ellen_datlow

I know I've been awfully quiet, except for the reading announcement yesterday but I'm finishing up Best Horror #2 and have a lot to still read and then reread. I've chosen ~~five~~ six stories so far and have 41 stories on my short list to consider. And I'm still in the middle of several original anthologies plus have to check out the original stories in some more collections.

My dad's still in the rehab center and will be there at least a couple more weeks while we work out how to arrange 24/7 care for him at home. I'm relieved that my mom has made this decision although she has to find the right person to do this. Luckily, my sister is down in Florida now and will be at least until I get there the 23rd. We all know it's best to get my dad home asap as he's depressed and uncooperative (as he was in rehab after his stroke). My sister says she thinks he's speaking as well as he was before the surgery--hard for us to understand be he knows what he's saying. And that he most definitely knows what he wants and what's going on. So that's good news. He's on antidepressants and we hope they'll kick in soon to see if there's any difference in his attitude.

As for me, I'm not depressed, just a bit stressed. Although I'm in a lot working, I'm getting out to see friends (lunch with Shawna McCarthy today and hanging out with friends later this evening) so don't worry about me ;-).

Tags:

dad's health,
work

My dad is headed to rehab tomorrow--that is, assuming the place we want him to go (about five minutes away from where they live) has a bed tomorrow--they're supposed to, as someone is getting discharged in the morning.

All tubes and catheters and iv's were removed today, along with the restraints (which he was actually mostly off of today)- a patient has to be restraint-free for 24 hours before leaving the hospital.

My mom's worried that he isn't as responsive as he was before the surgery and I keep reassuring her that it's likely still some meds, that he's been restrained in a hospital for a week, he's got nothing to do but therapy a few minutes a day and that the physical therapy is exhausting for him. etc etc. But...the neurologist prescribed a memory med that might actually help him. In any case, I'm assuming it can't hurt.

We're going to see him in the morning. I leave for the airport at noon, and hopefully dad will be moved to rehab in the afternoon.

Tags:

dad's health,
rehab

No real progress today as far as my father sleeping less or communicating, although my mother and I met with his various doctors and his day nurse for the next three days.

I got a printout of all the meds my dad was on for the 24 hour period before we went to the hospital (11:30 am). He had been given a sleeping pill last night and painkillers in the morning. As of this morning (before we got there) alert enough to be fed some breakfast and take his pills.

He was given a swallow xray/test to see if he's having trouble swallowing and if what goes down is going where it should be (it is for the most part--when he's awake and alert). He's being put on purees for now so that everything goes down smoothly with little effort--and there's a big note behind his bed to everyone that he should only be fed when he's awake (you'd think it's obvious but no)...and I'm very glad for this.

He has been given a constant flush of his catheter which seems to be helping stop his bleeding. The physical therapists came in but since he's still so out of it he couldn't work with them. The neurologist came in (finally!) and asked a lot of questions about how my dad was before the surgery and we discussed (my suggestion) that the the pain meds were sedating him too much and (hopefully) this is why he's not responding fully or really staying awake. The doctor wants to give him an EEG (originally he said MRI but because of the hip surgery it might be too painful/difficult to maneuver him).

My mother is very stressed out, and me less so but I am worried that he may not get any better. The anesthesia might have really screwed with his brain. We really don't know at this point and can only hope that with the sedation out of his system, even if he's in some pain, he'll respond more and we'll know that he's coming along.

Even before the operation he's been forgetful at times, but he was getting his own breakfast, dressing and undressing himself (the latter is when he fell), taking showers and going to the bathroom himself, reading the newspapers, playing gin with my mom, and stuff like that, even if his speaking isn't great.

So it's just waiting and hoping he improves.

thank you everyone for your continued outpouring of concern.

Tags:

dad's health

The visiting nurse went to see my dad yesterday to check him out and see what both my parents need. The OT (or PT, I'm not sure) is there now and went over what my dad can and cannot do on his own. Speech Therapist is coming tomorrow. The nurse was supposed to come again today but I forgot to ask my mom if she did.

Car hasn't arrived yet but it's "on the way."
Thanks for your indulgence in reading all this.

Tags:

dad's health

Quiet time

goin' to rehab!

dad progress

And the end of the immediate saga of my parents in Florida

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