT drained his lungs and they HAVE put him back on blood thinner, which means that they will have to continue to wait to drain as they can't while he is on the thinner, but if they found a clot they would have to put him back on the blood thinner. This is not good. Lona says that he never opened his eyes but would respond with a nod when the nurses addressed him and that he was very weak when holding her hand.
Mom and I are still holed up in the snowbound house. Her chest was tight today and she didn't feel very good, but she ate some and took her meds and checked her blood pressure and blood sugar and all the things that she can check. She sneezed up (TMI HERE SORRY!) a blood clot, but the doctor warned her that she might even months later after the almost bleeding to death/close to stroke incident a few months ago, so she is being careful to get her meds on time and things.
Tonight we are actually making some dinner and watching a movie, though neither of us actually knows how to run the remote controls on the TV as that is Dad's job. It could be a laugh riot in here in an hour or so. But then, when is life here not a comedy of errors?
I was reading the local paper today and on the front page was a write up about the high school musical, a review of 80s fashion and music telling the tale of jocks and nerds in an 80s high school setting. I feel very old now. Also, glad my kids are out of school now as if I had to go see that at the school, well, flashbacks are a bitch, no?
(and yes you may all laugh at me now for being so young. *sticks tongue out at you all* I apologized to my mother for all the 50s/60s dances I went to in high school and thinking it was so cool to be retro. Huh. How little things actually change, yes?)
My niece stopped by today (one of my little kids! engaged to be married! Yike!) and I gave her the sexay nightie I got her(for her honeymoon) in the French Quarter. She seemed happy with it and not at all scandalized. That was good.
I hear mom banging about in the kitchen, so I am going up to see if I can get in the way. Cheeseburgers and fried green tomato slices have been promised for dinner. Yum.
Thank you all for your continued good thoughts, and yes Miss Sparky, we are eating and sleeping in regular intervals.
Love and thanks,
S3
MONDAY
So the snow is being blown to Nebraska, which is all good in my opinion as I went off and left my coat at home, I know you didn't think I actually owned one did you? Tomorrow is supposed to be "60&60" that is 60 degrees and 60 mile an hour wind. Oh yay. The wind tonight was ugly and mom's jeep isn't that high off the ground, I am sure glad I never had any desire to drive a semi.
Yes, I am kind of in avoidance tonight. Dad never really was awake today, though they did take him off the sedative and did a bunch more tests, none of the results are back yet. It took them all damn day to decide to put in a permanent port for the dialysis, and finally got him down to drain gunk from his lungs, though I am not sure they ever did get that done. (and looking on the bright side here, it is a damn good thing he broke his foot as otherwise the MRSA would have eaten him alive and it wouldn't have been caught at all)
The dialysis machine freaked mom out. She knew it was going to happen (they had discussed that at the doctor's back before the foot breaking fall in the bath) but she was really not ready to actually see the machine all hooked up and filtering his blood. And it is not helped at all by him being unconsious and unresponsive all day today. He didn't even squeeze her hand today which he had been doing. The doctor's tell us that he is improving bit by bit, but are still pretty cautious with the survival chance percentages. I keep reminding mom that his CB handle is Old Rugged for a reason. (his last name is Cross. Yeah, it might have started out as a clever pun, but he'd better live up to it now)
I am still privately unsure which is worse, the car wreck that took my biological father so suddenly or this slow sad decline that is painful to watch. Both equally suck, that is all I have to say.
Mom and I pretty much swing between utter dispair and then giggling hysterically at some stupid thing just to ease the tension. Happily we seem to be on the same cycle of that swinging, otherwise it might be really grating. Also, we have a tendancy to tell stories, she has been telling me all kinds of stories of things that happened when she was a kid. I listen and am grateful to be here to listen to them, that she remembers them to tell them to me, and wish that I could taperecord them for later, as I never remember the details later.
I have mostly become numb, which from the outside either looks like indifference or strength, depending on who is observing. And then later, alone, the weight of this hits and I feel crushed under the heavy rock of life as I have always known it changing and not in ways I like. Knowing that I cannot change the flow of these events does not keep me from railing against the reality of that inability to change things.
Mom saw the first robin of Spring today, it made her happy. I silently hope for it to be a positive omen of something turning out for the better soon.
Thank you for your continued good thoughts.
Brightest Blessings
S3