Hospital Update

Waiting for the news today. We are hoping daddy is well enough to move to Promise (rehab hospital) today. Last night his fever went back up to 101.2 and wouldn't break. It is fiinally down to 99.9 this morning. Waiting on the doctor to give us report. My life is on hold right now - can't think of anything that is more important than sitting by his side and holding his hand.

Daddy's Hospitalization

The last few days have been a whirlwind. To document the progression, I am going to try to recap the events.
The call came from WVH at 5:00am that daddy was being transported to WKBC with 103 temp and throwing up. ER evaluation showed slightly elevated blood sugar, low oxygen saturation, heart murmer, urinary tract infection, and double pneumonia.
Antibotics were started and zofran but he continued vomiting throughout the day. The added pheregran and the vomiting slowed and last episode was about 9pm on Wednesday night.
Thursday night the test results came in, infection is clearing fine, breathing treatments were started to clear up fluid in lungs. First treatment resulted in low BP and high pulse rate. The BP stabilized, pulse did not. Luckily the doctor was on the floor and ordered cardizem push, pressure began to come down and doctor ordered him to the stepdown ward so he could have cardizem drip added to iv to keep pulse rate under control.
Friday the swallow test was conducted. 1st stage showed he aspirates liquids. This is the most probable cause of the double pneumonia. Since 2nd stage is necesssary, the doctor ordered more nutrition in the IV until we can beginfoods. 2nd stage swallow test which is done with x-ray to visualize the esopoghas during the swallowing process was conducted and the speech therapist recommends pureed foods and thick liquids.
Fever broke today and blood count looks good.

Sad day today

Daddy has been at the WVH since March 4, 2009. He as very anxious at first but for the most part, he has been content. Today he was anxious, looking from side to side, moving around in his chair. Ethelyn had shared that he was acting stubbon last week, and he was that today and more. He didn't want us to move his chair to the table to eat, he wanted to get away. I asked him what he wanted and he looked at me with sad eyes and asked "Where am I?" I was shocked. I tried to tell him and he said "Help me".

He never smiled today.

He did eat his lunch but with no emotion and said nothing else until I got ready to go. I told him I love him and he asked "Who are you?" These are questions he has never verbalized before. I asked the nurse if his pills - especially the "Remember" pill has changed and she said no - nothing.

I left him sitting in his chair in the dining room, a confused look on his face. I cried when I got into the car. I go back tomorrow and I hope he has a better day.

Daddy's Day Out

Ethelyn, Ken and I took daddy out to FBC to attend the 70th wedding anniversary of Olan and Mae Wise. Daddy and Olan have been friends for a long time. Daddy had a great time!

Pictures:
Daddy and Carl Kelly, his Sunday School teacher and golf buddy when daddy and mama played golf at Palmetto CC in the 80's.
Ken and Daddy. I am so blessed to have such a caring husband. Ken is so good with daddy - patient and loving.

The star of the day Olan Wise with daddy and Ethelyn. Mae suffers from Alzheimer's and we couldn't get her engaged enough to join in the picture. Ethelyn was trying to hold daddy back. Daddy was ready to get up and walk - and he did! What a wonderful day it was.

Victory at the WVH

It looks like Governor Jindal has heard our voices. We will get to keep our Doctor until the budget is made in July --- we need to keep fighting to get the needed positions funded in the next fiscal year.

Daddy was very distant today. Few laughes, fewer smiles, but he seemed at peace and not anxious which means a good day for an advanced Alzheimer's patient.

The picture today if of Daddy at his 77th Birthday party in September. The family got together to be with him on this special day. I like this picture because he usually doesn't feed himself --- but as you can see - he had no trouble with the birthday cake. I wish I would have taken a picture of the tablecloth when he was finished. I just love seeing him happy.

Meeting with Lane Carson

The meeting ------------------- well all I am going to say at this point is UUUUGGGGHHHHH! If you have been reading my blog all along, you must know how frustrated I felt when daddy was placed in a geri-chair and I was fighting to get him up, walking and in a regular wheel chair so he could use his legs. I feel almost as frustrated now. There - enough said - I am still fighting.

I am posting a picture today that I shows what a difference a familar voice means to daddy. I didn't realize this until I got home and looked back at some pictures I took of him. Again I found him in the hall -- sitting --- staring into space as usual. I talked to him as I approached him and you will see the expression on his face in the first picture. The second picture was snapped as I told him "The Pest is here -- I'm your Winona Lynn and I love you" The picture I took was just the beginning of the wide grin he produced. He turned, laughed and he took my hand. We walked around the wing, singing. He was very happy today, laughing, humming, and very loving. It is days like this that keep me going --- I love my daddy.

January 23, 2010

I am trying to link up to facebook as a method of keeping everyone updated on daddy. I will post an album on facebook that will contain pictures that chart his progression. This past week was a sad one, I have cut my visits down to 2-3 times a week and he really seems to have progressed a lot. I will take pictures this next week.

Tuesday's visit - He was sitting in the common room, wide awake and staring into space. I came from behind and gave him a kiss on the cheek and got no response. It was not until I got within inches of his face that he acknowledged someone was there, but not response as to who I was. I began to sing our songs, told him I was his Winona Lynn, gave him a kiss and he began to smile. The rest of our visit was quiet, but he did hold my hand all through lunch. He ate well today at lunch but Ethelyn called to say he did not eat hardly any dinner ---- no problem since he has gained so much weight since he went in. He has lost 3 of the pounds he gained, but we are not worried.

Wednesday's visit - He was a mess today, his hair was all messed up, clothes untidy - a sure sign that his breakfast, bath, and morning was not smooth. He refused to eat in the dining room so we went to a side room and ate with good ole gospel music playing in the background. I sang to him before the meal arrived and he smiled and hummed some of the hymns. He seemed to calm down and ate well. He even "talked" during the meal, I sure wish I could understand his words. He laughed and I laughed with him. After the meal, one of the wives put on some Fats Domino and began dancing with her husband and I couldn't resist. I took daddy by the hands and "danced" with him. We hugged a lot, laughed alot and I think I wore him out. After a few monents, he took me by the hand and we walked around the wing. As we got close to the nurses station he looked up at me, laughed and gave kissing noises with his mouth. I kissed him and told him I love him and he said "See ya later". I guess he was ready for me to go ----

Ethelyn called to say she would be there Friday for lunch so I missed my "Friday with Daddy" this week. I will go down there either Sunday or Monday to check on him.