Tuesday, February 9, 2010

HOSPITAL DA JA VUE , HOPING FOR DIFFERENT RESULTS

Wow,finally a good,undisturbed nights sleep. I do feel refreshed this morning and my eyes no longer are red and burning making me think I'm getting Pinkeye. After chores,breakfast and exercises I started laundry and housework for the day. The phone kept interrupting my work but it meant I was getting frequent breaks so that's not all bad! Several Avon orders came in and then I get a call from the assisted living facility where Fa-in-law was, the man calling was the same man I talked to Sunday.Funny thing today he didn't remember anything he told me Sunday,now he is saying they have to evaluate fa-in-law and then determine if they can re-hab him there. I told him his doctor had already said they could not give the care he now needed,but he was insistant on their re-hab center which I've seen and is equipped only with stationary bikes. They don't even have foot plates on their wheelchairs. You never say never and I had to bite my tongue,but I hope the doctor sticks by her guns and convinces them to discharge him. This is like a bad dream,it seems to keep coming up!!
I was just finishing the housework when hubbie came home. We did the chores and ate a hot dog for supper in order to get to the hospital a little early to surely catch the doctor on her rounds. Fa-in-law looked and responded better tonight and we were glad to see he was feeding himself tonight,he was making a huge mess but he was partially laying down,at least he has control of both his arms. Brother-in-law and sis-in-law came up there also.As we sat there looking at one another it occurred to me that it was 1 week short of a year exactly that we were here at this same hospital in this same situation with mother-in-law. What we went through with her was eerily similar. She also was sent home from the emergency room Sunday night with mild de-hydration,only to be sent back in an ambulance on Monday to be admitted,found to have had a stroke, she died 10 days later.Unlike fa-in-law she was in very poor health,had not been eating and had a compromising heart condition along with being almost completely crippled with arthritis all over her body.February is not going to have many pleasant memories for our family if something happens to fa-in-law also this month.
I still feel this is a strange coincidence that two years in a row here we are,the four of us sitting in a hospital room. We waited for over an hour, but no doctor.I went to the desk and they told me sometimes she does early morning rounds. However they did tell me that his renal failure looked better today but his potassium level was really low and would have to be attended to. The artery ultra-sound showed greater that 70% blockage in the only good artery he has,which isn't good,I'm sure that's what caused the stroke. He was not happy tonight, he knows he is in the hospital and he recognizes some of his troubles,especially the incontinence issue and is very troubled by that. He told hubbie he didn't think he would get any better. He has always been very independent so he may not deal well at all with the fact that he can't do certain things for himself any longer. But like I talked about last night,quality of life is an issue that each individual must deal with in their own way. At my age I would fight like crazy because I have hopefully a lot of years left after recovery,but at 84 I'm not sure how much fight would be left!! I've dealt with this personally with my dad and seen family and friends deal with elderly who just get tired and give up the fight,when this happens you have no choice but to honor their wishes. I hope fa-in-law hangs in there,he is physically very strong and healthy but his mental state has got to follow suit and we are just praying right now that it will.
As we drove home tonight the fog was getting very dense and we are supposed to get snow and very high winds tomorrow,winter is just not going to let up. The high temperature today was 39 and it was cloudy all day,at 10:30 tonight it is still 36 but feels much colder with the humidity and wind that is just now starting to blow. Hopefully the doctor will call in the morning and hopefully I'll get to talk to the analyst who will help us decide where to place fa-in-law for the care he needs,I'm really tired of wondering about that.
It's all in God's hands,He already knows what's going to happen and he will guide us through whatever is to come for we have to recognize ,His will,Will be done!!!!!
Good Night and God Bless.

1 comment:

Betsy Banks Adams said...

Oh Marilyn, I am so sorry for what you and your family are going through. We all go through it--at one time or the other. I just pray that I don't live long if there is no quality of life left.

Your FIL may rally--and may have many more years of life in him. Like you said, it's in God's hands.

Love and PRAYERS,
It's snowing like crazy here today.
Hugs,
Betsy