My dad called me last evening and his first question was, "Have you heard of Murphy's Law?" I assured him I had but didn't really get a chance to tell him that I had heard all about his day from my sister just a couple hours earlier. I was impressed that he seemed in good spirits even after the crazy day he had experienced. Rachel wrote it up for me so I am going to share this in her words ...
"Just thought I'd write this down while I remembered it all. Today started early and I headed out the door with Seth to get his cast off and an x-ray to make sure he is doing okay. He look great. Yeah!!
We were just getting into the car when Dad called to say he was having a big problem. It was 9:30 and he hadn't been given his 8:00am meds yet. I told him I was just getting Seth cared for and he apologized and then continued on by asking me to call Julie. It was very important for him to get his medicine on time since he was leaving at noon for a doctor's appointment. I tried to think this through before calling Julie so I took Seth to get a donut and thought I'd just drop by Glenn Oaks.
"Just thought I'd write this down while I remembered it all. Today started early and I headed out the door with Seth to get his cast off and an x-ray to make sure he is doing okay. He look great. Yeah!!
We were just getting into the car when Dad called to say he was having a big problem. It was 9:30 and he hadn't been given his 8:00am meds yet. I told him I was just getting Seth cared for and he apologized and then continued on by asking me to call Julie. It was very important for him to get his medicine on time since he was leaving at noon for a doctor's appointment. I tried to think this through before calling Julie so I took Seth to get a donut and thought I'd just drop by Glenn Oaks.
I stopped to talk to the Director of Nursing, etc., and then asked, "Has my dad had his 8am meds yet?" She looked at her watch and said, "I'm sure he has." I said, "Well, as of 15 minutes ago, he hadn't had them." Just then, his nurse came out and the director asked him (nurse) if Dad had been given his meds. He said he had apologized, etc. You have to remember that Dad must have his meds on time with his MG (Myasthenia Gravis) condition. I was trying to make a point by just being there and then I asked if he had had his Ensure yet ... his nurse seemed pretty flustered.
I then asked, "What will he do about his meds when he leaves at noon?" Julie said that he can take his noon meds before he leaves or take them with him. (Actually, they would have been too close together if he took them at noon.) I asked if the driver taking him would give it to him. (You have to remember that I had told Dad I could not go with him today since I had to be at an oral surgeon to get a tooth pulled -- that took 5 shots and was pretty difficult to remove.) Julie said, "One of you kids need to be with you dad. They won't see him unless you are there. Can one of your brothers go or maybe your daughter?" I told her I wasn't sure since Jene' was going in to work there at Glenn Oaks at noon.
I got on the road and tried to call Joel and then Thad. I got home and asked Shara if she could go. She was in the middle of her on-line Spanish class. She agreed to go and check Dad in and fill out all the paperwork. Joel then called and said he thought he could make it here and when he called Dad at 11:30, they still hadn't gotten him up and dressed. Joel said he would just try to catch the van when they got on I-70 and I would bring him Dad's insurance cards, etc.
I called and told Julie that Dad needed to call Joel when he left Glenn Oaks. This was at 11:50. She said, "He's already gone!" Wow! They were not to leave until noon and he wasn't even up at 11:30! I was certain that his anxiety level was up since they had to get him dressed so quickly and into the van. This usually causes breathing difficulties for him.
Joel called to say he was stopped on I-70 in traffic around Knightstown. Dad then called to say that they were going to take him on Route 3 to Route 40 instead of I-70. Allen told Joel just to go on I-70, that it will be faster and you can meet them at the hospital where the doctor's office is. Dad then called back to say that the van that he was riding in had broken down right in front of the gas station just up from our house. Joel made a u-turn on I-70 and came back. Dad was in the van using his electric razor and trying not to stress out! Joel got gas in his vehicle and they called another van to take Dad. They then had to move the signs on the grass so they could get him out since he was in his scooter. The scooter gets stuck in the grass -- the other van arrives. Joel helps him get
into the van, the driver then asks where she needs to take him. (The appointment was to be at 1pm, by the way, and it is now 12:35!) The driver says she must first go back to Knightstown to drop someone else off and then take him. Joel asked them to call him when they come back through so that he can follow them. Joel comes to our house to get Dad's social security card and insurance cards, etc. I then leave for the dentist.
Joel met up with them, they made it to the hospital and proceed to unload Dad in his scooter. The get in and ask which way to the office and, lo and behold, it is across the street and down the road. Back in the van he goes and down the road! They unload Dad again and try to find the wheelchair ramp. It was completely around the other side of the building. They have him go up the ramp and then he can't get over the threshold! The doctor comes out and says to try to back himself in -- they tried and it still didn't work!! They have to bring out another wheelchair and transfer him into that one and leave his scooter out on the porch.
They get into the office and of course, they need the info that Joel had brought since Glenn Oaks didn't send it with him. By this time, Dad needs his meds which they have crushed up in applesauce so he can take it more easily. But, he needs a glass of water so Joel gets that for him. But, now, he has to go to the bathroom which Joel described as very small. Dad barely was able to get his wheelchair into the room and shut the door.
