THE STRESS CONTINUES

Father in a VA run nursing home.... Mother went out on the 16th with a large sheet cake to celebrate his 86th birthday and found out he wasn't feeling well. Whatever that meant at the time. He wasn't eating and they said he wouldn't take any of his medicines. Of course he didn't touch his birthday cake so she came home with half of it even after giving everyone in the dining room there and the staff some. The test results had come back and it showed a kidney infection. Everyone felt like the antibiotics on an empty stomach may be making him feel nauseous and that is why he didn't want to eat. Still everyone was trying.

On Saturday, we took my Grandson to visit him. He had never seen the baby since he has had colds, etc. off and on since the boy was born. Didn't want him to pass anything onto the baby or have the baby pass anything on to him. So this was their first meeting. He touched him and opened his eyes but, gave no real signs of communication. He can't speak due to a stroke a number of years ago that left him paralyzed on his entire left side which is why he is in the home. We stayed about forty minutes but, it was hard since he looked tired and kept his eyes closed. The guy in the room with him kept staring at him and hollering that if we didn't get him to eat he was going to die! Finally, I asked him if he would like some help out into the hallway and I pulled him and his wheelchair out into the hall where he continued to holler that. Finally a nurse came and said, get him away from there. The family is in there trying to visit. After that it was quiet.

Monday came and he still wouldn't take his medicines. According to my mother, he takes the antibiotic but not the normal meds he needs. I find the later hard to believe. If he won't take his usual meds, why would he take the antibiotic? She gets things confused.

They finally moved my father out of that room yesterday and into a private one. Hospice of course is in there twenty-four hours now.

Jump forward.

My brother just called. He spoke with the nurse who said that he very tired, exhibiting the shortness of breath and is also running a temperature now. They said he was hanging in there but, they don't give him a week. Of course, mother knows none of this part. They have been married right at 56 years. She is only living for him. She was given six months to live and she has survived six years going on seven in March. As my brother pointed out, "Darlene, it's going to be bad."

No sh!t.