My dad...

My family experienced a blow... on December 27 my dad had a massive heart attack and stroke. He was in critical condition for days being kept alive by a respirator and was announced brain dead. When he opened his eyes and the next day started squeezing our hands, we began to hope.

Now dad is speaking normally but has lost most of his motor skills and short term memory. He can only get out of bed with the help of two nurses, one of either side, but his mind does not understand that his body is too weak to hold him. As a result, the first morning he was in a regular room (Wed. Jan 2nd) he fell out of bed. Mom and I had not yet arrived at the hospital and the first thing we saw was dad laying on the floor with a nurse over him. Four nurses were required to get him back in bed and the fall caused two stitches in the back of his head and a blood clot in his left leg.

The news that dad is out of critical care is wonderful, but the damage to his mind is extent enough that he has to have someone in the room with him at all times to monitor him. He keeps insisting to get out of bed, but he is slowly regaining some of his strength. For example, at first he was not able to hold the phone up to his ear and couldn't keep still enough for someone else to hold it for him.... now he can hold the phone for a few minutes.

I am thankful that my family pulled together in this trying time to comfort my father and mother. It is great knowing that people truly care. It is going to be a long road to recovery and since I live in another state, I will not be there to witness the small goals like understanding how to move yourself up in a hospital bed. I just hope that through rehabilitation he does recover the use of his body and memory.

Here are some notes I kept of his first night speaking again after the attack when the respirator was removed. Most of it is funny, but some of it is touching....

12/31/07

First words: I want to see my wife.

Shortly after: I'm sorry, I'm gonna die.

Then he just became ornery and said the following in repetition throughout the night:

I want to go home.
I want ice chips, no I don't want that.
I want to go home. (We say no.) Why not? I already had my heart attack.
Why can't I sit in a regular chair?
I want a tissue, no I don't want that.
Why can't I go home?
Where's _____? (He kept asking for people over and over)
Sit down Penny.(few seconds later)I want ice chips, no I don't want that.
I'm hungry, do you know how long it's been since I ate?
Is this the only bed they have?