By the way, Joel got Dad a new phone so Jimmy went with him to get that all set up. Can you believe Dad actually survived the day??
With Mother's Day so close, I thought about our mother and how she must be smirking as she watched us struggle through this day. I am sure she is amused but yet so proud of her children and how they are taking care of Dad just like she asked us to do. We are honoring her by caring for him.
It it hadn't been so stressful, it would have just been about the funniest day ever!!"
Back to my dad's call to me ... he did tell me that after he talked to the doctor (he arrived an hour and twenty minutes late for his appointment but they worked him in), he asked if he could make a request. The doctor said that he could so my dad asked if he could pray with him. The doctor seemed a little surprised but welcomed my dad praying for him and for his medical practice.
He also told me that he was about as stressed as he could be when he got to the doctor's office and thought he might just stop breathing. But, he then decided to just sit back and try to relax which he must have done because he was in pretty good spirits when he called me and could actually see the humor in the whole day!! Murphy's law!!
I then asked, "What will he do about his meds when he leaves at noon?" Julie said that he can take his noon meds before he leaves or take them with him. (Actually, they would have been too close together if he took them at noon.) I asked if the driver taking him would give it to him. (You have to remember that I had told Dad I could not go with him today since I had to be at an oral surgeon to get a tooth pulled -- that took 5 shots and was pretty difficult to remove.) Julie said, "One of you kids need to be with you dad. They won't see him unless you are there. Can one of your brothers go or maybe your daughter?" I told her I wasn't sure since Jene' was going in to work there at Glenn Oaks at noon.
I got on the road and tried to call Joel and then Thad. I got home and asked Shara if she could go. She was in the middle of her on-line Spanish class. She agreed to go and check Dad in and fill out all the paperwork. Joel then called and said he thought he could make it here and when he called Dad at 11:30, they still hadn't gotten him up and dressed. Joel said he would just try to catch the van when they got on I-70 and I would bring him Dad's insurance cards, etc.
I called and told Julie that Dad needed to call Joel when he left Glenn Oaks. This was at 11:50. She said, "He's already gone!" Wow! They were not to leave until noon and he wasn't even up at 11:30! I was certain that his anxiety level was up since they had to get him dressed so quickly and into the van. This usually causes breathing difficulties for him.
Joel called to say he was stopped on I-70 in traffic around Knightstown. Dad then called to say that they were going to take him on Route 3 to Route 40 instead of I-70. Allen told Joel just to go on I-70, that it will be faster and you can meet them at the hospital where the doctor's office is. Dad then called back to say that the van that he was riding in had broken down right in front of the gas station just up from our house. Joel made a u-turn on I-70 and came back. Dad was in the van using his electric razor and trying not to stress out! Joel got gas in his vehicle and they called another van to take Dad. They then had to move the signs on the grass so they could get him out since he was in his scooter. The scooter gets stuck in the grass -- the other van arrives. Joel helps him get
into the van, the driver then asks where she needs to take him. (The appointment was to be at 1pm, by the way, and it is now 12:35!) The driver says she must first go back to Knightstown to drop someone else off and then take him. Joel asked them to call him when they come back through so that he can follow them. Joel comes to our house to get Dad's social security card and insurance cards, etc. I then leave for the dentist.Joel met up with them, they made it to the hospital and proceed to unload Dad in his scooter. The get in and ask which way to the office and, lo and behold, it is across the street and down the road. Back in the van he goes and down the road! They unload Dad again and try to find the wheelchair ramp. It was completely around the other side of the building. They have him go up the ramp and then he can't get over the threshold! The doctor comes out and says to try to back himself in -- they tried and it still didn't work!! They have to bring out another wheelchair and transfer him into that one and leave his scooter out on the porch.
They get into the office and of course, they need the info that Joel had brought since Glenn Oaks didn't send it with him. By this time, Dad needs his meds which they have crushed up in applesauce so he can take it more easily. But, he needs a glass of water so Joel gets that for him. But, now, he has to go to the bathroom which Joel described as very small. Dad barely was able to get his wheelchair into the room and shut the door.
By the way, Joel got Dad a new phone so Jimmy went with him to get that all set up. Can you believe Dad actually survived the day??
With Mother's Day so close, I thought about our mother and how she must be smirking as she watched us struggle through this day. I am sure she is amused but yet so proud of her children and how they are taking care of Dad just like she asked us to do. We are honoring her by caring for him.
It it hadn't been so stressful, it would have just been about the funniest day ever!!"
Back to my dad's call to me ... he did tell me that after he talked to the doctor (he arrived an hour and twenty minutes late for his appointment but they worked him in), he asked if he could make a request. The doctor said that he could so my dad asked if he could pray with him. The doctor seemed a little surprised but welcomed my dad praying for him and for his medical practice.
He also told me that he was about as stressed as he could be when he got to the doctor's office and thought he might just stop breathing. But, he then decided to just sit back and try to relax which he must have done because he was in pretty good spirits when he called me and could actually see the humor in the whole day!! Murphy's law!!
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2 comments:
Wow!! What a day!!
My brain is whirling and I am out of breath just reading this account! Hats off to all of you as you care for your dad and deal with the nursing home!
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