Mom had sent me two emails... one about her visit with Dad today, and one about my oldest brother (he is the next sibling after me, as I am the eldest), who lives in Ohio. He was admitted to the hospital today with chest pains. Apparently, he is not having a heart attack, but he may have a clogged artery. Would everyone please pray for him and for the doctors treating him. Thank you so much...
Mom walked into Dad's room this morning, just as he was waking up. He immediately became animated, telling Mom about Rock Marciano, Joe Lewis, and other fighters, he had apparently dreamed about. Mom told her how much he enjoys boxing. (When I was little, living with my parents with our cousins in my grand parents huge Craftsman style home in Pasadena, my grandma and I used to tuck ourselves in the library and watch boxing together. Here was this shy, quiet, prim and proper lady, punching and swinging air punches as we rooted for whoever we wanted to win....)
Dad flirted with Mom, telling her how thrilled he was she was there. She brought some pictures of my grand sons, (the eight year old and the six year old) which my oldest daughter had sent her. She let him take his pick and then she put them in frames by his bed on the wall. He was DELIGHTED!
Mom had noticed my second oldest brother had signed in as a visitor with Dad, so Mom asked how their visit had been. Dad smiled a huge, bright smile and told her what a huge, wonderful hug he had given Dad. He told her it meant the world to him...
He told her my oldest brother (the one in Ohio) had come to see him too... (She wrote this email before finding out my brother went into the hospital. She jokingly asked if he had flown out to visit without telling us... It makes me wonder if my brother was in pain and thinking of Dad and Dad caught his thought process while sleeping?....)
Mom shared with Dad she had been to a funeral with her friend at Riverside Veteran's Cemetery... Dad interrupted her and told her he wanted to be cremated if it was OK with her. Mom told him it was fine, and she wanted to be cremated too. She told him she might go first, so she would make sure to write it down as last wishes in their Family Trust.
Mom explained there was a section there for ashes if he wanted to be buried there. Dad either did not hear her or was still contemplating. He never answered her...
He told her he talks to the Lord allowing him to be absolutely pain free. Taking a deep breath and with full voice, he told her, "I feel GREAT!" Mom of course, told him how happy it made her to hear that..
"I have no worries anymore and I never have to worry when I am lying in my own bed, " he smiled. (Thank God the night sedative is helping him sleep without the kidnapping nightmares anymore!)
More conversation from Dad....
"I like to do the 'shimmy shake' and sing for the gals. I am very popular with them..."
"The girls know me and put people I want to talk to on the TV so I can talk to them personally. I own the TV company, you know..."
"I can yell like a Banshee and asked if she wanted to hear...." (Mom thanked him, but told her to please not yell right now...)
"There is a bag of poppy seeds in the cupboard above his bed. They give me some at night to help me sleep..."
Dad told her of someone, he refers to as the "hummer", who has a lovely voice. Apparently, Dad told this person he could sing for the opera and make lots of money...
"I love to play the game TEN with dice." (Mom asked us all in the email if any of us knew this game. No doubt Dad is talking about throwing the dice and trying to make a total of TEN with the dice...or maybe he is remembering when we used to play Bunco or Yahtzee...)
"Holl Doll keeps my nails trimmed." (my sister)
"I scratch my legs, but not too hard...they told me to do it to help my blood circulation..."
"I spent the day in the truck with my friend and he is going to introduce me to a special woman named, Jill..." (who knows what he meant here...maybe a dream?)
The charge nurse came in to tell Mom, the wound care nurse will be treating Dad's pinkie toe wound as usual, but they had a visiting wound care physician come look at Dad's wound to collaborate on her treatment. She will let us know when he has some results.
Mom wheeled Dad to the lunchroom, talking with several staff members on her way. Doctor-Doctor appeared, gave Mom a big hug, and walked with them to dining room. Mom said Dad sits like a baby bird with his mouth open so Mom will feed him. He enjoys it. He nods his head when he has finished chewing and is ready for her to shovel another bite into his mouth...
He enjoyed a delicious lunch of Mexican casserole (which looked and smelled divine) with meat, cheese, black beans, tortillas etc in it, some tasty looking Spanish rice with a big green salad. Dad loved every bite. When Mom showed him the butterscotch pudding for dessert, he smacked his lips with gusto! He polished it off and drained a glass of milk and two cups of "the best coffee in the world" (per Dad)...
Another great visit. Mom wheeled him back to his room and allowed the care takers to get him changed and ready for his afternoon nap. She kissed him good-bye and he thanked her with a kiss for coming to visit.
*** Update on Dad's Diabetes: The doctor has decided to wait until May to do another HBA1C. Until then, there will be no further finger pricks or changes to his diet. I will be attending Dad's Care Conference in person, while visiting in May. We also have the option of waiving a diabetic diet if Dad appears to be unhappy with it. ****
Thank you so much everyone for your support and concern for Dad. A special thank you to the nurses and diabetics who shared valuable information with me so I would not panic....
Thank you, Thank you, Thank you all....you are all the very best!
