So, unbelievably, I found myself back in an emergency room yesterday. My elderly father (who's in his upper 70's) lives with us, and he began having some GI bleeding. He didn't want to go to the emergency center, but we (a group of family members) talked him into it. He's a retired doctor and hates having to be a patient himself.
So, I'm the one who was nominated to take him, which was fine, no problem. However, while in the waiting room, I headed to the bathroom..and after taking care of business, find myself locked IN the bathroom and can't unlock it! It was awful. I felt like a helpless two year old unable to get out. Finally someone had to come help me. There was something wrong with that lock, I swear, it wasn't me!
The nurse/aid was a young man training to be a firefighter. He had to draw from my dad (a vein my dad calls "Old Faithful") and proceeded to drop just about everything on the floor during the process. Granted, my dad's on a blood thinner, so he tends to bleed copiously, but this guy made a mess! I was picking things up after him while he held onto the other stuff. It was hilarious, in a hazardous, non-professional sort of way but, hey, we are all students at one point and another, and he had to learn somewhere, right? lol
After five hours in the emergency center, my dad was then transferred by ambulance to a local hospital. I followed behind to meet them there, fill out lots of paperwork and then find his hospital room. He's legally blind, so he needs a little help at times. There TV was too small for him to see and mounted too high on the wall...and he can't read very well without his special device that isn't very portable, so he was pretty bored (not to mention bleeding) but not in any pain or too uncomfortable.
However, the real fun began after he took a sleeping pill for the night. My dad started looking at me real closely, examining my face with a suspicious look.
Me: What's the matter, Daddy?
Him: You don't look like Rhea.
Me: I don't? What do I look like?
Him: You look weird.
Thanks, Dad!
Him again: You have black eyes (my eyes are green) and markings on your face like monkeys. You look really weird...See that thing wriggling up there? That's weird.
Okaaaaay. Can I have some of the happy juice?
Thursday, March 20, 2008
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11 comments:
Does this mean that you have one more hospital visit in your immediate future - as all things must come in threes?!
I'm sorry about your dad - how's he doing now? My mom lives with us - she's only 61 - and still works full time - but she has a lot of health issues and I am so glad that we can be there for each other. It's a tough road though to look after both your kids and your parents.
I hope there are no more hospital visits in the future, although my dog had a run in with my mom's cat tonight and I thought for a minute I was going to end up at the doggy ER. Yikes!
My dad's doing ok. They just need to figure out what's causing his problem. That's neat your mom lives with you. It is tough taking care of my dad and my kids, but I wouldn't do anything different. Like you said, it's nice to be there for each other.
Good morning to you Ms. Monkey Face! :) JK teehee
Considering the circumstances I would have to say you really had one long interesting night.
Hope your Dad is alright!!
Guess we're on a little hiatus from LOST now, eh?
Maybe in the meantime, I can watch some old episodes and find a clue or two?
Have a nice holiday weekend! Speedy recovery for your father. :)
Ms. Monkey face, darn, a new nickname. I never get good ones!
Thanks for asking, Crystalchick, my dad's doing ok. Hopefully we'll figure out what's going on with him.
I'm bummed we have to wait so long for new episodes of Lost! Who do you think was shooting at Alex last night? The Others don't usually shoot like that, so maybe it was some of the guys from the ship? Was Ben setting them up for an ambush or what?
So sorry your Dad had to experience the hospital from the "other side." I hope the docs figure out the problem and fix it pronto!
Thanks for all your kind comments at my blog!
uh, thats kind of scary! Lots of people who go to old folks homes end up with dementia, and I 'm convinced its because they give them medicine they shouldn't have!
Thanks for coming by, skeller and tearese. My dad is doing MUCH better today, they found the problem and fixed it right up! They're going to keep him overnight and then he comes home tomorrow. He's in a much better (and much more coherent!) mood.
Sleeping pills can have that effect on me as well. I hope your dad gets well soon.
Thanks, Tracie! Some people really react strangely to sleeping pills.
I had to laugh out loud at your dad's comments - sleeping pills are far too fun sometimes!
Hi, Kittilicious (fun name, btw)! It was funny, but only because he was feeling better and not in pain or anything. He was pretty hilarious. I only posted a portion of his comments. lol
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