First things first. Dad is stable for the moment. After I posted my last entry at, let's see.. 5-ish on the 9th, I packed my suitcases, and decided to play Zelda for awhile to keep my mind occupied. That worked well until I got a call around.. maybe 9 or 10, from my second youngest sister, calling to let me know Dad had another stroke. The Hospital he'd been at, discharged him very suddenly with no notice, and so Jenni picked him up and he was there as a temporary situation. So, they were talking about various medical decisions to be made, and he up and had a stroke. They called 911, but since he seemed to be doing okay (he was still breathing, and had a pulse, and could even talk, though it was gibberish at that point) they declined an ambulance, and watched him like a hawk.
I cried and panicked a little bit, and then let Nick know, or rather had Christy tell him because I couldn't calm down enough to get the words out. Then when I did eventually calm down, I laid down to sleep for a couple of hours before my flight. I woke up at 4am (EST) and doublechecked my bags, took a shower, and put away my pajamas. I called Nick about 5 and he gave me a ride to the airport, stopping by his place first so I could see Decke one last time before I left. Decke has a cold at the moment but he still let me love on him a bit, and then we went to the airport where I checked in, from there caught my flight and then my transfer. I landed in Dallas at I think about 11am (Central time), and Mom picked me up, and then bought me lunch.
After lunch Mom took me to Jenni's, and I saw that Dad was sleeping on an airmattress in the livingroom (side note, Jenni's house is SWANKY), and seemed to be relatively comfortable aside from a dry cough now and again. When he woke up in the early afternoon I spoke with him, but he was getting most of his words mixed up at that point. I wasn't entirely prepared for that, and quietly fled after a few minutes to cry. I didn't want to upset Dad, and I'm not sure how clearly he would have been able to see me crying. After I calmed down I came back out and talked with him a little more, and with Jenni, and he seemed to be a little more able to find the right words. He got better at talking the over the day, and was particularly lucid in the late evening. Jenni and Bonnie were making alot of calls.
Around 11pm they took Dad to the Veterans Hospital in Dallas (He's ex-Navy) to see if they could do anything for him, because he still needs urgent care, and none of us have the skills necessary, or enough time/energy/emotional strength. He was able to be admitted, and Jenni, Judy (my Dad's sister), and I went to visit him today. We met his doctors and nurses and spoke briefly about his options. It's looking like what is best for Dad is a Nursing Home, like with REAL nurses, and a good rehabilitation program.
There is more stuff but to be honest alot of it is complicated and I don't understand it all.
My Aunt Judy is here at the moment too, and she was talking with Dad when he was awake (he slept alot) and was generally very pleasant. She reminds me a bit of Christy, both physically, and temperment-wise. She's quiet, and kind, and I'm kind of wondering why our family hasn't had more contact with her, aside from the fact that she's a Nun in California. She's awesome! Tomorrow she's leaving to go to India for maybe three years. I got some pictures of her that I'll be sending to her later. :)
Um, I guess that wraps this up. I have alot of stuff to catch up on, online, and I need to get some sleep soonish cause I have stuff I'd like to do tomorrow. @_@ My internet is set up now, thanks to Derek(Bro-in-law), and I should be online periodically. :3
My husband is good for something, even if it is only setting up the wireless router.
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