Still in Arizona, where things are still disturbingly unsettled. My mom was finally moved into rehab Friday, but remains mostly incoherent -- and frequently delusional -- due to massive pain meds she continues needing as a result of her major back surgery. (She managed to get in a dig about my masculinity that is destined for my next book.) Her rare moments of lucidity usually see her trying to show off her MASSIVE neck-to-butt scar, held together with industrial staples. Meanwhile, my stepfather, Gary, had his triple bypass surgery POSTPONED on Friday due to a case deemed "more of an emergency" by his surgeon. Never knew having a heart attack could be considered low priority before now, but I guess since he is under observation -- rendering him unable to see my mom, poor things -- and on the right meds, his surgery can wait. Planning to see him through that before returning to New York, where my employer has been extremely understanding about everything my family has been dealing with.
Silver lining to this whole thing? Getting to see these two munchkins -- AJ and Ally -- an extra time this spring!
UPDATE: Got this disturbing message from my brother Bill.
8 comments:
Kenneth, you should be eligible for FMLA time in this situation. Check it out if you have not done so. I had to use that for one parent after the other parent passed away.
Kenneth, you should be eligible for FMLA time in this situation. Check it out if you have not done so. I had to use that for one parent after the other parent passed away.
Love and happy thoughts to you and the family. Tell mom that she can only show off the scar if it's ok to put pics of it on-line!
The evening before my 5 am check-in for open heart, I got a call from hospital, postponing my surgery 24 hours because a worse case had come up. It happens. My co-workers were really confused when I came into work the next day.
Speedy recovery to both.
Hope all the health issues move along well and that you and the munchkins are enjoying the silver lining.
Research shows that patients who are on optimal medical therapy do as well or better than those who have bypass procedures. The reason we do so many bypass surgeries lies in the dirty little secret: it's really hard to get most patients on optimal therapy. They inevitably get an allergy or side effect to one component. That being said, with inpatient monitoring, they can crank up his meds and buy themselves 3-5 days if there is a real reason not to wait.
You are a good son. I do the same thing for my mother when she is hospitalized. Once I fell too deeply asleep and the next thing I knew she was out of bed, IV pulled out, bleeding like a SOB, and heading into the hallway calling out for me (I was four feet away from her bed). Elderly folk and anesthesia/pain meds can be a bad mix. Hope it all works out for the best for you and your parents.
I'm sorry your mom is going through this, but glad you're able to be there for her. I live about 20 miles south of Tucson (but am in Michigan at the moment). Hope everybody is on the mend soon.
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