So, with all of that out of the way, you can imagine how much quiet time I have these days. Gone are the days where I spend hours at my Dad's bedside while he slumbers, connected to RCH's WiFi and updating away. Figures, that as soon as there is a lot more to update on daily, I have less time to fill everybody in. So, email me...stay on me about getting updates to you. If I know you are all counting on me to get something posted, I will be more likely to stay up (it's currently 12:40 am) and post.
We had an awesome visit with Josh. My Dad was in the middle of speech therapy when we arrived. Boy oh boy, he wasn't a happy camper. He was convinced that he was being interrogated by some drone who was sent by the Bush Administration. He was being asked simple questions, for example: "Do you know what your address is?", and in his mind, he believed that he was being held in some sort of government facility after returning from Afghanistan.
As soon as Josh and I arrived, he was so relieved because he thought we were there to rescue him. He called us in and we promised to take care of things and make sure that he was treated respectfully. Actually, I think he thought we were there to spring him. He even told us that he knew that they were @#$%ing with him so he was giving them BS answers on purpose. We reminded him that if he didn't give them the correct answers, that he wouldn't get to go home until he got them right.
Anyhow, once the speech therapist finished his session, we were granted access into his room and he was much calmer. Of course, we had to make some noise to get him some pain medication. They have been somewhat slow to get his dosing correct and manage his pain levels. Originally, they told us that he couldn't possibly be in as much pain as he thought he was with the doses of medications he was receiving. They went on to explain to us that the pain was in his head.
Here's my issue with that. Whether it's in his head or real, either way, he is experiencing it. Why not do what you can to make him comfortable. I believe that they should have proven their theory by giving him a placebo and testing his pain level at that point. What would it have hurt?
Josh and I were invited to accompany my Dad to his physical therapy session. I am going to put a couple of pictures of him and a video of him playing catch with Josh up so you can see. It was actually cool to be able to toss a ball around with him. It reminded me of when Josh was little. He and Josh were passing it back and forth, back and forth. Then, out of nowhere, my Dad heaved it at me! I wasn't expecting it, but I managed to catch it and join in the game for a few rounds before hitting my Dad square in the nose with it. (he got distracted and looked away when I tossed it, and for those of you who know me, you know I am the least athletic and coordinated person on the planet) After that, he didn't want to play ball anymore.
His therapist then had him stand up, sit down, stand up, lay down, and then get back into his chair. Once he was back in his chair, we took him for a little walk and went outside for some fresh air. Too bad the noise pollution was unbearable, they were doing construction of some sort and there was a screaching saw or something.
We took him to the day room and managed to stop there for about 30 seconds, but by then, he was in a lot of pain and wanted to get back into bed. He was shouting and yelling at us to take him back and stop torturing him. So we did.
Josh stayed with us that night and I took him back to the hospital the next morning before he had to catch his train. Grandma and Grandpa and Linda were all there as well. We all had a really nice visit and he seemed a little more comfortable.
Then, I went to see him this past Sunday morning. I took my Mom because he had expressed an interest in her visiting. He hears us out in the hall before we go in because we have to put gowns and gloves on. He always says... "HELLO?" Well, when he heard my voice, he seemed very happy that I was there. I had spoken to him the day before on the phone and told him I would come, and he remembered.
He also remembered our visit the prior week with Josh and he even remembered when his buddy Mike had come to see him. He seems to be holding onto his short term memories a little better these days. He still forgets some peoples names, or exactly how many grandchildren he has, but he was so much better than he had been even the week before.
He and my Mom chatted about random things. The old days and people they knew and still know mutually. He remembers things from the distant past with quite a bit of clarity, it's just his short term memory that seems to have taken the biggest toll.
He was able to sit up in bed with very little assistance and eat his lunch on his own. The only help I provided was holding his bread while he fished the butter out of the little container (with a fork) and spread it around and cutting his chicken up for him. He is no longer being fed a diet of chopped everything. He got a whole chicken breast, carrots and rice with some sort of soup on them side. He is also now able to drink water, when before, he was only allowed this thick syrup type juice called nectar.
A picture of him enjoying his lunch:
We were able to have serious conversations about certain topics and important issues and he was able to clearly tell me what he wanted. He was very lucid and with it the day we saw him. It was so encouraging to see him that way. He even encouraged his CNA to continue on to get her RN and offered to mentor her if she ever needed it.
He even assured me that he won't be driving for awhile, but that maybe around Christmas he might be ready to do a little bit of driving. He feels that he will be able to be home and getting around on his own by then. He also says he wants to go home, but he knows that he isn't ready yet, so he'll do whatever he has to do in order to get well enough to go home.
I think that may be all I have the capacity to remember for tonight. It's after 1am and my brain is toast. I'm showing property tomorrow to two different clients, so I need to go to bed. If I think of anything pressing, then I will post again tomorrow hopefully. I'll leave you with a little video message he made for my daughters to see.
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