A little craftiness & a diversion & a shock!

I thought I'd show the little bit of craftiness I accomplished in the past two months - this is a craft blog after all! Sheesh. Poor neglected blog!

I was supposed to have a class with Charlotte Lyons (of House Wren Studio) in January and then my father fell and broke his hip and then I got sick with a cold, which became bronchitis - so I missed my class I had been looking forward to for so long. WAH!

I did make darling Charlotte a little present for being so sweet to silly old me though and I thought I'd share it with you and help cheer up my sad little blog. (I finally got it mailed off to her last week and she's received it so now I can share it with you.)

Charlotte loves to stitch so I thought a little sewing kit would be a fun and fitting gift for her.






In case you're interested in the specifics ...

An egg carton was my jumping off point for inspiration. I found some darling old fashioned mini black embroidery scissors (but with regular sized finger holes) online that fit in the carton, and made a little fabric insert to attach them to. I made a padded egg and embroidered "You're a good egg" on it, to place needles that were in use. I made an egg pincushion. I made Charlotte three cross stitch ribbons and wound them on antique thread spools. I had read a post of Charlotte's saying what size embroidery thread she liked and enclosed four colors in that size and also a packet of needles.

I also found a sweet little black hen online to go with my theme and found clip art online for a gift card to go with it.

I also made a card with a felt hen and raffia for her straw nest.

The class project was to be Charlotte's "Love Banner" and the class was two weeks before Valentine's Day, so I wrapped her gifts as I would have a Valentine's Day gift.

ETA: I forgot to add the following resources used:

Fabric Easter Egg Tutorial is from Retro Mama here.

Hen pattern is from Esprit Cabane here.


And I got all of one Valentine card made this year with all the hospital visits and worry. Years ago, I met a very sweet woman in a rubber stamp store while we were on vacation. She and I got to talking and she asked if I would like to exchange handmade Christmas cards with her and I said YES! (Which has gone on to include all holidays.) I didn't want to let her down this year and somehow managed to squeeze this out.

I found the tutorial here for a 3 D Heart Valentine's Day Card on The Creative Place blog.

The stationery that I used for a note, is an online printable. It's available here, on Creature Comforts.

Re a diversion ... I've been having such fun playing on Ancestry.com and working on a family tree to keep my mind off of all the stress and worry of my dad's hospitalization. It's great fun to see all the other families that are intertwined with my own.

It's also been a bit mind-blowing and illuminating (understatement! - since I had never heard of any LDS connection in our family) Unbeknownst to me, I found that my family has two (so far ...) polygamist unions in our family tree.

What?!

Yup!

One man had NINE wives and 43 children!!! Holy moly! The other one was an underachiever with only two wives and five children.

Perhaps this has been lost to time but I think not. I think it must be a family secret as I quizzed my Aunt and cousin and they were very odd about it - changing stories, etc.

I find it all fascinating and can't wait to delve in further. I love a good mystery!

I'm also stumped on my maternal grandfather's family from Sweden, any tips out there on how to research immigrants from Sweden?


And lastly, for my shock of the day ... when I saw my father at the hospital this morning, he told me that he wants to marry his girlfriend!!! Such a shocker!

I am glad that he has found love and happiness and grateful to his girlfriend for taking such good care of him but ... well ... I don't care for her. Not. one. iota. Blech. ARGH!!! She is bossy and opinionated and controlling and I could go on and on. But it doesn't really matter what I think, does it?! It's his life and nearing the end of his life, he deserves this small happiness.

He said he hadn't asked her yet, that he wanted to talk to me and that he wouldn't do anything I didn't want. I fought back the words that were welling up inside me and only said, it's your life Dad and your decision.

Geez Louise. What on earth is going to happen next?!!

My Dad is a bit better today - his CO2 levels went up again over the weekend, so he couldn't be moved out of ICU. They drained the fluid in his lungs this morning, that should make him feel better.

I listened to him to talk to two business clients on the phone this morning and he sounded like his old self in spirit.

Hoping his body will oblige!


