A dear friend of mine sent this link to me a few weeks back. I'm sure she wouldn't mind me sharing her words w/ you---
There is a poem/movie on-line called "The Dash" (click for link). It was sent to me when my brother passed and helped to remind me how life should be lived. From all that I read in this blog and from talking to you, it sounds like your dad already lives life to the fullest, as this poem reminds us to do. For all of you who haven't read/seen The Dash, I'd take the time to do so. Turn up the volume...beautiful music accompanies each verse as well as gorgeous photos of nature. Your dad is going to pull through this, Lisa, and continue to live life as this poem intends.
I watched this and was moved by it. It really does remind us what is important in life and how you just never know what's going to happen in life. I have gone back to it a few times to watch it again. My friend was right about my Dad already living life to the fullest and I know he is proud of his dash thus far. I know every daughter will say their father is a good man but I really truly mean it when I say my father is a good man. Anybody who knows my father will tell you that. He doesn't care about the materialistic things in life. He never asks for anything from anyone. He has done so many GOOD KIND UNSELFISH things in his life. He doesn't deserve this. I hope he's not suffering.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
My Dad and Carter
On Thanksgiving.........
Carter really can play Chess. He's pretty good at it! He had to remind Poppy of some of the "rules", lol.
click on photo to view larger!
July 20th
I was too tired to update last night.......12 hours at the hospital takes everything out of you.
My dad had a major set back yesterday. I had told my mom to take the morning off so I arrived to find him having trouble breathing. The respiratory therapists were w/ him. His heart rate was 92 and his respiration, which had been 30, was at 45. I held his hand for 40 minutes while they worked on him. I have never, in my whole life, been so afraid.
When they stabilized him they took him down for a CT of his head and lungs. The Neurosurgeon resident that we've been dealing with, who I don't care for at all, said he'd be come back w/ the results right away. After an hour and 1/2 a medical student, who's been wonderful to us through all of this, said he'd go find him. So, said Neurosurgeon comes back w/ a mouth full of food apologizing for the delay and saying that his blood sugar was low and he had to eat something (OMG) and then w/ a mouth full of food says "anyway, Kraig has had a pulmonary embolism!". Turns out he had a blood clot in each lung and the ultrasound showed a DVT (deep vein thrombosis--blood clot) in his left leg that was on the move. They made the decision to put a filter in his Vena Cava to stop the other clot from moving. Normally they would give heprin in this situation but b/c of the brain bleed, they can't. The Dr. yesterday said this could cause his death (the PE). It's serious but we're praying!!!!!!!
On a positive note---the CT we saw yesterday showed that the bleed is considerably smaller and that the left side of the brain looks unaffected. The neurosurgeon felt hopeful b/c he said this is the side of the brain that does all the cognitive thinking, speech, etc. BUT his ventricles are swollen and he has a little hydrocephalus. If he requires more drainage they will need to drain from his spine as they took the drain out of his head a few days ago (too prematurely if you ask me and I questioned it when they did it). He feels like his progess has been slow b/c of all these secondary infections/problems. If my dad can get over this latest hurdle.......I think he'll start to see progess.
I just checked in w/ the hospital to see how his night was. She said it was good. There is no evidence of the clots moving. We just need to wait and pray and hope the clots are absorbed.
PRAY!
My dad had a major set back yesterday. I had told my mom to take the morning off so I arrived to find him having trouble breathing. The respiratory therapists were w/ him. His heart rate was 92 and his respiration, which had been 30, was at 45. I held his hand for 40 minutes while they worked on him. I have never, in my whole life, been so afraid.
When they stabilized him they took him down for a CT of his head and lungs. The Neurosurgeon resident that we've been dealing with, who I don't care for at all, said he'd be come back w/ the results right away. After an hour and 1/2 a medical student, who's been wonderful to us through all of this, said he'd go find him. So, said Neurosurgeon comes back w/ a mouth full of food apologizing for the delay and saying that his blood sugar was low and he had to eat something (OMG) and then w/ a mouth full of food says "anyway, Kraig has had a pulmonary embolism!". Turns out he had a blood clot in each lung and the ultrasound showed a DVT (deep vein thrombosis--blood clot) in his left leg that was on the move. They made the decision to put a filter in his Vena Cava to stop the other clot from moving. Normally they would give heprin in this situation but b/c of the brain bleed, they can't. The Dr. yesterday said this could cause his death (the PE). It's serious but we're praying!!!!!!!
On a positive note---the CT we saw yesterday showed that the bleed is considerably smaller and that the left side of the brain looks unaffected. The neurosurgeon felt hopeful b/c he said this is the side of the brain that does all the cognitive thinking, speech, etc. BUT his ventricles are swollen and he has a little hydrocephalus. If he requires more drainage they will need to drain from his spine as they took the drain out of his head a few days ago (too prematurely if you ask me and I questioned it when they did it). He feels like his progess has been slow b/c of all these secondary infections/problems. If my dad can get over this latest hurdle.......I think he'll start to see progess.
I just checked in w/ the hospital to see how his night was. She said it was good. There is no evidence of the clots moving. We just need to wait and pray and hope the clots are absorbed.
PRAY!
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