My poor dad has been through so much and when we think that he's on the mend, something else happens. Well I was just at the rehab with him on Tuesday night, watching the Spurs and Heat playoff game and my mom called me on Thursday morning and said that they took dad to the ER. So when I got there my dad was so swollen, that I didn't think his body could get any bigger. His hip area was filled with fluid that it looked like he was getting stretch marks. His groin was red and very tender to the touch and he was sooo uncomfortable. They ran a number of tests and they ended up admitting him into the hospital. Once the Dr. came in to talk to my mom and let her know what they needed to do, my mom refused the antibiotics, because my dad did NOT want to go to the hospital and he did NOT want antibiotics, a catheter or a pic line. So my mom had promised him before she brought him to the hospital that she wouldn't let them do that to him. So the first night they didn't give him the antibiotic and my mom and Joe gave him the natural antibiotic, they got him stable and got him on an IV with Lasix. Well, the Dr. told Andy that she truly felt like if dad didn't get on the antibiotic tonight that he would die. Andy was pretty disturbed about that news, so he shared it with Bryan. Bryan was very upset about that news, so he walked into the room and came right to dad and looked him right in the eye and said, "Dad, YOU KNOW how much I LOVE YOU, I don't want you to die, you NEED that antibiotic." Then the respiratory therapist interrupted and started giving my dad a breathing treatment, but my dad was crying as he was sharing that moment with Bryan. Bryan turned and said the same thing to Irene and went right into Joe's face and said it to him. He also said, "Joe, I couldn't carry that guilt on my chest for the rest of my life if I didn't say something and something happens to him, I'm so upset with the decisions being made in his behalf." And he walked out of the room. My husband never says anything and just lets everyone do their thing, well he had to voice his strong opinion here. He loves my dad sooooo much and thinks he's way tooo young to die. My husband has been in this family since he was 14 years old and so my dad is his 2nd dad. He was sooooo upset that the antibiotic wasn't being done. Well that evening my dad's infection rate was 25 and the normal is 5-10, so he had a lot of infection in his body. Well during the night, my mom received a few phone calls from my brothers, Clay & Adam (who were out of town at the time) who also voiced their opinion about putting dad on the antibiotic, so needless to say, my dad had the antibiotic in at 6:30am and by the time I got to the hospital at 8:00am the Dr. said that his infection rate has come down within an hour and a half, but he is still a very sick man and she hopes that it's not too late, but very glad that he's on it. As the Dr. came into talk to all of us in the room which was just me and my mom at the time, my dad was coherent and talking to me. So when the Dr. explained that the antibiotic had been going for about an hour and half and she is seeing improvement already and that she is going to put another bag of it since he's done with the first one. My dad looked at my mom and said, "I'm on an antibiotic? What are you trying to do, kill me?" That's when I stepped in and looked my dad right in the face, eye to eye and said, "Dad I am trying to do just the opposite, blame the antibiotic on me, you are tooo young to die and I am not willing to sit by and not try everything to keep you here with us." Then he said, "Well they are here to get me." I then told him, "Well tell them to get back to work and that you aren't going anywhere, we are keeping you here!" He then smiled at me and said, "Dang it" and laughed. It was a long day waiting for more news from the Dr.'s. We met with Dr. Leon, Dr. Brisolara and Dr. Freidan. They all wanted the best for my dad. I spoke privately with Dr. Leon and Dr. Freidan and they both believed that if mom and dad stuck to their medical plan, that dad could make a full recovery. So I was so hopeful.
Dad had so many IV's and with his body retaining so much water it was hard for them to draw blood every 6 hours, so they ended up having to do a PIC LINE, yes the 2nd thing that he didn't want to happen to him if he came to the hospital. So he now has the antibiotic and a pic line. My poor dad, they had a hard time getting it into his arm, they tried 3 times and with the beginning of the 3rd time my dad said to the ladies, "You have to make this work, because I am not doing anything else" They made it work. Afterwards my dad is so funny, he said, "Tonya take a picture of my arm. Look at all this stuff in my arm."
My dad said, "Everyone that comes into this room always says, "SORRY" but when they say that, it just means PAIN for me. Either they poke me or move or roll me. They don't mean "SORRY" when they say it" His poor face says it all, but he is such a trooper.
Later on that evening, dad was feeling so much better, but the Dr.'s wanted him to eat lots of PROTEIN, so here was his PROTEIN DINNER: Shrimp, Steak, Protein Salad with lots of beans. It was so good to see him eat, of course he didn't eat it all, my mom got the honors of finishing it up. She loves hospital food and it was so good for us to see my mom eating as well.
My dad also asked Cecilee to get him his favorite Hawaiian pizza from Pizza Factory. He ate two huge pieces. He LOVED it and was sooo hungry!! I took pictures of dad through out the day to send to all of the family members that were unable to be with us. Clay and his family were at BYU for a basketball camp for Tayvia and a family reunion. Max and Jaden were at a football camp, so we kept in touch with pictures and lots of texting to keep them informed. Dad liked to make funny faces. Through everything that he was going through he still kept his sense of humor and loved to make me laugh!!
He finally was knocked out and sooo tired. My cute mom stayed by his side and slept in the recliner watching every move of the Dr.'s. I just wish they realized that she wants the ABSOLUTE BEST for my dad and wants her husband back. She doesn't mean to fight with them, she just doesn't want unnecessary junk in his body. But she is working with the Dr.'s and letting them do their thing for dad. I am so proud of her, cause I know how hard it is for her.
It was a long day!! But successful day!