Well, I've written a book after so long away, huh?! Wishing you all a Happy Monday!

One foot in front of the other

UPDATE: Saturday 9 Am PST - No sooner had I hit publish than the phone rang. My dad's girlfriend said my father is experiencing difficulty breathing. My dad asked to speak with me and he said it "had been a really long day" - I guess he meant "night". He said he felt a little better now and did express that he was happy about his business again.

Please think a good thought that my father will be comfortable. Thank you!

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Every day we hear the same words ... we will get your father up today and move him out of ICU ... ARGH!

Apparently they don't really bother with PT in the ICU ... but they do tell you that your relative is severely deconditioned from laying around for weeks. No kidding. GRRRRRRR!

Thank heavens every few days my dad has had a very nice male nurse and he was willing to (try to) lift my dad up and position him on the edge of the bed yesterday. He helped my dad to sit up twice yesterday and the effort really pooped my dad out (understatement) but hopefully that's just a beginning on the road to recovering some body strength.

The pulmonary doctor said my dad's blood gases were much improved, YIPPIE! My dad has known him for a number of years and they're so cute together - the doctor always comes in with a golf joke or anecdote to cheer my major golfing-nut dad up.

They were to move my father out of ICU yesterday but there wasn't a bed available on another floor for him yet ... at least this time the issue was a lack of a bed for him.

Depending on how he does after he is moved out of ICU, we will decide whether or not we will rescind the hospice care order and choose regular home care instead, or not. My father's own doctor says that there are advantages to both and that we will review our options after the weekend.

If he is with-it mentally at the time of his release from the hospital, we know that the very word and thought of "Hospice" will be devastating to him.

He was barely "there" when we made the decision earlier and now he is conversant (and even making business calls to clients - he is so very thrilled over a new contract!). That said, he is experiencing difficulty breathing, just laying down, with no exertion.


Wishing you all a great weekend! Do you have any fun plans? We have theater tickets on Sunday and will be seeing a play starring Jane Fonda (I think it's her return to the stage after a gazillion years), not realizing it conflicts with the Oscars! Thankfully we're seeing the matinee but we'll still have to scurry home quickly - after picking up something yummy on the way home for dinner, of course. Three cheers for DVR's.

Thank you again so much for your continued care, concern and friendship, it means so much to me!

Dare I say ...

... that today is a good day for my dad?!

He stayed awake for long patches yesterday and is doing so again today AND three, count them, three, doctors said that he was doing better today. YIPPIE!

He is even wearing his cranky pants today so he must be feeling more like himself teehee!

He told me and his girlfriend that he was going to "demand" to be sent home and sign himself out but then when his doctor arrived to see him, he only asked to go home. Poor thing, it's been four and a half weeks of a total nightmare for him.

Anyway, today is good and we're counting our blessings.

Thank you so much for all of your care and kind comments, I appreciate it so very much!

I'm so very tired of this roller coaster!

ARGH ARGH ARGH

I am so dang confused and so very tired of being confused.

The last time I wrote I spoke about the ICU doctor painting the bleakest of pictures. Well ... the next morning when I visited the hospital, a Palliative Care doctor showed up to speak with me - I hadn't been told this would happen.

The good news with that visit was that she told us she thought my father would probably have "months" yet ... while the ICU doctor had said a couple of months and also said anything little thing could be too much for my father.

Things are (were?), moving at lightning speed ... yesterday afternoon we met with a Hospice Care company and signed up with them for Dad's care ... my father was to be reviewed for a day or two and if stable then released home to hospice care.

Well ...

I just got a call from my father's own private doctor and he said that there are still two procedures that the hospital can do for my father that may make him a bit better and feel better ... #1. a transfusion for his anemia, which the higher red blood count would help the oxygenation of his blood and #2, draining off the fluid around his lungs (which apparently my father has had done before and it was helpful).

So ... my dad's own private doctor is requesting the ICU staff to "treat whatever is reversable".

Well um, yeah!

I had thought that was the decision we came to with the ICU doctor.

ARGH!

