Saturday, November 26, 2005

THANKSGIVING!!!

I was so worried a few weeks ago, thinking I could not get everything done for Thanksgiving. Now, on the other side, I wonder why I worried so much. Actually, it was good to be gone two weeks before hand and have everything planned out in my mind. Then when I actually had to do all of it, it was easy to do. I got it all done and everything went smoothly.

We had our company, 13 people here at my house for Thanksgiving and we had a great time. Everyone seemed to enjoy it so much. We laughed and everyone pretty much did what they enjoyed doing. We played games, watched TV, took naps, went to bed early, went to bed late, watched movies, did some shopping, eat out, eat desserts, eat Turkey, prayed, talked about scripture and prayed with our eyes open. What a joyful time this week has been for me.

I had my best friend beside me all the way. Tollie was right there helping me and doing what he could. My next bestest friend was there for most of it. Gina was here, although she was feeling a little under the weather, she was here and we had some good talks. My family was here, my kids and g-kids. That is always a treat. And new friends, Lavonne and Trent. Ours could not have been happier or more fun. It met every expectation I had.

I talked with my folks today and my dad got to go home yesterday. He is doing well, sounded in good spirits. My mom is doing well, although a little tired. She is doing things she usually doesn't do and I think actually enjoying it. Home health is coming to do therapy and be there for them if they need it. That is good and I think they are surprised by the service.

Life is good, thank you God and God bless all those travelling, especially tomorrow as Mindy, Trent and Lavonne travel to Austin, drop off Mindy and continue through Texas, Oklahoma to Missiouri. Be safe!

Sunday, November 20, 2005

I'M BACK!!!

Well, not really. I am in Arlington at my sister's house, breaking up my 10 hour trip home from Lubbock.

To update you, my dad is doing great, my mom is doing great. I left them this morning, reluctant to leave but anxious to get home. I have been gone almost two weeks. My dad had cervical neck surgery is now in rehab, doing great. The only reason he went to rehab was because my mom was in the hospital and there was no one for dad to come home to help take care of him. It was hard the first few days. My dad is one who likes control and in charge. The first few days of rehab, he knew he was not in control and certainly not in charge. And rehab is certainly different from the "hospital". Even though he is in the same building, only on another side of the hospital, things are done differently. When you are in the hospital, people want to help you go to the bathroom and serve you lunch and take care of you. When you are in rehab, you are expected to do as much for yourself as you are able. Help is there, but you have to ask for it. For an 82 year old man who has been babied all his 62 years of marriage and has babied his wife for those same 62 years, this is a hard task. My dad does not like to have to ask for help and is certainly not going to ask twice!!!

Dad is doing great though. I am in hopes he can come home this week. There is a case management meeting on Tuesday morning and they should let us know then when he is expected to come home. It will be determined then also if he is to have outpatient therapy after he goes home. Dad is feeling much better, in fact he said this morning he felt great! He can "bounce" out of bed and go to the potty chair next to the bed by himself in the night. He can walk with a walker and get around as needed with the walker. He is able to dress himself and has no trouble eating and feeding himself. The only concern is the residual effects of the pinched nerves that cause him to have a very weak left leg and tingling in his hands.

His favorite part of rehab is the bowl of red beans. He thought at first it was odd to do this, but they had him massage the red beans in and out with his hands. He was surprised how good it made his hands feel. For a few minutes after doing this, he has "normal" feeling in his hands. They have told him they plan to have him put his feet in the bowl next week. I believe he will come home on Wednesday or Friday. Not Thursday, since that is a holiday. My prayer is for Wednesday.

My mom is doing good. My dad had his surgery on Friday, the 11th and mother was very weak and pale that whole day. The day before she had a injections of cortisone in her left surgery by her rheumatologists. She is on Coumadin and the two didn't mix well. Normally, she would have gone to her Coumadin clinic and had her PT tested, but because of the surgery, we forgot to have her do this. Needless to say as Friday morning passed with her passing out every time she stood up, we knew she was not doing well. But how do you focus on her when your dad is having major surgery. We also thought most of it was due to her stress level.

