Not A Bad Christmas
Sunday, December 25th, 2022 04:30 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
snoozefestaudioThe highs were back up in the teens today, and the wind has finally died back down to about 12MPH today, and it was another sunny day with blue skies.
I was woken by a phone call at 6AM this morning, when it was still dark out. The call had come from, "Unavailable," which I recognized as Dad's Echo Dot calling me from downstairs.
Luckily, the only problem down there was that his water bottle had fallen on the floor.
But I was happy to see that he had her call me, and that it had worked in practice.
--<>--
When I was down there again after 9AM, I was duck taping around one of his windows and saw that he was, again, drinking from the water bottle by himself.
We've been using a bottle with a flip top, but it's still difficult for him to get the angle, while in bed. So I ran out and got some bendy straws this morning from the bodega down the street.
The bendy straw fits perfectly in the hole of the flip top nipple, and with a tiny touch of duct tape, it stays put, and now Dad has a way easier time drinking the water.
I texted my sisters and asked if they could recommend some kind of powder mix for me to put in his water to get his strength up... because he IS really drinking a lot of it.
--<>--
Happily, Colleen, who's in Connecticut, and Sheila, who's visiting her son in New York, both called on a three way call and we sat there in Dad's bedroom with them on speaker, talking with Dad for a good two hours or so!
Talking to them, and my nephew briefly, really brought Dad back to life, and he actually ate a peice of cheese, and part of a cookie, in addition to drinking chocolate milk (out of another bottle with a straw) and quite a good dose of Guinness... with a third straw.
He also smoked half a cigarette.
He was happy, alert, and his focus really came back to the present while we were all talking.
The Sisters were confering with one another and putting together a list of groceries they're having sent here tomorrow, including mixes to put in his water, and easy to eat foods like cottage cheese, eggs, soups, etcetera.
And they're also working on a plan to come out and visit in the near future.
So... it did feel like Christmas this afternoon, and Dad is rallying back from the brink today.
If we can get enough food, and electrolytes & stuff, into him, in the next few days, his appetite may come back, and he may regain enough strength for me to get him into the wheel chair again.
--<>--
The Hospice people called and said the bed would come tomorrow.
I asked if I could have people to help me get him from the old bed, to a wheel chair, and back into the new bed... and the lady said for that I'd need to call the Fire Department non emergency number and request a, "lift assist," which they do at no charge, for people on hospice.
The nurse is also coming tomorrow, so... it's gonna be a busy Monday.
Still, if everything goes to plan tomorrow, then by Tuesday, Dad will be in a proper hospital bed with and overbed table, and I won't have to worry about him too much while I'm at work.
--<>--
Around 2PM, after the phone call was over, I went back upstairs to sit with the cats for two hours.
Then at 4PM, I came down to chat with Dad a bit and get his clothes out of the dryer and put away. But he dozed off, so now I'm back upstairs again at 5PM.
------------{=0=}------------
7:45PM
I had to change Dad tonight at 6PM, for the first time in two days. There wasn't much there, but it wasn't nothing.
It was a clumsy, awkard ordeal, because I'm so new at it, but we got it done, and got him all situated properly again on the bed.
After that, however, he suddenly was a lot more alert. He ate a small peanut butter sandwich, and had more Guiness and another several puffs off his menthol cigarette, and I gave him a Tylenol.
Sheila called back and we all chatted again for a bit.
Around 7:35PM I puttered around down there taking out garbage and making sure everything was squared away.
I'll visit him again at 10PM to give him his overnight pills... and again around 1AM just for a final check before I go to bed.
--<>--
Overall it was a MUCH better day than yesterday. He ate more. Drank more fluids. Was more alert and engaged. And of course it really helped talking with Colleen and Sheila for so long today, too!
------------{=0=}------------
I'm calling Seven of Clubs done tonight...
Was it only this past Monday I started it?
It feels like a month ago!
I really had my doubts about this adaptation of Lugh, but... in the end I'm pretty happy with it.