And most importantly, my dad's own doctor said that my dad could have a breathing tube inserted for a short period of time and then have it removed and not be any worse than he currently is. (My dad's doctor is a heart doctor and he also had a pulminary [spellling?] specialist review my father's case.)

@&%^&!+#^&%$!!!

Why on earth did the ICU doctor tell us that my dad would never be able to have a tube removed, once one was inserted and that he'd be in a vegetative state???

I want to throttle someone right now - only I don't know who to throttle!

So we wait for those two procedures and see how my dad is and then if he is stable, the hospice company will accept him and he will go home and be under their care.

I feel slightly insane at this moment ...

Quality of life

oh gosh ...

Well, we received a call from the ICU Doctor yesterday afternoon saying she'd like to speak to us about my father. We had already been to the hospital earlier on Monday, had come home, had just finished lunch, when the call came.

We met with the doctor and the picture is very sad.

We had been fooled by the stats on the machines, since my father's blood pressure was fine, his heart rhythm was fine, his oxygenation was where it should be, etc. and no one had suggested otherwise to us. Until yesterday afternoon.

My father gets better for a few hours and then there's a new worry. My dad's lungs and his ability to expel the CO2 are just about non-existent. He is walking a very narrow tight rope - any little thing could be more than his frail body can handle.

Heartbreakingly, his days may be very few or he may rally again, perhaps for a couple of months but not more - his new base line is so very low now and he doesn't have the strength to rebound yet again.

I'm writing this because I may fall quiet here and I wanted to let you know why.

I want to thank you all so much for your continued care and concern for my father and myself, your many prayers, well wishes, kind words of support and friendship. You are all very dear to me.

Thank you!

The long and winding road ...

I hope everyone is enjoying their President's Day weekend!

Things remain pretty much unchanged around here.

Today is four weeks since my father broke his hip and went into the hospital. His oxygen numbers are getting better, his kidneys are improving after his severe dehydration episode, the tremors are gone but he is still too weak to sit up on the edge of his bed or in the chair. His doctor told us that his red count was low and they were possibly going to give him some blood units. They were also going to give him a swallow test using a fiber optic camera - yipes! - the regular one was not definitive.

So he is improved over the emergency state he was in one week ago today but still in ICU, still so very weak and now depressed.

Thanks for hanging in there with me.


We went and saw the Academy Award Nominated Animated Shorts and Live Action Shorts yesterday - nice to have a bit of a diversion. We usually run around like crazy people, trying to see all the nominated movies but we're too pooped this year to chase them down.

I saw this really cute President's Day craft on the Etsy blog, from adorable Heidi Kenney's (of My Paper Crane blog) new book, thought you might enjoy it.

Photo from Every day's a Holiday: Year Round Crafting With Kids by Heidi Kenney.

Tutorial is here.

My Dad says he's progressing well

The phone rang at 9:30, the caller id was my dad's girlfriends number and when I answered, it was my dad's voice. {smile}

He had the big mask on and it was hard to understand every word but he said that he hadn't slept well last night and he wanted to call because he was going to try to go to sleep now.

During every hospitalization he has had night terrors, delusions, etc. ... they have told us that it is pretty typical with elderly patients - they've called it "Sundowner's". When night comes, elderly patients tend to become more disoriented.

He said he's progressing well. Hurray hurrah!

I was thinking this is the only photo I have with my Dad when I was little. And good gosh, I'm not looking at the camera and his back is to the camera. WAH! Let that be a lesson, be sure and take lots of photos with your kiddies and grandkiddies with everyone facing the camera!

I'm not sure whose home this was??? This probably was the day my love of Huskies began?!! Look at that poochie, what a cutie ... certainly the star of this photograph.

It's nice to be seen

a small update 2/16/11 10:00 AM PST - my dad's girlfriend just called me and said "Today's a really good day". WAHOO! She said that Dad is doing better and that his kidney's were doing well - I didn't know anything to the contrary about his kidneys but that's good to hear. She put my dad on the phone and he said he's doing well and to tell everyone he's feeling good. Which is of course a monumental overstatement but so very wonderful and reassuring to hear!!! Hurray for Daddy!

