Dad was dashed against the rocks again yesterday. Yesterday morning, Paul texted that Gpa was doing well physically and mentally. He did mention that Dad's left arm was red. By the time I got there in the afternoon, Dad's arm was very red and hot and the pooling fluid looked dark. Mom agreed that I could call hospice (it hadn't occurred to her). Dad was sleeping so soundly that he barely roused when Mom and Meg ground grain in the next room. When he did rouse up, his speech was completely unintelligible. I offered him a drink, thinking his mouth might be dry. He was unable to hold the glass to his mouth.
Nurse Christy arrived. She checked Dad over and surmised that he had a blood clot in his left arm and had had a mild stroke. His heart rate and blood pressure were good, but his oxygen level was in the 80's. She suggested we elevate his arm, but reallly the only other protocol would be blood thinner, which he already takes the big daddy of, plavix. Christy told us this might be the beginning of the end. I made plans to spend the night. Dad continued to sleep, so I left with Meg to shuffle people around and make sure my house had food. I got word that Dad was laboring to breathe and twitching, so I cut things short and got back to the folks'.
And Dad was fine. He drank some juice and some Ensure. He spoke clearly enough to understand and he made some sense. He stayed awake some. Poor Mom was exhausted. Dave and Karis had arrived by this time. Karis left to pick up Meg and I ended up going home with Dave. I haven't heard yet how the night went. I think Loren said it best, "The man must be made of iron."
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Such an emotional time for you, friend! I am sure there are days you feel strung tight and I so wish I could do something tangible to help!! Know you are ever in my thoughts ~ and dreams ;O) ~ and I am praying!! XOXO
ReplyDelete(((Gwen)))) Such ups and downs are so hard. Praying for you all!
ReplyDeleteGwen, Time for me to break radio silence. Thanks for the sweet way you communicate the burdens of death and dying, seasoned with humor sometimes ironic, sometimes ribald, and sometimes misty-eyed. It is difficult to get one's mind wrapped around death and dying, but you are helping us all, as you pour yourself out on the page.
ReplyDeleteI have never had a close friend or relative die. No surprise, this is very different from my few contacts with death in the hospital. I hope you will pardon this choice of metaphor, but you have made crystal clear to me that for all of us, the battle with death is a little like what goes on in a casino. There are wins and losses, "ups and downs," but the ultimate outcome is not really in doubt.
After reading of yesterday's developments above, I said to Ruth, "It looks like there may be a trip in our future, but WHO KNOWS?" which was as close as I could come to saying (hush!) "It looks like the end is near."
To which she said . . . . "Kinda like the Second Coming." And we enjoyed a chuckle.