Trip Recap

Ooooookie Doooookie - I do apologize for the delay in Blogs, as it was a rather exhausting weekend with little computer access!  Dad is mostly stable, as he has been - Their final & main concern seems to be two things:

1.  Low Blood Pressure - They are working on stabalizing his blood pressure medications to keep his blood pressure up.  It seems every time he sits up in bed, and especially when he walks around with PT, his blood pressure drops A LOT (79/40 while I was there)... This is a big concern because obviously they don't want him to pass out when he is on his own after discharge.  They don't seem to be too alarmed... Just working on the right combination of medications, which I hear can take a while for Cardiac patients.

2.  Mobility in his Right Arm/Shoulder - This is definitely not keeping him in the hospital, but it is something they are working on, and that he will need continuing PT for... They think that it is due to nerve damage in his C4 disk (in his neck) - I am wondering if the position of his head in the ICU had something to do with this (he always had left ear to left shoulder, drastically).  I'm not sure if this is something that can be handled by therapy, or if they will have to fix it surgically.  He can move his right hand & forearm, but when moving his entire arm he picks it up with his left arm... Which is most frustrating when he is trying to eat.

Other than that, I worked on an "attitude adjustment" with him, which will hopefully stay after my departure.  :)  He got denied for a facility called Lakeshore Rehabilitation in Birmingham, which would have been an interim stop to continue his PT/OT rehab... They actually said he was "too well-off" (healthwise) for them... Not the worst news you could get, I suppose.  However, now discharge is definitely peaking its head around the corner, and I am still working on where he is going to go (and he is working on making some decisions too)... The Foundry (he has reservations about this)?  Elsewhere?  Ugggghhhhh.

A special thanks to Marion & Jon, Eddie & Tina and my wonderful Mama - Who all were so amazing this weekend.  Marion threw a wonderful little birthday party for me on Sunday night, and Eddie & Tina made the most delicious fried shrimp on Monday night (Jesse had never seen fried shrimp being made, I don't think, ha)... Not to mention Eddie's continuous words of encouragement & support (and a kick in the ass) to my Dad!!  

And it was fabulous seeing everyone else:  Ann Thomas, James, Kate, Nuss & Lynn, Bobby & Cindy, Thula, Grayson, Carolyn & Sean, Miller & Ryan (all the way from ATL), Jennifer & David, Elizabeth (& of course Savannah), my Decatur family (Ann, Mary Virginia, Sarah, Lily, Caroline & Bop) etc etc etc!!  AND last but not least... John Parker Wilson, who graced us with his presence at the table nextdoor during Sunday brunch after hearing a fabulous sermon from Gates Shaw - ROLL TIDE!  :)  (I know I'm forgetting someone, please forgive me....)

Love y'all!  Hals