We saw my Dad in ICU yesterday. He was sleeping when we arrived. We stood on each side of the bed and looked down at him and after a bit, he stirred. My husband said "It's good to see you Bob" and my Dad replied "It's good to be seen". major heart melt! He went on to ask what the weather was like outside and we told him that it had rained and he replied with surprise "It did?!". And then he went back to snoozing.

We don't know anything further yet. We did run into his Social Worker and she seemed very nice and assured us up and down that they would find him an after care facility that also provides medical care this time.

Well sheesh! Ya think?!

Sorry, I'm really miffed (whopping understatement) about the huge holes in my Dad's care. ARGH!

I didn't get a chance to share this with you before ... on Valentine's Day, a card came for me, from my Dad! So surreal and freaky, to receive as I was hurrying out the door to the Emergency Room to see my father, terrified of the news ... obviously it had been picked out before he went into the hospital and his girlfriend had mailed it off (just before the darkest of days arrived, unbeknownst to her), to make it to me on Valentine's Day. sniffle sniffle SOB Happy Valentine's Day Dad!

I just talked to my Dad!

a little update: My dad's girlfriend just called me and she said the nurse told her that their current theory is severe dehydration and his oxygen levels were really low.

ARGH ARGH ARGH!

How could they miss dehydration?! (we're talking about the most basic of things!) & How could they not be on top of a COPD's patients oxygen levels?!

Someone over here named Sally, is very cranky right now after hearing that GRRRRRRRRR!

My dad's girlfriend said he is still having some loopy moments but we're so thankful that he is a little improved today.

whew ...

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YABBA DABBA DOO!

My Dad's girlfriend just called me and said "Would you like to speak to your Dad?!"!!!

And then my Dad got on the phone and I could understand every word.

Doing a jig over here! Can you feel my smile all the way over there?! Bet you can!

We don't know what any of the test results were yet but we do know that he was dehydrated, has a bladder infection, he wasn't able to exhale the CO2, etc., all of which could account for his odd symptoms.

Oh! I forgot to ask him if he'd run into Elizabeth (Taylor) yet teehee!

(I had begun to write the following post before the phone rang...)

We spent several hours at the Emergency Room yesterday. They had taken all sorts of blood tests and a chest xray by the short time later when we got there but didn't know anything yet.

My father recognized me and said my name, which was an improvement over Sunday at the rehab facility. He asked what time it was and what was going on - so in the midst of all of this chaos, he seemed to be a bit more with it.

The ER doctor ordered a different kind of mask for my father, as he wasn't able to exhale the CO2. Within a half hour, his color looked better and he was twitching less and he finally appeared to be resting, rather than agitated.

The only news we received was that they did find out that he was dehydrated and had a bladder infection and fluid in his lungs and they were going to do a brain scan to determine if he'd had a stroke.

He was admitted to ICU (he can schmooz with Elizabeth Taylor!). Cedars seems to be determined to get to the bottom of this, thank heavens!

We feel that the previous hospital released him too quickly and that the rehab center didn't monitor him as a COPD patient should be. ARGH!

And that's for someone who has the ability to have the best of care, it terrifies me to think of what happens to people who have no insurance and/or are unable to be their own advocate or have family or friends watching out for them!

I am waiting for the plumber - we have a leak under the house - when it rains it pours, huh?!

I will update after I have spoken to my dad's girlfriend.

I'm a basket case

UPDATE: 2/14/11 Noon PST - The rehab facility just called me and my dad is having some more issues and he's being sent to the hospital Emergency Room.

Please think a good thought for my Daddy ...

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We saw my Dad at the rehab facility yesterday. It was unbearably heartbreaking. (I think I've said that my Dad is 92 and still works - he's always been active and his mind and wit are the quickest of anyone I've ever known.) This man of stature, of robust health, looks tiny and frail and is out in some other orbit right now. The dazzling blue eyes didn't look at us but at something his continually moving hands were after.

