Cont...

Thursday - August 19Th - Dad had his pacemaker put in today. He was pretty out of it. The decision was made not to do a stint into the ureter to try and loosen the kidney stone... too much risk for an infection. He will have to pass it on his own.. He has now had the kidney stone for 5 days! I can't even imagine. He moans and groans a LOT. When I ask him if he hurts - he says no... liar..(shaking my head...) He is not eating much either. His upper arms are thinner than mine...not that mine are that thin..

The dark circles under my eyes are back..

Friday - August 20Th - relieved Tom at about 2pm. He went shopping for a list of things I asked him to get for Dad's house. Dad was more aware of things today. He also ate more ...although it was far from what I wanted to see him eat.. still moaning a LOT.

when I leave the hospital - I walk down the street to catch the train. The rail system is nice and I feel safe..but waiting for the train to get there is not so fun. After dark pan handlers bother you and it really offends me that a couple of them are in wheel chairs. They don't bother the hospital workers - only the ones dressed in street clothes. That tells me that they are "regulars". It is not that I am not sympathetic..but it makes me question if the wheel chair is real or a prop. I need to make a donation to Star of Hope. (local shelter)

Saturday - August 21St - The heart doctor came in today. Excuse me for saying this - but the guy is a prick. I have seen him several times and he never even acknowledges that I am there. He treats my brothers the same way - even Tom - who is a Neurologist! This time I plagued him with questions. He in turned asked Dad about his pain..and Dad openly admitted that he was a baby when it came to pain. He told Dad he needed to get up. He and the nurses helped Dad sit up and stand. After standing a minute - they got him into the chair. Immediately - Dad looked better and seemed a lot better. I know he still hurt (kidney stone...now residing in Dad for a whopping 7 days!).. but I think it did him a world of good to get up.

That evening - before he got back into bed, he stood and did some shallow knee bends, he stood on his toes and lifted his legs as best as he could. I told him that he was going to start exercising the next day.

On the way home, I started to pray about Dad's kidney stone. I realized just how weak Dad was and how badly he needed some rehab...but as long as he was on a morphine pump, he could not get rehab from the hospital and the soonest a dilation of the ureter could be done was 4-6 weeks! Can you imagine living with a kidney stone for 4-6 weeks??? Just not acceptable..so I started to lay this on the alter - asking for Holy intervention.

to be continued...