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I really need your support right now. My dad is 76 and has always been a very active and healthy man. Exercised regularly, never smoked and hasn't had a drink in years. He had heart surgery on December 12th. A "simple" valve replacement. There were initial complications and what should have been a 4-6 hour surgery turned into 9 hours. Within 3 hours he was back in surgery because of bleeding. Since then it's been one thing after another. He's had a pacemaker and difibrilator (sp?) put in. He's been undergoing dialysis for a while continuously, and now it's almost every day for 4-5 hours. Totally wipes him out. At first he was incredibly bloated but has lost about 50 pounds. Can't seem to shake his fever for more than a day, yet the doctors can't figure out the source of his infection. Removed his gall bladder last week, but there's still an infection. I don't understand why they can't find the source.
He had a terrible reaction to a couple of the antibiotics and broke out in an awful rash head to toe. The doctors worried the infection had spread to his lungs but after removing a couple hundred cc's of fluid to keep his lungs from collapsing, it's made no difference in his white cell count. For several days following his initial surgery he was completely sedated and non-responsive. But then he started coming around and could respond to us. But then see-sawed back and forth between sedation and awareness. I've been so worried about him being kept so heavily sedated, but the doctors said he fights the breathing tube when he's awake and they don't want him to stress.
Up until yesterday he always responded to my mom. Even being sedated, his vital signs would soar when mom kissed him or talked to him. But now my mom is worried that he's not really "in there" anymore. She told me last night that if it takes a year or more to get him healthy again, she's up for the fight. But if he's not in there anymore she doesn't want to keep him alive with machines. Mom and dad talked about it in length before he went into the hospital and I know she wants to honor his wishes.
This is taking such a toll on all of us, but especially my mom. She spent so many hours in the hospital caring for my grandmother who finally lost her battle with cancer this past August. And now to be back in the hospital with my dad is just so much to handle. She said with my grandmother it was different because Grandma told her she was ready to go home (with hospice care) and she only held on for another two days, so it was the right time. But this situation with my dad is entirely different. She's going to arrange a sit-down meeting with ALL of his doctors but I don't know how soon that will happen.
I believe in the power of prayer. If it's time for my daddy to go, then I'll understand and trust that it's right. But if there's still a chance, I know our prayers and healing energy can make a difference. Thanks for reading this and letting me share.
Stacey
He had a terrible reaction to a couple of the antibiotics and broke out in an awful rash head to toe. The doctors worried the infection had spread to his lungs but after removing a couple hundred cc's of fluid to keep his lungs from collapsing, it's made no difference in his white cell count. For several days following his initial surgery he was completely sedated and non-responsive. But then he started coming around and could respond to us. But then see-sawed back and forth between sedation and awareness. I've been so worried about him being kept so heavily sedated, but the doctors said he fights the breathing tube when he's awake and they don't want him to stress.
Up until yesterday he always responded to my mom. Even being sedated, his vital signs would soar when mom kissed him or talked to him. But now my mom is worried that he's not really "in there" anymore. She told me last night that if it takes a year or more to get him healthy again, she's up for the fight. But if he's not in there anymore she doesn't want to keep him alive with machines. Mom and dad talked about it in length before he went into the hospital and I know she wants to honor his wishes.
This is taking such a toll on all of us, but especially my mom. She spent so many hours in the hospital caring for my grandmother who finally lost her battle with cancer this past August. And now to be back in the hospital with my dad is just so much to handle. She said with my grandmother it was different because Grandma told her she was ready to go home (with hospice care) and she only held on for another two days, so it was the right time. But this situation with my dad is entirely different. She's going to arrange a sit-down meeting with ALL of his doctors but I don't know how soon that will happen.
I believe in the power of prayer. If it's time for my daddy to go, then I'll understand and trust that it's right. But if there's still a chance, I know our prayers and healing energy can make a difference. Thanks for reading this and letting me share.
Stacey
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