He spoke my husband's name at one point, asking for his cap for some reason only known to him, but didn't say mine. I asked him if he knew who we were and he said yes, that he recognized us immediately but then he asked if we were going to Oregon or Palm Springs, which we had no plans to go either place.

I got a call at 7:50 this morning from a nurse and she said that his oxygen numbers had dropped and the doctor had ordered another chest xray - we don't know the results yet. (He has COPD and apparently giving him just the right amount of oxygen is very tricky.)

My father has shut me and my husband out of the loop the past three years, choosing his girlfriend over us every time. I think his being such a private, private person and having us so involved in his life and his care, made him really feel his age and he thought we judged him incapable of taking care of his self, which we did not.

Every single bit of this is so very painful ...

Weekend update

I was hoping since my dad had improved enough to go into the rehab facility that the weekend would be a "non-event" ... no such luck.

I spoke with my dad yesterday and he was pretty loopy and out of it - he's had periods of disorientation with every hospitalization and we've been told that it's pretty typical with elderly patients. He called me "Mom" and said he'd like some eggs. And then he was babbling happily to himself in words I couldn't understand.

Well, his girlfriend just called me and he's still out of it - doesn't know who he is or where he is - that's never happened before. Before he'd say some off the wall stuff and then come back to reality - now he's just out there, in some other orbit, for more than a day.

WAH!

I asked MDGF why the nurses don't react/respond/comment on, my dad's disorientation and she said it's because there are all sorts of patients there with dementia and Alzheimer's - I said but my dad doesn't have dementia or Alzheimer's and she told me that my dad had been put on a drug that Alzheimer patients take - he was prescribed it for memory loss.

So she surmises that the nurses see that med on his chart and think he is a dementia or Alzheimer patient and pay no attention.

ARGH!

Thankfully his own doctor is the one on call today and he will come by and visit my father later today.

So frightening.

Happy almost Valentine's Day!

UPDATE 2/12/11 - My dad was released from the hospital yesterday and went into a rehab facility. He went to one where his own doctor can visit him - his doctor doesn't have privileges at the hospital my dad was in, so he wasn't able to visit him while he was there - so that's good news. Pretty much nothing will happen over the next couple of days since it's the weekend, none of the therapists will be working, etc., so I probably won't be updating regarding his progress over the weekend.

Thanks again for all of your kind words and care, I so appreciate all of you!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Valentine's Day!

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UPDATE - um, already! ;) 9:30 AM PST -
As soon as I hit "publish", the phone rang and my dad's girlfriend just told me that my dad had a really good day yesterday. YABBA DABBA DOO! Pending some blood test results, he may be moved to the rehab facility as early as this afternoon. YEAH!

Group hug!

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And somehow it's Friday ... the days are blending into each over here. I hope you're all well and happy!

I haven't heard anything yet this morning re my dad - they tend to do procedures, have doctor visits, etc. in the morning, so I haven't called in yet today.

My dad's girlfriend did say that my father was a smidge better yesterday and they were going to try to get him out of the bed at long last and sit him in a chair. I know from previous hospitalizations, how difficult it is to find someone and get them to help him into the chair and walk him - don't know what's up with that??? Are they massively under-staffed?


Have I told you that I adore Pinterest? I found this charming Heart Banner for Valentine's Day on it this morning.

Tutorial by Hometown Girl, here.

Happy Almost Valentine's Day!

One step forward, two steps back ...

Mini Update 2:20 PST: My dad's girlfriend just called - they've already finished the procedure and are going to return him right to his room. My good gosh, that was FAST!

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Well ... I was in the midst of typing an update about my father (as my dad's girlfriend just called me 45 minutes ago) and then my dad's girlfriend just called me again, so scratch the first draft. :)

It turns out that, based on the Swallow Therapist's (wonder what the real title is???) assessment yesterday, she spoke with the team of doctors (my dad is at UCLA and since it's a teaching hospital, each patient has a bazillion doctors) and they decided that he needs a stomach tube.

