And So We Wait
The decision of the family is unanimous. No heroic measures are going to be used to resuscitate Dad. We are also not going to have them do much in the way of other measures, including dialysis. There’s not much point to it really. The blood tests aren’t all back yet. They’re trying to find out if he has an infection that is caused his kidneys to shut down.
Dad does have basic responses, but none of them bode well. When the nurses attend to him, take his pulse/blood pressure or wash him, he fights it.This doesn’t mean that he is aware of what he’s doing. He can’t swallow and therefore hasn’t taken any meds since he was found unconscious on Friday afternoon/evening. He doesn’t respond to commands of any sort and doesn’t respond to my brother’s voice.
We’re going to let nature take its course. The nurses will keep him comfortable, that’s all.
So now we wait for the inevitable.
To help me Bran has taken me on two car rides to help settle me down. He did that when my dog died in 1985. He would’ve done it if we had a car when my Mom died in 1993. He did that tonight. We went and got snacks for all of us. Did you know that Chapman’s Ice Cream company makes a no-sugar added, lactose free ice cream? They do. Only 14 grams of carbs per 1/2 C serving. That’s better than regular ice cream.
We went through the real estate listings for town as well. It was something to occupy my mind with and do a little bit of dreaming. It was a nice distraction. While we did that Golden Eye played on the DVD player. Laundry tomorrow so that we have clean clothes to to down to see Dad on Monday with. I’ll be sorting through the stuff collected over the years of Mom and Dad’s lives together (including “treasures” given to them by us kids). I don’t know what to do with things like their letters to each other from before they were married, Mom’s nursing uniform (100% cotton that had to be ironed and starched), Mom’s wedding dress and Dad’s wedding suit, and a plethora of other bits and pieces of so much living.
Thank you all, those who commented and those who are just thinking of me and my family. Your support means more than I could possibly say.
July 11th, 2010 at 10:57 am
My thoughts and prayers are with you, dear. I hope his passing is easy for him.
July 11th, 2010 at 11:05 am
I’m sorry to hear about your dad. It does sound, from what you’ve said, as if you’re respecting the wishes he would have made had he been lucid. I’m glad Bran is with you and helping you out. Do you have Boy with you? How’s he doing?
You may be able to donate the older things to your (or his) local historical society. Things like letters and nursing uniforms make for good primary source materials for historians, and this way their stories could live on a bit outside of your own family.
July 11th, 2010 at 6:06 pm
My heart is breaking for you. More hugs. Bran is a good man.
July 12th, 2010 at 5:44 am
I am glad you have someone like Bran there, right now. Don’t do anything with those letters just yet, hold on to them until you have some space to think (however long that may take). I am so sorry for your pain (hugs). My thoughts are with you.