Life is Sure a Rollercoaster With It's Ups and Downs

Well first I must apologize for not updating sooner - So many of my friends have been asking about my Dad and I've been sending you to the blog for updates - and then I had the nerve not to update! Lately when I have gotten on the computer it has been just to read and "lurk". Yep I know - so unlike me - I tend to go on and on and on an on..... Haha!

It's been since February 18 since I took my Dad down to emergency with my Mom. 17 days - this poor man has just had one thing after another after another after another - He can't seem to catch a break - just catches more problems! I won't bore everyone with all the details but what I can say it's really been a roller coaster with more downs than ups.

I know it's not just him - everyone has their problems - Even his minister - who came down right after he went in called him and here he did something to his leg and couldn't come down again until this week - then to top it off their church organist - who happens to be my neighbor had an emergency appendicitis - so this past Sunday's service at my parents church had no music and a sick minister!

Here is a picture of my Dad last Friday nite - After my Mom left he was complaining on how greasy his hair felt - Well I know the feeling as I can't go a day without washing my hair and he went well over a week - so I ran down to the gift shop and found this "no rinse" stuff that doesn't require water - I went to ask the Nurse for a towel and she said they have these shower cap things that you microwave, put on, massage, and then towel dryer - all with no water. So I "washed" his hair and then he wanted to see it but he couldn't walk and i couldn't find a mirror - so I got out my phone and took a picture with the camera phone - I got a semi-smile out of him even though he had a bad day and he gave me the thumbs up in the pic. He said that it made him feel more "human". So here is a pic of him in all his sickness induced scrawniness!

Before I left that night - I asked him if there was anything else he needed. He said "Josie, I need some courage to get through this". So I said goodnight and I would work on that! Well what's a daughter to do but call up the Cowardly Lion and borrow his "Badge of Courage" - wrap it up and send it down to the Hospital (okay okay reality here - i stopped at the party store on the way home and found a plastic badge of courage in the Wizard of Oz section and wrapped it dropped it off for my Mom to take in the morning since I wasn't visiting on Saturday - I took the day off and met up with Kathy and Beth at the York Folk Art Sale - which was a wonderful day out - thanks girls! Well my Dad was so tickled with this I was told he wore it most of the day on his hospital gown and then had the nurse tape it up on his bulletin board so he could see it. He has told me over and over how much that has lifted his spirits this past week. Glad I could help.

On Tuesday he had surgery and I have to say - after surgery - my Mom and I were waiting in his room and he was wheeled down the hall and was joking with his nurses, orderlies, doctors and looked great (what i mean by that is great compared to the previous week) - image that! Wednesday was an even better day. Thursday was even better, and then today was supposed to be one of the best - he was scheduled to be released to a manor care home for Rehab (my Dad has jokingly called this his halfway house). I took my Mom down and we brought in his clothes and bags to pack up belongings and around 3:30 he had another set-back and they would not release him. He was so mad at himself for mentioning this new problem and was very down - he made me pull the Badge of Courage out of his overnite bag and re-hang it in his room! I felt so bad for him but it would have been worse had we taken him to the rehab place and then had to bring him back (oh and if anyone is wondering why the handicapped van or ambulance wasn't scheduled to take him - think base rate of $100/hr and $6 mile! It's over an hour away - outrageous in my opinion) So we hung out with him for a while and I tried cheering him up telling him to "look on the bright side" and all that as I'm pretty much an optimistic - he's doing a bit better but I couldn't believe it when he called me when I got home and told me he ended up (of all things) breaking a tooth - He said now he looks like bugs bunny! What next!

So that's the latest - He's still fighting and I really really hope the worst is over. There really isn't any more options for him. So thank you my friends who have sent your prayers for his healing. I told him a lot of people that don't him are pulling for him.

Well on Monday we had about 12-14 inches of snow so of course I didn't go to the hospital. I started a new rug and every time I tried to hook - this is what happened
I think someone is upset that I haven't been home much lately. He just sits there like "Go ahead and try to move me - I dare you".

Saturday was the Folk Art Sale in York - met up with Kathy and Beth and we walked both sides of the show and went to lunch and back again for another look around. I was tempted to buy some things but held back. Love going to these kinda of things - it's great to get new ideas and a new look on things.

Haven't really done much else - I have whipped most all my rugs I have been remiss on finishing off - I take them with me to sit with my Dad - i think i have 2 small ones left to finish off - or maybe I'm down to one. Hoping I don't need to take any more to the hospital as I'm hoping he will be in Rehab and then home where he belongs.

I'm so behind on things - especially my "interneting" - I love reading every one's blogs to catch up on their lives and even the online groups I belong to - heck you miss a day or so and you are lost!

Sorry for the long post and wishing everyone a wonderful and HEALTHY weekend and again thank you for your thoughts and prayers and positive thoughts!

Warm hugs, joanne