OP
OP
Thanks everyone.
I haven't reported all weekend because I was either too busy with what was happening or too tired to even think.
Friday night I went up to see Dad. The plan was we would watch the Canuck's game and have dinner together. He was in his wheelchair when I arrived which he hasn't been much lately. Things went well during the first period and then started to slowly decline. He got tired, only had about 2oz of ensure and 4 oz of milk for dinner and I started to hear a bit of congestion in his chest.
He made it through the game and they put him to bed as soon as it was over. I left when he was settled and he was barely able to stay awake - this was over three hours.
I got a call at 10:30 pm that his oxygen levels were way down, he was having trouble breathing and he was extremely agitated. DH and I were there within 20 minutes and his condition had dropped considerably. I asked Dad if he wanted to go to the hospital (he was on a strict DNR which meant only keep him comfortable which he clearly was not). He said yes and I literally ran for the nurse to change the order and get an ambulance. My sister arrived as they were wheeling him out and we all walked across the street to emergency. He was already inside when we arrived and it was at least 30 minutes before we were allowed in.
I will shorten the detail now. My sister and I stayed until 3 in the morning. Dad has aspirating pneumonia - meaning he swallowed something into his lung and it infected. This is a risk we have been living with for two years now. He has been "eating at risk" on a modified puree diet. We have been told that this could be fatal but he wanted to eat rather than having a feeding tube. He is being kept at a much better level of comfortable and they are giving him anti-biotic but the chances of it working are fairly low. This is the highest level of care they can give him under his wishes. The doctor he has is awesome - we had her last time and her father and mine actually knew each other back in Saskatchewan.
On top of all of this we had to clean out his room at the convalescent care facility.
My sister is in denial, saying Dad has pulled through before and will probably remain in this state for months. I understand - he had pulled miracles before. I, on the other hand, are leaving the details to the One and taking it step by step.
I now have to make lists of things to do from deciding funeral arrangements, talking to the care-coordinator about putting Dad on the list for long term care should he need it, stopping services to the house as he won't be coming here any more (oxygen, lifeline, his phone), calling his friends, etc. At least I can do this at his bedside.
Thanks all for your words, prayers, encouragement. It is going a long way to get me through this.
I haven't reported all weekend because I was either too busy with what was happening or too tired to even think.
Friday night I went up to see Dad. The plan was we would watch the Canuck's game and have dinner together. He was in his wheelchair when I arrived which he hasn't been much lately. Things went well during the first period and then started to slowly decline. He got tired, only had about 2oz of ensure and 4 oz of milk for dinner and I started to hear a bit of congestion in his chest.
He made it through the game and they put him to bed as soon as it was over. I left when he was settled and he was barely able to stay awake - this was over three hours.
I got a call at 10:30 pm that his oxygen levels were way down, he was having trouble breathing and he was extremely agitated. DH and I were there within 20 minutes and his condition had dropped considerably. I asked Dad if he wanted to go to the hospital (he was on a strict DNR which meant only keep him comfortable which he clearly was not). He said yes and I literally ran for the nurse to change the order and get an ambulance. My sister arrived as they were wheeling him out and we all walked across the street to emergency. He was already inside when we arrived and it was at least 30 minutes before we were allowed in.
I will shorten the detail now. My sister and I stayed until 3 in the morning. Dad has aspirating pneumonia - meaning he swallowed something into his lung and it infected. This is a risk we have been living with for two years now. He has been "eating at risk" on a modified puree diet. We have been told that this could be fatal but he wanted to eat rather than having a feeding tube. He is being kept at a much better level of comfortable and they are giving him anti-biotic but the chances of it working are fairly low. This is the highest level of care they can give him under his wishes. The doctor he has is awesome - we had her last time and her father and mine actually knew each other back in Saskatchewan.
On top of all of this we had to clean out his room at the convalescent care facility.
My sister is in denial, saying Dad has pulled through before and will probably remain in this state for months. I understand - he had pulled miracles before. I, on the other hand, are leaving the details to the One and taking it step by step.
I now have to make lists of things to do from deciding funeral arrangements, talking to the care-coordinator about putting Dad on the list for long term care should he need it, stopping services to the house as he won't be coming here any more (oxygen, lifeline, his phone), calling his friends, etc. At least I can do this at his bedside.
Thanks all for your words, prayers, encouragement. It is going a long way to get me through this.
