So, I can’t explain it like my sister so here’s the update on my dad. Needless to say, I didn’t fly out this afternoon like I was supposed to (thus the drinking alone post below LOL).
Hi Everyone!
Well, it’s been a LONG week! One filled with every emotion possible. My dad and I had to fast for some blood tests and immediately following we had an appointment with the anethesiologist. We didn’t have time to eat and my dad was really weak so I sat in the room with him while my mom went to get him some juice. My dad and I were in the room with an RN when he told her that he was feeling light headed and needed to lay down. As he stood up, his face went blank and he fell to the floor. Luckily the RN and I caught him before he landed. We sat him up just as my mom was getting back and they called a doctor in, and again my dad’s face blanked out and he passed out again. This time his whole body was shaking and his head was laying in my lap. The doctor ordered the nurse to call a “Code Blue” and in about 10 seconds there were about 15 people in the hospital room with us (the room was about 8′ x 8′). My dad was out for a few minutes and the doctors couldn’t get a pulse or feel him breathing. I don’t think I’ve ever been so scared in my life. My dad’s eyes were wide open and still with his head in my lap. He looked up at me and still had this blank look on his face. I leaned over to talk to him, but he just wasn’t “there”. He finally came to, and kept asking “Where’s my wife?” my mom was pushed back in the corner, so he couldn’t see her. They took him into the ER and got him on some IV’s and took some blood tests, chest x-rays, CAT scan, EKG, and a CT Renal Scan. My mom and I just kept saying we thought he was dehydrated. We spent the whole day in the ER with different doctors telling us different things. The transplant would be postponed 6 weeks, then the transplant was still on as scheduled. When we left the hospital, the transplant was still on as scheduled and since I had missed all my appointments I was scheduled back at the hospital the next day to complete the pre-op stuff.
On our way to the hospital the next day, I get a phone call from the transplant coordinator. She tells me that all his tests came back OK (no infection, nothing wrong with his heart, etc) BUT there was some reactivity when they did the final cross match of my blood with my dads blood. The good news is, the surgery is still on, the bad news is there is an extra prodedure scheduled that needs to take place 4 weeks prior to the transplant. This was bad news meaning we had to postpone the transplant by a few weeks. My dad didn’t know this yet so we were on our way to the hospital to get there before the doctors but we were too late. They had taken him in for dialysis and a doctor had told him during the treatment. Needless to say, he did NOT take it too well. He was alone and scared. And of course, heard the worst “the transplant isn’t going as planned” after that, he “checked out” and didn’t hear what the dr had to say. When he got back to the room, we were able to explain everything.
The transplant coordinator came to the room and explained everything in greater detail and my dad was feeling a lot better after she talked to him. So, we are all happy again and getting used to the idea that we just have to wait a little a longer. BUT… then the nurse came in and let us know that the blood culture from the night before came back and my dad does in fact have a staff infection. This is bad news! There are different types of staff infections. From being a regualr infection, to being fatal. They put him on an antiobotic IV just in case.
At this point, I’m not sure when the transplant will be. The transplant team doesn’t even know about his staff infection. Right now, the transplant is last on my mind. I’m so grateful my dad is here with us. This week was a huge scare! One that I really could have done without. But, everything happens for a reason. If he hadn’t passed out, we wouldn’t know about the infection.. and that would be bad had the transplant proceeded as planned.
As for now, we don’t really know anything. My dad is up at UCSF until further notice. Have no idea when he’s coming home. He’s a wreck. He’s so drained, scared, tired, full of every emotion. Going from good news, to bad, back to good, back to bad, then worse. This has been a rollercoaster week. Thanks to everyone for your prayers and please continue to pray as we find out more this up coming week about what’s going to happen. Until later….
Love,
Tami
And, now because everyone keeps asking I’ll just tell you…I’m holding up fine. I have some work stuff I’ll be getting caught up on this week and some stuff I’ve wanted to do for my business for a while that I think I’ll have the time to work on this week because I’d planned on being gone. I was kind of rambling around today because I didn’t know what to do. My house is clean, my work is pretty caught up, everyone thinks I’m gone so I had no plans. So, what did I do? Well, I woke up late, I lounged around, I watched a movie, I went shopping by myself (didn’t buy anything, just browsed), I went to the movies by myself, then took myself out for dinner where I had a drink. I actually had a GREAT day.
I had time last night to work on some procedures for a new client and to start auditing their books for my taking them over. Alls good in this little house.
Till later…
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