Update on what is going with my father
I haven't posted here much about what is going on because it's been a very tough few months here with my father. He just turned 80 on March 8 and is near later stage Alzheimer's. He took a pretty bad downward turn over Christmas, to point we could no longer leave him alone and it's been a steady decline since. My brother and I have re-arranged our work schedules to be at home with him because Daddy makes too much money for services, but actually doesn't really make enough to pay outright for them. It's been frustrating to say the least.
Thursday morning he took a nasty fall in his bathroom around 5am. I'm not sure what caused the fall itself, because he was okay the evening before when he went to bed. It was discovered when he went to the ER that he has a heart arrhythmia, but miraculously he didn't break anything and apparently didn't have a stroke. He seemed okay when we saw him that evening. The arrhythmia had seemed to right itself, although his blood pressure was a little wacky. The doctor figured it was because he hadn't had his meds.
It seems that he had gotten worse yesterday. They are having trouble getting his blood pressure under control and his heart is erratic. Steve said he was really out of his mind yesterday when he saw him. I didn't go because I worked, went to the grocery store, and I just needed a day to decompress where I didn't have to worry about what my father was doing, where he was going, etc.
Most likely selfish, but I've been on call with him 24/7 for a very long time now. Years basically, but really intensive in the last six months to the point I've given up almost everything in my life but work. The way I figure it is I've done everything I have possibly been able to do for him at this point. All of this is out of my hands now.
Now it is just a wait and see game to see if any of the meds they try get his heart and pressure under control. My brother and I signed off on a DNR for him in case something happens because I don't want to prolong his suffering because I'm being selfish. Daddy would absolutely hate it if he knew what sort of state he is truly is in. His quality of life has been severely diminished even before all of this happened and it will only get worse as time goes on. It really is for the best.
The unknown is just scary. I'd taken care of my mother before all of this with my father, so the last 15 years of my life has been tied up in caring for aging parents. I don't know what all will happen in the future, but I just know everything will eventually work out and be okay somehow.
Thursday morning he took a nasty fall in his bathroom around 5am. I'm not sure what caused the fall itself, because he was okay the evening before when he went to bed. It was discovered when he went to the ER that he has a heart arrhythmia, but miraculously he didn't break anything and apparently didn't have a stroke. He seemed okay when we saw him that evening. The arrhythmia had seemed to right itself, although his blood pressure was a little wacky. The doctor figured it was because he hadn't had his meds.
It seems that he had gotten worse yesterday. They are having trouble getting his blood pressure under control and his heart is erratic. Steve said he was really out of his mind yesterday when he saw him. I didn't go because I worked, went to the grocery store, and I just needed a day to decompress where I didn't have to worry about what my father was doing, where he was going, etc.
Most likely selfish, but I've been on call with him 24/7 for a very long time now. Years basically, but really intensive in the last six months to the point I've given up almost everything in my life but work. The way I figure it is I've done everything I have possibly been able to do for him at this point. All of this is out of my hands now.
Now it is just a wait and see game to see if any of the meds they try get his heart and pressure under control. My brother and I signed off on a DNR for him in case something happens because I don't want to prolong his suffering because I'm being selfish. Daddy would absolutely hate it if he knew what sort of state he is truly is in. His quality of life has been severely diminished even before all of this happened and it will only get worse as time goes on. It really is for the best.
The unknown is just scary. I'd taken care of my mother before all of this with my father, so the last 15 years of my life has been tied up in caring for aging parents. I don't know what all will happen in the future, but I just know everything will eventually work out and be okay somehow.