Decision Time...

Its been a busy couple of days.  My husband's sons had a reunion party with several of their old friends from their high school who lived in their childhood neighborhood.   My husband was very popular with most of his friends, so they wanted us to attend. One of their friends is afraid of flying, but flew from Texas to see everyone.

Meanwhile, my family and I brainstormed on the best plan of action with Dad.  My sister in law and I are the only ones with major apprehensions with the scan.  She too had a bad experience with CT Scan and her parent who had Alzheimer's.  We voted to go with the majority, and go forward with the CT Scan. Hopefully Dad will do well with the sedation and the results will show the bleed has resolved itself.

I pursued calling the neurologist's office until I finally spoke with the doctor today.  He told me he had to see Dad for insurance purposes if he is going to refer him for a CT Scan.  He asked why Dad's primary care physician didn't order it.  He told me he would consult with him regarding the sedation and the results as a professional courtesy.  He seemed irritated and told me Dad's primary doctor had not called him once regarding Dad, and since he already goes to the nursing home and knows Dad's case history better than he, why wasn't he ordering the scan?  GOOD QUESTION!

The neurologist told me Dad would most likely get an injection of Valium, which should be out of his system in 5-6 hours.  He could not believe the reaction my Mother in Law had from the sedation...

Our main concern was not to upset Dad any more than we had to.  Taking him outside the nursing home to a neurologist office, would definitely make Dad anxious. It is such a better plan having the primary care order the scan, instead of the neurologist.  The fact the neurologist will consult with the primary, solves our problem.

I wrote the primary care physician today, asking him to please order the CT Scan, so Dad won't have to have two outside appointments, instead, just the one for the scan.  He responded the same day!!  Guess he has figured out my emails are shorter, the quicker he responds...

Dad's doctor told me he would consider ordering the scan after consulting with the neurologist and he would have to look at his schedule...hope it works out...I let Dad's doctor know I would stay a day longer if the scan could be scheduled on Monday, August 2nd.

I will call the charge nurse tomorrow, to let her know the primary doctor may be scheduling the CT Scan, so he would need to see Dad.

With everything going on, I have not had the opportunity to talk with Dad.  Each time I have tried to call, he was showering, eating, sleeping...the usual.  That is the worst part of being 250 miles away...it is so difficult to make contact over the phone...

Tomorrow is a new day. I plan to start early, calling to speak with Dad.  I miss him.  Just the sound of his voice... hearing the joy he sends me over the wires, when we talk, puts me at ease and calms me...