With this, the Sevens are done, for this first draft of the deck.
Not sure what rank I'll try to tackle next.
Gotta wait a few days for things to even out around here.
°¦}
https://soundcloud.com/snoozefestaudio
I was woken by a phone call at 6AM this morning, when it was still dark out. The call had come from, "Unavailable," which I recognized as Dad's Echo Dot calling me from downstairs.
Luckily, the only problem down there was that his water bottle had fallen on the floor.
But I was happy to see that he had her call me, and that it had worked in practice.
When I was down there again after 9AM, I was duck taping around one of his windows and saw that he was, again, drinking from the water bottle by himself.
We've been using a bottle with a flip top, but it's still difficult for him to get the angle, while in bed. So I ran out and got some bendy straws this morning from the bodega down the street.
The bendy straw fits perfectly in the hole of the flip top nipple, and with a tiny touch of duct tape, it stays put, and now Dad has a way easier time drinking the water.
I texted my sisters and asked if they could recommend some kind of powder mix for me to put in his water to get his strength up... because he IS really drinking a lot of it.
Happily, Colleen, who's in Connecticut, and Sheila, who's visiting her son in New York, both called on a three way call and we sat there in Dad's bedroom with them on speaker, talking with Dad for a good two hours or so!
Talking to them, and my nephew briefly, really brought Dad back to life, and he actually ate a peice of cheese, and part of a cookie, in addition to drinking chocolate milk (out of another bottle with a straw) and quite a good dose of Guinness... with a third straw.
He also smoked half a cigarette.
He was happy, alert, and his focus really came back to the present while we were all talking.
The Sisters were confering with one another and putting together a list of groceries they're having sent here tomorrow, including mixes to put in his water, and easy to eat foods like cottage cheese, eggs, soups, etcetera.
And they're also working on a plan to come out and visit in the near future.
So... it did feel like Christmas this afternoon, and Dad is rallying back from the brink today.
If we can get enough food, and electrolytes & stuff, into him, in the next few days, his appetite may come back, and he may regain enough strength for me to get him into the wheel chair again.
The Hospice people called and said the bed would come tomorrow.
I asked if I could have people to help me get him from the old bed, to a wheel chair, and back into the new bed... and the lady said for that I'd need to call the Fire Department non emergency number and request a, "lift assist," which they do at no charge, for people on hospice.
The nurse is also coming tomorrow, so... it's gonna be a busy Monday.
Still, if everything goes to plan tomorrow, then by Tuesday, Dad will be in a proper hospital bed with and overbed table, and I won't have to worry about him too much while I'm at work.
Around 2PM, after the phone call was over, I went back upstairs to sit with the cats for two hours.
Then at 4PM, I came down to chat with Dad a bit and get his clothes out of the dryer and put away. But he dozed off, so now I'm back upstairs again at 5PM.
I had to change Dad tonight at 6PM, for the first time in two days. There wasn't much there, but it wasn't nothing.
It was a clumsy, awkard ordeal, because I'm so new at it, but we got it done, and got him all situated properly again on the bed.
After that, however, he suddenly was a lot more alert. He ate a small peanut butter sandwich, and had more Guiness and another several puffs off his menthol cigarette, and I gave him a Tylenol.
Sheila called back and we all chatted again for a bit.
Around 7:35PM I puttered around down there taking out garbage and making sure everything was squared away.
I'll visit him again at 10PM to give him his overnight pills... and again around 1AM just for a final check before I go to bed.
Overall it was a MUCH better day than yesterday. He ate more. Drank more fluids. Was more alert and engaged. And of course it really helped talking with Colleen and Sheila for so long today, too!
I'm calling Seven of Clubs done tonight...
Was it only this past Monday I started it?
It feels like a month ago!
I really had my doubts about this adaptation of Lugh, but... in the end I'm pretty happy with it.
With this, the Sevens are done, for this first draft of the deck.
Not sure what rank I'll try to tackle next.
Gotta wait a few days for things to even out around here.
°¦}
