h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

If you want to use up some of your cell phone minutes... I'll be home a little after 8, your time.

I haven't been able to see Dad since Mid-August, but Mom keeps me updated.

And if I call you, it would be after 9 my time, since that's when my night hours start on my cell plan. Busy night tonight, though... may have to wait for another time.

marking again

<andtoast>

Dad seems to be doing somewhat better, since the most recent bout of allergic reaction hives is subsiding, and he's not as swollen all over as he had been.

They have found bacteria in the fluid being drained from his lung cavity, which has been determined to be the cause of his recurring pneumonia, so now he's on an antibiotic for that.

The brain surgeon concurs that he is doing better, but has made it clear once again that Dad will not be released from the hospital until his lungs have cleared up and he's doing much better. He is moving Dad to a medical section of the hospital, where he says he will get more specialized treatment for his lung problems, and be primarily under the care of the lung specialist, but the brain surgeon will still check in on him from time to time to assess his mental functions.

And it just goes on and on....

and

I know it's been a while since I posted an update....


The good news is that Dad is gaining more strength. They removed the catheter that was draining his lung cavity a few days ago.

However they're not restraining him as tightly as they had been and were relying heavily on the thick mitts to keep him from pulling stuff out. But the other day he managed to get one off and pulled the trach tube out about 3 inches, pulled the feeding tube out of his abdomen about 3 inches, and partially removed the foley catheter. The feeding tube is inserted through a plastic "peg" that is stitched into place, so he didn't damage himself there, but he did damage himself when he pulled on the catheter and the trach tube, although apparently not seriously.

Now since he seems to be able to get the mitts off so easily, they've started wrapping his fists in big balls of gauze, which they don't think he can get off, but he was trying to chew them off when they didn't replace the restraints, and of course throwing his legs over the railings on the bed, trying to get out.

He needs to be securely duct-taped to the ceiling. That should keep him out of trouble.



I hope this ordeal is over soon.

Me too... his new case worker realizes the doctors don't want to release him to a nursing home until he is rid of all the tubes, so it's going to be a while.

Maybe pulling tubes and stuff is as close as he can get to digging in the dirt at the moment...

They've finally put a "button" on Dad's trach tube so that he can talk occasionally. Still has to have the oxygen most of the time, but can be off of it for up to half an hour, at which time he can talk.

First thing he said to Mom when she was there yesterday was "scratch my back", so she obliged, much to his delight.

Then he asked her to hold his hand, which of course was kinda hard to do because he has the mitts on to keep him from pulling out the tubes (they've switched back to mits now), so he was shaking his hands like a cat will shake a wet paw. Mom explained (again) that she can't take the mitts off because we know he'll just be pulling out tubes, and the more he pulls them out, the longer his hospital stay will be because he injures himself when he does that, which he seemed to understand at the time. Of course, they had him sedated when she was there because he was determined to get out of the bed yesterday morning, and they simply had to do something to calm him down.

Steve asked Dad how his eyes were, and he said better, so Steve held up 4 fingers and asked how many fingers he was holding up, to which Dad said 4, so apparently not only can he see better, but he can still count, too.

It is a long, slow arduous process, but he may get well yet.

Good thing to know he can still do simple arithmatic.

Sounding better. s all round.

for Scotties.

s

Nice to know he's improving. Slow but sure is better than a kick inthe rear end.... Although I'm sure he'd like to administer one of those to the guys who invented tubes and restraints

A big YAY for people who don't give up





btw... Anyone got an opal fruit they don't want? I could murder a green one right now

Mom called a little while ago... Dad passed on this evening.

No word on what happened. The nurse had been in the room about 20 minutes earlier, and when she came back he was gone.

He's much happier now - no restraints, can see perfectly.

Bittersweet is the word.

I'm so sorry to hear this.

Lady Scott, Amy and Shorty