DAD UPDATE

It started with a distorted cell call, dropping out badly. It was my sister on the road and calling about our dad. Through the distortions, drops and static I was able to make out that dad may have had a massive stroke and was in serious danger.

That was a total shock. We had moved dad to the hospital a few days previous when he was having labored breathing and a raspy cough. At that time the rehab center was concerned he had congestive heart failure. That turned out a false alarm and it was just the ordinary but severe congestion that comes with the change in seasons. He seemed to be recovering. Then this.

Immediately I called his hospital room and the nurse picked-up. Though she was busy she took the time to talk to me. There was obvious concern in her voice. I could hear other people working in the background. She told us the entire family needed to get there fast. We dropped everything and jumped into the car. We headed out in the middle of the night, wondering if dad would be ok when we got there.

It’s an hour and a half drive in the best of conditions. I’ll not tell you how long it took, but thankfully God was protecting us from possums, cows, deer and other night creatures. We arrived and finally found an open door (it was late night). In his regular room dad was sitting-up in the bed and talking. The early tests were ruling out a stroke. It was another false alarm. A prayer answered. But the danger was very real. Dad’s blood pressure had dropped so low that for a while they thought he would not make it. He did, the problems were a result of reactions to some meds.

Dad is more or less back on track after all this. There have been a couple other related setbacks but his outlook is good once again. But for almost two weeks it has required almost continuous monitoring. I have fallen well behind once again with everything, including my blogs. But I am now back home and will soon be catching up.

The good news is that we got dad placed in a much better rehab center. They have proven caring and are proactively involved in his recovery.

Please continue to remember my father in your prayers. Not only for his eventual return to a normal life, but that we as a family make the correct choices during his care.