I am soooo sorry and can’t believe you were not on the list. It’s been a lot these last couple of days. I will attach all the updates I have sent out and please forgive me. You are now on the list!
Lee
Dad’s Update #3 Saturday – 4/3/2010 1:35 a.m.
Hello Everyone!
Well Dad is holding his own. Had a good day yesterday, although he has no appetite, which is driving Joyce crazy. He takes his Shaklee protein and his vitamins once sometimes twice a day but just no appetite for much food. Still a little diarrhea and bleeding just a bit. Yowza, that was major trauma to his body when the catheter got pulled out!
Last night Dad fell twice in the middle of the night while trying to walk to the bathroom without his walker. He had a scrape or two but nothing serious. The nurse came and checked him out and he is doing great in her book. But after she left Dad asked for a Tylenol so something must have been hurting. He went to bed at 7:30 without his sleep aid medications only to get up about 9:00 to go to the bathroom (using his walker) and asked for another Tylenol and his sleep aids. Said he wasn’t feeling good but couldn’t pin point it. He made the decision not to come to Easter Dinner, pretty much afraid to go too far from the house. Must also feel overwhelming to think of the energy he will put out after being down for almost 2 weeks and the thought of getting dressed and getting into the car not to mention once there all the questions and conversation. Then the whole meal thing when he isn’t hungry! He really felt bad asking me to tell everyone. He hoped that no one would be mad. I assured him they wouldn’t and we will bring them plates of food so they can enjoy when they want.
Please keep praying for him,
Thank you!
Love, Lee
Dad’s Update #4 Monday – 4/5/2010 1:14 p.m.
Hello Everyone,
Since my last update Dad didn’t eat any of the food we brought him. He has been taking his Protein and vitamins but nothing else including water or liquids. Dad was alert yesterday when Jordan came by to say goodbye that he was leaving to go back down to school and he seemed about the same, alert and talking but weak. Yesterday afternoon he got weaker and weaker where it was all Joyce could do to get him to the bathroom. I went over last night to check on them again and Dad was sleeping and breathing very shallow. He had mentioned he was in pain so Joyce gave him 2 Tylenol but he was still having pain 3 hours later so she call Hospice and the nurse told her to give him 5 drops of morphine. A little later Joyce called Hospice and our sweet nurse Janet came even thou she wasn’t on call. His blood pressure, oxygen and pulse were about the same but he was very dehydrated. I was able to get Dad to take a couple of drinks of Sprite and then he asked for medicine for pain so 5 more drops of morphine. The last mistake was to give him his night time sleep aids. He wanted to go to bed so Janet the nurse helped him get into bed but no sooner was he tucked in then he started to throw up. Poor Daddy he hates to throw up and it is such a violent action for him to do so. We cleaned him up and he said he felt better after it all. So he went to sleep and didn’t wake until this morning around 6:00 when he started throwing up again but nothing came up. Joyce called me, I suggested she call Hospice and I came over. We waited there till she came and then Tracy came too. Janet (the nurse) talked with Dad and she freshened him up but he just wanted to stay in bed so we tucked him in and he is sleeping peacefully.
He is terribly dehydrated so that is what will probably take him.
Nick just walked into the door and he had taken a baby monitor and some wipes to help him feel clean and so Joyce can hear everything but as Nick was standing in the kitchen with Joyce they heard a crash. I feel Dad heard Nick’s voice and wanted to come out to be with people but he walked into and fell on a room dividing screen that was up to keep the cats out. Nick picked him up and he started coughing and then gagging again like this morning about 7 times. Nick said, “Dad we are going to put you back in bed.” And Dad said ok. Joyce and Nick checked him over and didn’t seem to have any new “wounds“ so asked him if he hurt and he said yes so gave him some morphine and he is resting now. Snoring actually according to what Joyce is hearing on the monitor! He tried to get up again but Joyce heard him and went in to reassure him. With all that said Joyce agreed that we needed a hospital bed and it will be in the livingroom where he can hear and be with people and not alone in the bedroom. That’s his main fear is to be alone so we will rearrange and he will be with people!
Gotta go help move things and be there for Joyce. This is so hard for her and the rest of us but I just can’t leave her there alone.
Will try and keep you all updated and you have the very latest to now.
Thank you for all your thoughts and prayers!
Love Lee
Dad’s Update #5 Monday - 4/5/2010 7:47 p.m.
Am home now. I feel so bad for Dad, I don’t want him to hurt any more. When I went back we gave him his morphine and the La raz a pan for anxiety and he started the dry heaves again. It was gut wrenching to see him struggle. So called the nurse and she said increase the morphine to every 2 hours and leave off the La raz and see how he does. So far so good.
Nicholas came over and brought our awesome vacuum and he moved everything in the living room and vacuumed it all. Yowza 3 cats produce A LOT of hair!!!! The hospital bed came and the three of us moved Dad into the living room where he can be with us and not alone. The whole moving him didn’t faze him. Ordered Chinese for dinner and Nick stayed and ate with us. I just came home as didn’t want to make Joyce feel overwhelmed. Tracy is going to spend the night so Joyce can rest knowing someone is with Dad. We will take turns to give Joyce much needed breaks.
Going to bed now!!
Love, Lee