Happy Birthday, Dad!

I spoke to my dad’s ICU nurse around 8am (EST). She said he had a very good night. He was taking some very deep breaths during the night that were throwing off the ventilator (because of the difference in pressure), so the ventilator was turned off and he’s now just on oxygen from the wall mounted tank. The breathing tube is still down his throat (which can’t be too comfortable), but as soon as the attending physician can get in to see him, they’ll take it out. (UPDATE: They took the breathing tube out around 10am and he's breathing fine on his own!)

The nurse also said that my dad is much more awake this morning and responded when she asked him to squeeze her hands, etc. That’s very good news. The doctor was a bit disappointed last night (as we all were) that dad didn’t wake up after the dialysis. He ordered a CT scan for this morning to see if there was anything else going on. Even though dad is awake today, they’ll still go ahead with the scan.

He is also scheduled for another dialysis session today. Dad's body didn’t seem to tolerate the one yesterday very easily, but the doctor wants to insure that all the medication from the surgery and all the toxins from the c. diff infection are out of his blood. I’m not sure whether that plan will change based on his level of alertness this morning. It may also depend on the results of his post-dialysis blood work.

Also, it’s my dad’s birthday today… what a way to spend it! As I was lying in bed this morning, thinking about him and this last year, it seems to me that it was about this time last year that he got a cold. From there it went:

- - cold
- - pneumonia
- - black out
- - two brain surgeries
- - months of overmedication and decline
- - hospitalization because of malnutrition
- - weeks at a semi-conscious state
- - nasal surgery
- - major surgery to remove his bowel

It’s hard to believe! So please pray that God will not only grant my dad many MORE YEARS, but years very much UNLIKE this last one.


And Dad, should you read this sometime, although you won't get much of a party, I did want to take the chance to celebrate who you are and how much you are loved. Here is a slideshow of some of the pictures of you and the boys from the last few years (click to play):



Love you Dad.

~ Amy