Saturday morning, she could hardly get out of bed. She felt weak, nauseated and everytime she sat up, she was almost pass out. So to the ER we went with her. My sister had stayed the night with my dad and when she came home, we knew that is where we were headed. After blood test and then repeat blood tests it was determined her blood was four times thinner than it should be and the volume was low also. They would admit her to the hospital.

Now, my sister and I had our hands full. We tagged each other as we passed in the hallways going back and forth. "Tag, you're it!" At least we kept each other laughing!! Mother was given two pints of whole blood on Saturday and although they planned to give her two pints on Sunday, it was determined she didn't need more. She had an esophageal scope on Monday. There was only a small tear found in her duodenum, not enough to cause internal bleeding. So a colonoscopy was planned for Tuesday. But Monday morning, she bottomed out. She had pain in her abdomen and her blood pressure dropped dramatically. It got quite scary for several hours. They took x-rays and more x-rays and gave her Dopemine to get her BP back up. She finally began to rally Monday evening but it was determined she could not have the colonoscope on Tuesday. It was thought that her electrolytes were out of whack and she was having too much go out and not enough liquid in. So they reversed things and took her completely off the Coumadin.

It was determined then on Monday that my dad would go to rehab. Believe me, that was a relief for me. At least he would be taken care of and we would not have to stay in the hospital through the night to stay with him. The heart institute where my mom was didn't allow family to stay the night, so we both could go home and get a good night's sleep. I was looking forward to that.

Dad moved to rehab on Tuesday afternoon, but his first impressions of this facility were not great! He was not very happy in the next few days. Mom was to have her colonoscopy on Wednesday morning, which my sister and I were glad to have done. We knew if mom left the hospital without having this done, it would not be done. Mom was not too enthused about this, but agreed. We spent the evening with her on Tuesday, keeping her laughing and encouraging her on as she drank the colyte to prepare for the test. She did great. This was surprising since she had had a panic attack earlier in the day when the decision was made to have this done!

Wednesday morning went smoothly and we were told mother had internal hemorrhoids and a polyp that would be sent off. We assumed they would keep her to make sure her BP didn't bottom out again. We left about noon to take my sister back home to Arlington. She had to go home and I was left to take care of both parents! (I was the one insisting that my sister go home. She had to get ready for their move in two weeks and had issues at home!) As I was returning from Abilene, I got a call. Mother's friend was in a panic that mother had been dismissed and there was no one to take her home. I called the hospital and talked with the nurses station and explained that I was on my way and would pick her up later that night. They were fine with that.

Remember, we are talking about people in their 70's and 80's who believe every word a doctor tells them and when they are told to go home, they believe they have to leave righ then or be thrown on the street. I called mother to explain I had talked with them and it was okay for her to stay there. I would come and get her.

So....I got mother home on Wednesday evening. She is feeling much better. I on the other hand was not happy, not knowing what the doctor was thinking. Did she still have internal bleeding? Who or when were they treating the anemia? Mother left the hospital with a card stating that she was to see her heart doctor on January 30th. A whole two months away. There seemed to be no conclusion. I called the doctor's office the next morning, asking my questions and expecting a call back. Mother said she didn't think I would get a call back.

On Friday, I called the office again and explained that I was leaving town and had to find out the answers that day. Later in the day, a nurse called me and as I explained the questions, she understood my confusion and feeling of incomplete treatment. Finally, about 5:15 I received a call stating that the doctor thought he had left mother a prescription for iron and they would call in the prescription. Needless to say, I am not too happy with her doctor and plan to write a letter to him to get the rest of my questions answered. I know doctors are busy, I know they have lots of patients, but in this case, it was neglect. I will do what I can to rectify this.

My mother is one that would have gone on and not questioned any of this. She was glad I was there to see that this was done.

I left today, after visiting my dad this morning. When we arrived, he said he felt great and I think he is well on his way to full recovery. I asked him before I left if he would be uncomfortable for me to pray for them. He said he didn't mind and I prayed over them. I am asking God's blessing and peace to be with them. This is all new territory for them and I know God will get them through this.

My mom is not one to stay by herself and this is hard for her. I just talked with her and she is okay! God, please give mom comfort and peace tonight!