Wednesday, September 20, 2006

My Dad Is In The Hospital

My dad is in the hospital for having pneumonia. And the messed up part is that he has been sick for the last 2 months and I didn't know about it. My stepmother has left me a few messages over the last week, but she said she called just to say hi. And my dad has been in there for the last 2 weeks after having major surgery. They had to put in a chest tube and do a procedure where they scraped out his lungs. Plus he has a broken rib and blood that was pooling in his lung. He has been on oxygen and antibiotics for 2 months. But the first course didn't work and one day when he was leaving his house to go to the doctor to get an x-ray he tripped on his oxygen tube and fell down his front steps. That is how he got the broken rib.

So my husband finally tells me last night when I was at the mall that I needed to call my Step mom and find out what is going on because my dad is in the hospital. I was pissed. He had forgotten to give me the message which my mom left on Friday. So I just went on about my life and had a good time. Plus I went to the Springs to visit friends and I was a block away from the hospital he is at and I didn't know.

So I called my sister last night after talking to my stepmother. My stepmother said she didn't call my sister because she is pregnant and didn't want to unduly upset her. My sister was obviously pissed when she found out and of course says she is not a fragile flower. My sister is upset also because she lives so far away and can't come out here.

I called my dad just a few minutes ago to see how he is. My stepmother has a bad habit of exagerating to make things sound better in her own mind. So I didn't really know the extent of his condition. He sounds pathetic and weak. But his spirits are hgh. He has only been on solid food for 2 days. Before that he has been on a feeding tube. And after his surgery they had him sedated for 5 days so he could recuperate. But they are still going to keep him there for at least 5 more days. He can't hardly get out of bed. But they want him up and walking around. His incision is about 12 inches or more long. They cut through his back to get to his lungs. And of course he says it is pretty sore. And they have him on breathing treatments. And some steroids to help clear up his lungs, plus antibiotics.

The only good thing so far is that he says his back is feeling a lot better. Partially because in the course of being sick he has lost over 30 pounds. Plus he said they did something else for him in surgery for his back as well. I don't know what pain killers they have him on. But that has been a big problem in our family for a long time. MY dad is basically a junkie. He has been addicted to some form of a drug or another all of my life. Right now and for the last 15 years it has been prescription pain killers for his back. But before that it was street drugs.

So with all of this I hope he will finally get better. It has been a difficult road for him and for my sister and I. I love him a lot, but it can be really painful to even be around him. So I think I am going down to visit him when he gets out of the hospital, but I am not sure. I will be updating, becasue I will be calling him everyday.

Blessed Be.

1 Comments:

At 8:54 PM, Blogger She who just needs a nap said...

Your dad....as well as you...are in my thoughts.

 

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