Or so the saying goes. However, I had to tell my father today that he really didn't need to go to the lengths he did to imitate me.
Mid-morning, I got a call from my mom informing me that Daddy was in the hospital. Wow, what a shocker to me. I guess I never thought of my dad being IN the hospital...although he does quite a bit of visiting there (for those of you that don't know, my dad is a pastor). Mom told me that he had been awake since 3 a.m. with severe abdominal pain and finally woke her up at 7 to tell her he thought they should go to the hospital. That he would even say something like that was enough to set her in motion!
At the hospital, they did a number of tests on Daddy and ruled out heart problems but discovered a severely inflamed pancreas as well as gall stones. They also gave him pain meds...and soon he requested more as those weren't effective. That was also a shocker....he doesn't even take aspirin or Tylenol!
Dad was admitted and is expected to stay through Saturday, on IV only, so the inflamation will go down and the pancreas can heal. They'll be doing a surgical consult in the morning and will most likely schedule surgery to remove his gall bladder (and that's where the imitation comes in!) -- but when the surgery will be is yet to be determined.
I called early evening to talk with him and really had to laugh (to myself) -- he was sooo out of it, could hardly remember my kids' names, and yet was talking about planning the layout of the garden while he had nothing else to do. I also asked him what was happening, if it was gall bladder or what, and his answer was "I don't know. I don't really remember anything except arriving at the hospital." So, if he's planning the layout of his garden, I kinda doubt he'll remember it! As well as our phone conversation....
On a bit more of a serious note, please do keep him in your prayers, as well as my mom. I cannot imagine my dad as a patient...he ALWAYS has to be doing something, so this will be hard for him (and probably very good for him, too...although he'd probably disagree). I also know that he'll be pushing himself as much as possible...when he shouldn't try to do so. But I also know from personal experience that physically he just won't be able to do much except rest and recover.
On behalf of our family, thanks for your prayers. You can send him a card if you want to their home address -- 3007 East River Road, Newton Falls, OH 44444 -- for those of you local to him, he's at Trumbull Memorial, but I really doubt he'll be up to visitors. I'll keep ya all informed as I know.
3 comments:
Thanks for the post, Lin, I really appreciate it much. BTW, he also commented that parents are supposed to pass things on to their kids and not the other way around. His Dr. called late last PM and said he KNEW dad wasn't feeling well when he consented to be admitted, AND kept asking for pain meds. Got to run and talk with the MDs this AM. Love you all. (tell Luke to call him and read him a story later today. He loved it last week...me, too!) Keep up the prayers. THANKS
I can't picture Uncle Andy being the one in a hospital bed either! I certainly will be praying for both of them ... and for you and Tim as you guys are far away at this time!
speaking from experience... it's sort of scary when your daddy goes to the hospital.
Dad had his gall bladder out years ago. I remember it was easter time and we had geese. Karen and I dyed goose eggs and brought them to him in a basket.
When we finally brought Dad home he still had the eggs.... They were a bit old -so we THREW them out in the field.
Did you know old goose eggs bounce and explode??
I'll be thinking of you and your dad :)
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