So ... they just came right now to take him down to surgery!

Thankfully, it is a very short procedure ... but my dad is greatly depleted from the last five days (MDGF was telling me that my father was on his feet and standing up five days ago) - once again his white cell count is elevated (they say the pneumonia is gone) and he has some fever (they don't know why currently), his forearms are all swollen up (they don't know why - this has happened to him before during hospital stays - they ran scans on his legs yesterday and were going to be doing them on his arms but now he's off to have the tube inserted) and he just wants to sleep.

I got to talk to him for a moment just now and he seemed to be in good spirits.

It's currently looking like he will need to go to a rehab facility even though he doesn't want to - he is too weak at this point for his girlfriend to manage on her own with him as planned previously.

Your continued good thoughts, prayers and healing vibes are most welcome. Thank you so much!

Yippie yippie, Spring has arrived!

Doing the happy dance over here!

Dear Charlotte has alerted us that the latest issue of Amy Powers
charming Inspired Ideas has just been released. WHOOPIE!

There are a couple of previews to whet your appetite here and here.

And I found this while blog hopping this morning, so very cute!

Tutorial for this darling hedgehog ornament here.

How do I love thee ...

I spoke with my dad's girlfriend a couple of hours ago - long story, but my dad wasn't able to have his swallow test as planned this morning. They are hoping that they will be able to tomorrow (Wednesday).

My dad's voice sounds stronger, so it seems that he is gaining a little ground.

I gather once the swallow test is completed, the next step will be having a stomach tube inserted (once he has his swallow test and they document he can't swallow without aspirating).

The delays feel so long between each step, so frustrating.

whineeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee ...

Here's a lovely idea to make your Valentine ... How Do I Love Thee tags. A gorgeous printable that you personalize with things you love about your sweetheart.

(There are more creative Valentine ideas on my new heart blog here.)

From EAB Designs. Printable here.


How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.
I love thee to the depth and breadth and height
My soul can reach, when feeling out of sight
For the ends of Being and ideal Grace.
I love thee to the level of every day's
Most quiet need, by sun and candlelight.
I love thee freely, as men strive for Right;
I love thee purely, as they turn from Praise.
I love with a passion put to use
In my old griefs, and with my childhood's faith.
I love thee with a love I seemed to lose
With my lost saints, I love thee with the breath,
Smiles, tears, of all my life! and, if God choose,
I shall but love thee better after death.
~ Elizbeth Barrett Browning

Monday blog love

Ay yi yi! I'm um, trying to make darling Elizabeth's delightful Valentine doggies and ... failing miserably over here. WAH!!! Pipe cleaner crafts are for small children, aren't they? SOB! And I can't find my glue - I'm sure if they had their eyeballs and hearts attached, they'd be a little cuter ... wah! Oh! I did notice that Elizabeth's chenille stems are oh so much nicer than mine, the fringe on hers is longer and softer than on mine. I got mine at Michael's - I'll have to go ask E where she got hers!

Sally, down in a deep dark crafting hole today bwhahahhahhahaha

(more Valentine fun on my new heart blog too!)

And ... Sitting around sick, iPad in hand, planted on my ever expanding posterior, has led to this MAMMOTH list of yummy blogs! (There are even more ... don't want to make your brains explode ... am saving them for later!)

A Prairie Thistle Life
A Thing For Roses
A Thrifty Mrs
ArtJoyStuff
be present be here
City Cottage
crow and canary
decorology
eighteen25
Elderberry Street
Esprit Boheme
esprit champetre
Family Chic
going home to roost
Good Grief Girdie
Hannas - Form
Heirloom Gypsy
it is what it is
Keswick and Country
Kids Napping I'm Scrapping
La Maison Douche
le blog de Sharon
Le Monde de Catherine
My Grama's Soul
ocd: obsessive crafting disorder
Of Spring and Summer
One Perfect Bite
One Ripe Peach
Pleasant Home
RedBerry Barn
Shabby Cats and Roses
sixtypiggies
Something Special
Summerland Cottage Studio
the drawing board
They Draw and Cook
Thimbleprims Studio
Up The Creek Crafts
Vintage Flair
Vintage Girl At Heart
Vintage Valentine Museum
volume 25

Bored out of my tree

Aw phooey! I wish I could say I was feeling better but I still feel miserable. I think I must be experiencing bad allergies on top of this cold/bronchitis hullabaloo. WAH! Throw boredom into the mix and I'm really not a happy camper.

