Dad VS The Double Digit Curse
Saturday, December 3rd, 2022 04:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snoozefestaudioSo, Dad's doing okay tonight. He went in for surgery at 10AM, and they got done about 11:30AM. Doc said he put a rod and two screws in to hold the hip together.
I went to see him about 1PM and brought him a big peice of birthday cake, which he gobbled down. He was a bit groggy from the surgery, but otherwise in good spirits.
Two physical therapists showed up when I was there and actually had him get out of bed and stand... less than three hours after surgery. It was quite painful for him, but he cooperated.
They told him it will hurt worse down the road if he doesn't get moving right away.
After they got him back in bed, he suddenly became very drowsy and disoriented... as if his heart got the last of the anesthesia pumping through him, after the adventure of standing up, or something.
--<>--
How soon he comes home, this time around, will depend on how well he does with the physical therapists at the hospital, over the next two or three days.
If he does great and makes a lot of progress in three days, it'll probably be home care therapy for him. On the other hand, if he's still not getting around very well, then he'll have to go to a rehab center for some period of time.
------------{=0=}------------
So, what's the Double Digit Curse?
Well, his father died in 1966. And then his mother died in 1988. On top of that, his wife (Mom) died at the age of 77. And Mom's mom also died at the age of 77.
So, half in jest, I've been warning him all year to be careful, because it's 2022, and the double digit curse might try to claim him!
Then, back on Wednesday, I warned him again, "You have to be EXTRA careful, between your birthday (December 3rd) and the end of the year, because you'll be 88 in 22! That's DOUBLE double-digits!"
So... it looks like the Double Digit Curse DID take a whack at him yesterday, but there were no complications to the surgery, and now... it seems like he'll make it to 2023.
Will he also make it to 89? I dunno! A lot can happen in a year, when you're 88.
But if he does make it to 89, then he'll have beaten the Double Digit Curse, and it will have no choice but to wait until 2033 to strike again... when he's 98 going on 99!
------------{=0=}------------
Whatever the case, I may be stuck here taking care of the three pets by myself for a couple weeks.
I'm experimenting right now with allowing the cats the full run of the house while I'm upstairs on the computer, here.
If Yvette can coexist with them, when I'm not down there... then it may be possible to leave them to kinda keep her company when I'm at work during the week.
She's too old to climb the stairs, but if I leave the door open at the bottom of the stairs, while I'm gone, they can keep her company, but also escape up here if for some reason she were to snap at them.
Also they could get to their food and litter boxes up here.
--<>--
The downside is, if they get too used to having the full run of the house, then when Dad does come back, they might dart out the door if he's coming or going... or letting Yvette out into her dog yard.
Gotta get those collars on them, I guess... and maybe think about pre-emptively exposing them to the outdoors under my watch.
I dunno... this could be challenging!
°¦}
https://soundcloud.com/snoozefestaudio
I went to see him about 1PM and brought him a big peice of birthday cake, which he gobbled down. He was a bit groggy from the surgery, but otherwise in good spirits.
Two physical therapists showed up when I was there and actually had him get out of bed and stand... less than three hours after surgery. It was quite painful for him, but he cooperated.
They told him it will hurt worse down the road if he doesn't get moving right away.
After they got him back in bed, he suddenly became very drowsy and disoriented... as if his heart got the last of the anesthesia pumping through him, after the adventure of standing up, or something.
How soon he comes home, this time around, will depend on how well he does with the physical therapists at the hospital, over the next two or three days.
If he does great and makes a lot of progress in three days, it'll probably be home care therapy for him. On the other hand, if he's still not getting around very well, then he'll have to go to a rehab center for some period of time.
So, what's the Double Digit Curse?
Well, his father died in 1966. And then his mother died in 1988. On top of that, his wife (Mom) died at the age of 77. And Mom's mom also died at the age of 77.
So, half in jest, I've been warning him all year to be careful, because it's 2022, and the double digit curse might try to claim him!
Then, back on Wednesday, I warned him again, "You have to be EXTRA careful, between your birthday (December 3rd) and the end of the year, because you'll be 88 in 22! That's DOUBLE double-digits!"
So... it looks like the Double Digit Curse DID take a whack at him yesterday, but there were no complications to the surgery, and now... it seems like he'll make it to 2023.
Will he also make it to 89? I dunno! A lot can happen in a year, when you're 88.
But if he does make it to 89, then he'll have beaten the Double Digit Curse, and it will have no choice but to wait until 2033 to strike again... when he's 98 going on 99!
Whatever the case, I may be stuck here taking care of the three pets by myself for a couple weeks.
I'm experimenting right now with allowing the cats the full run of the house while I'm upstairs on the computer, here.
If Yvette can coexist with them, when I'm not down there... then it may be possible to leave them to kinda keep her company when I'm at work during the week.
She's too old to climb the stairs, but if I leave the door open at the bottom of the stairs, while I'm gone, they can keep her company, but also escape up here if for some reason she were to snap at them.
Also they could get to their food and litter boxes up here.
The downside is, if they get too used to having the full run of the house, then when Dad does come back, they might dart out the door if he's coming or going... or letting Yvette out into her dog yard.
Gotta get those collars on them, I guess... and maybe think about pre-emptively exposing them to the outdoors under my watch.
I dunno... this could be challenging!
°¦}
