Dad update Sunday
Jan. 8th, 2012 08:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
stephbgI am back home again now after a second trip to the folks' place to be with Dad and family. This won't be a coherent post because I'm in quite a lot of pain now.
I had so much to say, and now I don't know where to start, let alone summarise. Rollercoaster doesn't begin to describe the experience. I had hoped to take today off to rest and recuperate after pushing the body way too hard for too long, but received an email in the morning just as I was about to go to bed after a sleepless night thanks to caffeine abuse. Dad had had a bad night, it said, and he'd moved to the next stage of his illness which made him agitated and affected his breathing.
Fortunately Husband was again available for driving duties, because under nothing short of emergency conditions (which this wasn't, yet) would I have got behind the wheel today.
This post isn't going well. It's hard to concentrate.
Every day the guestimates change from months to weeks to days and back again. Today it looked like we might be talking about hours. At time of writing, perhaps a couple of days maximum, but I'd be surprised if he lasted so long. Dad is heavily sedated but was able to rouse enough to have a few sips of water and ginger ale over the course of the day, but nothing to eat. He could hear us but couldn't open his eyes although he seemed to try. He managed tiny nods and head shakes and a few quiet syllables here and there, mostly relating to Q&A regarding drinking. Fortunately "W" for water is easy to lipread. There was no squeezing of fingers today.
The breathing is the key here. He stops every few breaths for a few long seconds and as much as 10-15. Every time this happens we watch him like a hawk for any signs of life. Every time we wonder "Is this it?". Imagine thinking that 5-6 times per minute, for hours on end. Fortunately he's not suffering (we don't think). Some movements do cause him discomfort, but he's not moving much. You can see he gets frustrated sometimes; his eyebrows are the most eloquent part of his face and he frowns.
He is surrounded by love and care, and not left alone for a moment. But the company and attentions are quiet and gentle, and it's all so much better than being in a hospital ward. When the Silver Chain nurse came she was loud (probably normal volume) and brisk and seemed like an alien creature. When she increased one of his medications she told us it would settle him "and make him more compliant", which I found frankly horrifying.
I am having a full fibro flare right now, which is hardly surprising. It hurts! Today was supposed to be my absolutely MUST rest day (as was yesterday, and the day before...), particularly after the effective but costly caffeine abuses of yesterday. I did take a break this afternoon and came home for a solid nap, and back again for only an hour or so this evening, but something has already given. Many somethings. Fortunately all 3 sisters are staying with Mum overnight, so the ground is well covered.
Tonight I'll be taking some of the Serious pain meds, and I'll have no choice but to sleep for a while and I'll deal with transport options when I come to them. I'll deal with the drug side effects later, after the other ones. These things can be deferred for a while, but with interest.
Sorry this is a bit too much about me, but there it is.
Mum says thank you for all your good wishes. She really appreciates the value of community support for the whole family.
I had so much to say, and now I don't know where to start, let alone summarise. Rollercoaster doesn't begin to describe the experience. I had hoped to take today off to rest and recuperate after pushing the body way too hard for too long, but received an email in the morning just as I was about to go to bed after a sleepless night thanks to caffeine abuse. Dad had had a bad night, it said, and he'd moved to the next stage of his illness which made him agitated and affected his breathing.
Fortunately Husband was again available for driving duties, because under nothing short of emergency conditions (which this wasn't, yet) would I have got behind the wheel today.
This post isn't going well. It's hard to concentrate.
Every day the guestimates change from months to weeks to days and back again. Today it looked like we might be talking about hours. At time of writing, perhaps a couple of days maximum, but I'd be surprised if he lasted so long. Dad is heavily sedated but was able to rouse enough to have a few sips of water and ginger ale over the course of the day, but nothing to eat. He could hear us but couldn't open his eyes although he seemed to try. He managed tiny nods and head shakes and a few quiet syllables here and there, mostly relating to Q&A regarding drinking. Fortunately "W" for water is easy to lipread. There was no squeezing of fingers today.
The breathing is the key here. He stops every few breaths for a few long seconds and as much as 10-15. Every time this happens we watch him like a hawk for any signs of life. Every time we wonder "Is this it?". Imagine thinking that 5-6 times per minute, for hours on end. Fortunately he's not suffering (we don't think). Some movements do cause him discomfort, but he's not moving much. You can see he gets frustrated sometimes; his eyebrows are the most eloquent part of his face and he frowns.
He is surrounded by love and care, and not left alone for a moment. But the company and attentions are quiet and gentle, and it's all so much better than being in a hospital ward. When the Silver Chain nurse came she was loud (probably normal volume) and brisk and seemed like an alien creature. When she increased one of his medications she told us it would settle him "and make him more compliant", which I found frankly horrifying.
I am having a full fibro flare right now, which is hardly surprising. It hurts! Today was supposed to be my absolutely MUST rest day (as was yesterday, and the day before...), particularly after the effective but costly caffeine abuses of yesterday. I did take a break this afternoon and came home for a solid nap, and back again for only an hour or so this evening, but something has already given. Many somethings. Fortunately all 3 sisters are staying with Mum overnight, so the ground is well covered.
Tonight I'll be taking some of the Serious pain meds, and I'll have no choice but to sleep for a while and I'll deal with transport options when I come to them. I'll deal with the drug side effects later, after the other ones. These things can be deferred for a while, but with interest.
Sorry this is a bit too much about me, but there it is.
Mum says thank you for all your good wishes. She really appreciates the value of community support for the whole family.