So yesterday I created a Valentine blog to amuse myself - you can check it out over here. You know I love finding stuff on the internet so I had a lot of fun!

Are you making any cards for your sweetheart, or for/with your kids or for your friends? I usually make a few - here are mine from last year.

Somehow it's Saturday

ay yi yi ... I feel like I've lost much of January and now it's not only February, but it's the fifth! How did that happen?! wooosshhh ... cough cough ... woooosh ...

I just talked with my dad's GF and she said my dad "just keeps getting better". SMILE.

He has to have another swallow test though in a couple of days. If he doesn't "do well" on it, looks like he will have to have another surgery to have a stomach tube put in again.

He is unwilling to go into a rehab facility (after several bad experiences)... he says will make do with services provided (a PT and a home care nurse, come for a few weeks, maybe longer) and the girlfriend (who is all over him anyway, aka Miss Boss Of Us All ... ACK!).

All of this because the poor guy slid off of the bed. ARGH! ARGH! ARGH!

Reminder to self: always have ones rumpus firmly planted in life!!!

Wishing you all a wonderful weekend!

How did it get to be Thursday?!

UPDATE 2/3/11 1:45 PST: I wanted to let you guys know that my dad called me at Noon to say Hello! Whoopie! tra la tra la

Now if I could just speak more than a few words without doubling over in coughs!

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YIKES! I seem to have lost days at a time over here. The days are just smooshing together, filled with little sleep, coughing fits and anxiety over my father.

The pharmacy is only a couple of blocks from me so like a twit I decided to just go pick up my antibiotics there yesterday, rather than wait for a delivery. My legs felt like wiggly JELLO! It all felt so surreal, like the real world was some alien planet. My head feels as though it's stuffed with cotton wool or whatever the saying is - maybe my doggie left some of her toys in my ear teehee!

The oddest thing of all was that I ran into my dad's girlfriend (henceforward to be known as "MDGF") at the drug store! I was so surprised that she had left the hospital and my dad. I yoo-hoo'ed her and we spoke for a brief moment before I succumbed to the bazillionth coughing fit of recent days.

The good news was that she told me that she had mentioned to my dad before she left for her errand, that some college game was going to be on TV and my dad got all excited about it and said YIPPIE!

YEAH! He understood and he responded.

And I just talked to her this morning and he is lucid and responding to prompts and questions and even, conversant. MDGF said that my dad was out of the room and having a procedure done, otherwise she knew he'd want to say Hello to me.

Doing a small, grateful, happy dance over here and daring to exhale.

Thank you so much for your continued care, concern, prayers and friendship.

another day at the sick peoples home

I just spoke with my dad's girlfriend ... she says he's more responsive today. She said my dad opened his eyes when the doctors asked him to and my dad attempted to answer their questions. She said that his speech is very garbled ... so I don't know if his answers are making any sense?? Two or three days ago, which would precede this latest business with him sleeping so much, she said that he was pretty loopy and not making sense. He has had periods of being delusional with every hospital visit that I know of (which goes back to 2005).

But he's not been mentally out of it for this length of time before. WAH! They are still working on the premise that it is due to his fighting the pneumonia.

I've got a call into my doctor ... I just know that I've got bronchitis. I've had it a gazillion times in my life - but hope springs eternal, I just keep hoping and wishing I were one of those people who gets a cold and it remains simply a cold, no drama and no need for antibiotics. Alas, I'm not getting any better and I'm hoping my doctor will take pity on me with my dad in the hospital and not make me come in. Please please please!

