This has been an emotional day for many of us who love and care for my Dad. The brunt of the stress fell on Sherri first thing this morning when she went to the hospital to check on Dad. When she got there she felt like he was on his way away from us. He was unresponsive and his oxygen levels were below normal. The doctor had arrived early and decided to remove the oxygen, thinking that he no longer needed it. The weight of wondering if he was dying was very heavy on her and when we talked, of course, I was torn about what to do as we are in Pennsylvania. I was ready to jump in the car and head home but reason overcame impulsiveness with the help of friends and family. Sherri and I talked about different things to do, one of which was to talk to the nurse about getting his oxygen started again. The plan was to return him to the nursing home this afternoon and we were concerned that he wasn't ready to go yet. I made phone calls from here. I spoke with the unit manager/charge nurse at the nursing home to see if they were equipped to handle things if he were moved back now. Her one concern was his o2 level. She said that if he came back and his o2 levels started dropping that they would return him to the hospital. We didn't want that. We wanted it to be resolved before he was sent back to the nursing home. Somewhere along the way, the oxygen was returned. Sherri says that he will pull it off and sometimes puts it in his mouth so that is something that they will have to watch.
My concern was that Sherri was alone and needed someone to support her. I called a close friend who is also a friend of Sherri's and asked if she could go be with Sherri. Before that, I had suggested to Sherri that she get Mom and take her to the hospital to see Dad. She hadn't seen him in a couple of days as she had not been comfortable being there alone with Dad and had asked to just wait for him back at the nursing home. Sherri was concerned that it would be difficult for her to see him like he was this morning. We discussed it and decided that Dad's need to see her probably far outweighed concern for her at this point. So Sherri picked Mom up after her lunch to take her to see Dad.
Meanwhile, here in Pennsylvania, I was having trouble deciding what to do. I called another dear friend and unloaded my breaking heart on her. She, being the prayer warrior that she is, said "let's pray". While we were talking, Rosie beeped in on my cell phone. I clicked over to tell her that I was on the phone with Kathy and would call her right back. Knowing her sister, Rosie sensed that something was wrong and began to pray for me. I just really needed to know what to do. Was there anything that I could do differently if I was there at home? Thinking that Dad might be dying, I just wanted to be there to sing him into heaven. I kept thinking of the song, "God Will Take Care of You". Kathy prayed that I would know what to do in the next 10 minutes. I told her that I wanted to be there with him if he was dying but I realized that the angels could sing him into heaven better than I could. We hung up and I called Rosie back. Again, I unloaded my breaking heart....(that means I was sobbing). What to do??? Just after we started talking, Kathy beeped in and I clicked over. She told me that she and Carmen were leaving the house to drive up to Orange Park to check on things at the hospital. Now Kathy has been there with several people as their lives were ending. She was a hospice volunteer several years ago and then cared for two family members who passed away in their home. (She's got some experience!) She was going to evaluate the situation and would call. When I got back on the line with Rosie, she told me that was my answer. I was to sit tight and relax until I heard back from Kathy.
Sherri had gone to eat lunch and then went to pick up Mom at the nursing home. When she got back Dad began to perk up...I'm not sure if he had begun to already or if it began when they got there but it was happening. Then Sherri's sister, my neice Kristen, arrived. (They have been down from Indiana on vacation. Another blessing that I had mentioned before.) Frances arrived. The friend that I had called first to be with Sherri. Next, it was Kathy and Carmen. They now had a room full of people who loved Dad and whom he also loved. Kathy called me a few times from the hospital. The first time to tell me that Dad was smiling and enjoying the interaction of the folks in the room. He was now trying to say a few words while before he had been quite unresponsive. But she also wanted me to know that she believed that he was not dying at this time and that I needed to stay put and try to enjoy my time away with my husband and family. Later, Frances also called me to tell me that things were going to be okay and I did NOT need to come home. She and her husband were both going to visit Mom and Dad later in the evening.
Sherri was finally able to call me again when things had been settled for Dad's return to the nursing home this early evening. Sherri took Mom back to the nursing home so that she could have her dinner and her sister, Kristen, who is a CNA, rode with her Grandpa in the ambulance back to the nursing home. Sherri stayed to get Dad settled in and then called me again on her way home to tell my that my two favorite nurses were on duty tonight on their wing. If you have been following this blog, you will remember Grace from the first day at the nursing home. Grace was on duty and is a precious, loving, conscientious nurse. So I am again thankful for Grace. And mercy. Mercy that God allowed the two nurses that I feel the most comfortable with to be there tonight on his first night back following this ordeal. I'm thankful for the friends we have that love Jesus and my family. I'm thankful for my family that love Jesus and me. I'm thankful for Jesus who cares for my parents much better than I ever could and He can do it even if I'm not in town to help Him!
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