Saturday, April 07, 2012

entering the unknown



HAWMC Day #7: Health Activist Choice! Write about what you want today.

I was going to pick a topic from the Early Bird choices, but instead i decided to just write about...i don't even know what!  LOL!!

i will tell you about my week.  on monday, i had the 2 grandchildren for the day, as always.  things went well.  no fighting.  nothing remarkable.  i worked monday evening at the grocery store as per usual.  i have worked every monday night since the beginning of the year.  literally!  the only monday i've had off was for Family Day in February,  but so did everyone else so it doesn't really count!
 
Tuesday was quiet.  1 kidlet in school, the other playing nicely on her own for a short time.  no work tonight.  i tried to do some painting but without success.  there were 4 weeks without a class and the last week i missed because she changed the day, and i am unable to change my days off or switch shifts.  which sucked.
 
Wednesday i am minding my own business.  i gave the kids lunch and was just cleaning up their mess and eating my own lunch when the phone rang.  it was my dad's cell # so i figured he might be in town and dropping by for a visit.  nope.  i answered and this is what i hear....
"hello kim?  it's your mother"

now my mother doesn't know how to use a cell phone, so immediately i am alarmed.  she goes on to say that my dad is in the hospital.  but don't worry, says she,  he's going to be fine.   he went to the doctor in the morning because his blood pressure and pulse rate were a little low.  the doctor did an ECG and then another and told her to drive him to the hospital right away.  the Vascular Surgeon would be waiting for them in Emerg.  my dad would need a pacemaker put in right away!!
so my mother drove the 45min to the hospital and after some tests and paperwork my dad was whisked off to surgery.
 
she called me at 12:50pm and i told her i would be there ASAP.    I arrived at about 1:40.  my youngest daughter was home so she was watching the grandkids for me.  i had to stop for coffee, at my mother's request.  we sat there for about another hour, and then there he was.  being rolled down the hall on a gurney!  the nurse said something about being discharged from emerg so i thought that meant he would be admitted.  nope.  apparently having a pacemaker inserted was just outpatient surgery.  home he goes. 

i must say, i was a little shocked.  how did they know this pacemaker was working properly?  did they realize these elderly people (my mother's 70 and dad's 71) live 45 minutes from the hospital?  how is it possible they were sending them home?  well according to the surgeon, his pulse and heart rate have improved.  he must go to the cardiac clinic the next day to meet with a cardiologist.  and on friday he must come back to the hospital for some lab work to see if the coumadin is working properly. 

still seems weird to me.   on friday we were supposed to go to my parents but instead the whole fam damily came to my house for Easter Dinner instead. and all seems fine.  he is a little slower than i am used to.  looks a little frailer.  but i think they are both still in shock.  he has to take it easy for  a couple weeks.  no lifting anything.  he can sit at the computer, he can hold a coffee cup, but no driving, no reaching over his head.  no carrying anything, not even a bag of milk.  golfing is out for a while.   

my son has been going over every day to help them with whatever they need.  he only lives about 10min away.  i am thankful for what he is doing.  he's says "they are the only grampa and gramma i have so of course i will do this for them."  this makes me proud.  

if you lasted this long, thanks for "listening".    HAPPY EASTER!!

p.s.  after all this, my grandson ended up with strepthoat, and the baby has chickenpox!!!  Lord give me strength!!  i'm gonna need it!
.

3 comments:

  1. Wow, what a week! I'm glad that your dad is doing better. Scary stuff! My husband had a difibralator implanted last year so I understand about the recuperating stuff. Not playing golf for several months was hard on him! Happy Easter and I hope the strep and pox are gone quickly.

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    1. thanks kate :)
      he's always been a strong man, never asking for help or anything, and i think this will be the hardest part of it, not being able to do stuff he would normally not have a problem doing.
      Happy Easter to you and yours!!

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  2. I admire the fact that you remain so cheerful under such duress - and find time to write! Best wishes!

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