My husband is going back to the doctor this afternoon since the antibiotics he was given haven't put a dent in his ear infection (from this cold bug) either. I do not know how he goes to work with pain in his ear (and all the other maladies of this rotten scourge of a bug!) - I've had two inner ear infections in my life and they are so painful, they made me cry and moan.

Aw geez. Sorry we are such a sad sack lot over here these days! On a happier note ... hooray for lolly gagging and dilly dallying teehee!

I am very much enjoying visiting the entrants of the Fifth (and Final) One World One Heart Event ... thanks so much Pammie for reminding me! Six hundred something participants (so far!) and everyone is giving away a door prize. Hope you have time to visit at least some of the wonderful participants in the event. Enjoy!

Signing off from sick bed over here ... sure hope you're all staying well and not felled by this low down, meanie, buggeroo!

My Dad is having a set back

UPDATE 2/1/11 6:30 PM (PST): I had my husband call my dad's girlfriend, in case I hadn't understood correctly.

She told my husband that my father had spoken to her in the afternoon - of course that was after she had called me and scared the bejeezus out of me (and didn't even call me back and tell me that he had spoken to her!!! ARGH!).

She spoke with the doctor and the current theory is still that they had changed my dad's antibiotics and that the new ones were making him drowsy.

sheesh.

So sorry for the worry to you guys - I'm a basket case but there's no reason for me to take you along with me! Sorry!

Thanks for being there and I will try not post in haste again ...

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SOB!

I didn't call my dad's girlfriend this morning as I've been doing every morning, today, since I feel so horrible and it's hard for me to talk without having a coughing fit. I figured she would call me if there was something I should know.

She called a little while ago and said that something is up with him today ... she said that he "fell into a deep sleep this morning" and that he hasn't roused himself.

Currently all we know is that his white blood cell count is up. An infection could account for his behavior but she reminded me of his bad heart.

They are running tests.

I am so worried about my daddy ...

meanwhile ...

UPDATE on my Dad - Thankfully he was taken off the breathing tube a couple of days ago, then placed on a huge mask (I think it must be like the sleep apnea ones) - I tried to talk to him over the phone and couldn't make out a single word he was saying through his mask but he was yakking up storm for me (and I replied in kind by coughing my head off in his ear, dear me!).

His oxygen numbers aren't high enough so he will have to continue on a mask for awhile yet. (We've been down this road before.)

He is supposed to have a swallow test today - he is aspirating whatever they are giving him.

(He has never been the same since his 2008 stay at UCLA - he lost the ability to swallow without aspirating during that stay and it was a long, long, long road back for him - he had to have a stomach tube for a year or maybe more, my old brain can't remember now. He fought long and hard to regain his strength and be able to eat and drink again, he's quite the trooper.)

Thank you so much for all of your many kind words and care and concern for my father! Please know you are very dear to me.


I am so sorry to be so tardy in updating! I'm feeling quite like walking death over here. This bug is unlike any I've ever had before ... it begins with about five days of your feeling kind of lousy but still functional and on your feet, which lulls you into a false sense that it may not be that bad. WRONG!!! So very wrong.

Then it smacks you on the head, kicks you in the stomach and throws you down for the count!

ARGH!

My husband has been sick five days longer than I have and isn't well yet - so run the other way as fast as you can, should you encounter anyone coughing out and about - you do not want this!!!

Oh! And I had to miss my class with Charlotte Lyons on Sunday! SOB! I have been looking forward to meeting dear Charlotte for so long, woe is me.

Thank heavens for iPads and the wonderful eye candy of Pinterest (how had I missed hearing about it before now?!), two new books, off to a wonderful start (this one and this one) and a mountain of unread magazines.

(I just remembered that I left the tea kettle on the stove to make some tea, thinking I'd hear the whistle, while writing this post. Which is lunacy since my head and ears feel like someone stuffed a beach towel in them. good golly gosh. GEEZ! There was about a tear drop of water left in the bottom. Ay yi yi. I guess I can't multi task at the moment bwahahhahha)

Back to bed for me (after checking the stove, that is!) ...

Thanks again!