Oh Happy Day...

Dad isn't out of the woods yet, but he sure is taking great measures to get out of them.

The doctors are very pleased with his progress so far. There are no signs of infection, he's fairly alert, and he started getting out of bed and hopping around on a walker today. He's not supposed to put any weight on his leg, so it's difficult for him. He makes it to the bathroom and back, though. It tires him out a lot, which is to be expected. After all, he has had 3 surgeries since last Thursday and has spent much of his time since Friday in a drug induced fog.

The happy button was taken away today and he's controlling the pain pretty well with oral medications. He still gets a shot of IV antibiotics every 6 hours, but when he's not getting those, he's cut loose from the IV. We did find out that a combination of low blood pressure and narcotics will make you even loopier than expected. I had no idea low blood pressure would contribute to general confusion like that.

Mom and I have appointments at 3 different skilled care facilities (aka "Nursing Homes") tomorrow. The doctors want him in an environment where he can be watched like a hawk for signs of infection, but he's quickly getting to the point where he will be discharged from the hospital. His leg is still pretty messed up from the surgeries, so the nursing home will give him a chance to heal before he comes home and starts trying to walk on it.

We were told that it could take up to two weeks for infection to manifest itself and that any infection could result in the loss of the leg. Sooooooo, we're cooperating as best we can and looking at places. We'll report back to Dad what we found and let him decide. They've all got good reputations, which is a comfort.

He's not real thrilled with the food the hospital has been bringing him. He got great food when he was in ICU, but it wasn't a diabetic diet. Mom fussed enough about it that he was placed on an ADA approved diet, which consists of cardboard and a pat of margarine for every meal. Blah. I know it's important to keep blood sugar under control, but fer cryin' out loud, you don't have to make the food so bland you can't possibly swallow it without a gallon of water. I know you can prepare diabetic healthy meals that taste great. I do it all the time, I'm diabetic too. I've been cooking quite a bit since I got in to make sure that Mom eats, and we're bundling up the leftovers and taking them over tomorrow. He'll get good dinners and lunches, by golly, and they'll be good for him, too.

I'm sure the hospital staff may fuss, but hey, at least he'll eat. Dad's lost a LOT of weight over the last week or so, and he's running out of weight to lose. He's getting spaghetti (some of the Dreamfields stuff) for one meal, and baked pork loin, fried rice made with whole grain brown rice, and oriental style mixed veggies (I love those new microwave steaming veggie blends) for the other meal tomorrow. I'm already planning on a steak with a twice baked potato (only half of a small potato), and some Dreamfields penne pasta with chicken and steamed veggies tossed with olive oil and some garlic & herb seasoning for Saturday.

Okay, I'm off my soapbox now. It just irritates me to no end when people won't make a healthy diet tasty, too.

In other news, I think I've created a monster. I brought the stuff to make a twin bed sized afghan and I've been working on it all week long. I used the multiple strands again, this time with three threads. Mom has been watching and commenting on it. I finished it today and said something about starting on another one. The ultimate goal is to do enough of them to replace the crummy comforters in the campground cabins with afghans, all different colors and yarns. Anyway, Mom decided she wants one for their new camper and picked up the stuff to make one of her own when I went to WalMart this evening. I get to show her how to work with multiple threads when we slow down.

I'm trying a different yarn on this one. It's really bulky and fluffy from Lion Brand Yarn. It's called "Homespun" and it's really soft. I'm using two strands with this one. One is a golden yellow, the other is a varigated yarn with golds, greens, browns, and reds in it. It is a very fall looking piece. I've got 3 rows of the afghan completed already and it's shaping up to be a soft, fluffy, thick mass of yarn with beautiful autumn colors in it. Very nice.

Jack is coming up tomorrow!!! :o) I get to go home soon. Mom is in much better spirits with each passing day. I think she's starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel. There are lots of things that could derail the train, but we will deal with them if they happen. I'll feel comfortable with leaving Mom for a little while when the decision is made about the skilled care facility and I know that Dad has somewhere good to go. He'll be in it for 2-3 weeks, then come home. If I'm needed again, I'll be back.

I am so thankful and blessed that I was able to come up and be here for my parents. My biggest fear about moving to Tennessee was that something would happen and I wouldn't be able to be here for my family. God knows what He's doing. He moved me out of a job I couldn't have left for this long without causing widespread panic to one where Jack and I call the shots, allowing me to leave.

He sent wonderful guests who took excellent care of things this week while we were away without expecting anything in return, although we did offer to let them stay for free. Their answer was "You can take the money now, or you can find it shoved under the door after you go home tonight." Jack took the money gracefully. I'm glad he didn't spoil their blessing from helping us, although we would have been quite happy to not take it, either.

He gave me a wonderful husband who told me when I was wavering about my obligations to the campground -vs- my family that my place was with my family right then, and he would do everything he could to make it happen. I've missed him terribly, and I'll be ecstatic to see him tomorrow, but this time with my parents is priceless. I wouldn't have been able to deal with guilt that would have come from not being here for them.

He sent surgeons, nurses, and doctors who cared about my Dad, and seeing that he got the best treatment. There's no way any of them could have forseen or prevented the complications that have come out of it, but God was there, guiding them all the way through. Things look really hopeful for my Dad to keep his leg, and most of it's function. But, even if something happens that he does lose it, I know that God will still be there with the surgeons, doctors, nurses, physical therapists, and everyone else involved and He'll guide them to the best results for Dad. He'll be here with us, too, and help us through this trial.

He's already been an ever-present help in our time of need. He's kept me calm and rational for my Mother, who has been anything but that up to just recently, and I think He's calmed and reassured her through the doctors and Dad's continued improvement. He's also given Dad some of the best friends, people who check on him, pray for him, call him, visit him... it's been very touching to see the depth of the love and support that Dad's friends are showing him right now.

God is good to us, yes? Even in times of not such sunny skies.

Thank you, God, for everything you've sent my way to make me who I am today, and for continuing to work on me to make me more like the person you need me to be.