A Summation of the Last Two Weeks

Proof that spring is trying to arrive

I know I've been quiet on here for a few weeks.  I've had so much to get caught up on since I got back from Michigan that I just haven't had the time to sit down and write anything out.  So, I thought I'd write up a brief synopsis on what I did in Michigan, things here at home and throw in a few pictures, just to keep those who care updated:

Update On My Dad

My dad is getting better, slowly.  He had help from a few of his family members during the week, but they have returned home.  He seems to be able to manage things on his own though, and I make sure to call him each day in case I might need to arrange for some help for him.  He has a long road to recovery, though.  To read about the week I spent with him at the hospital, see the last half of this entry.

Garden Is Finally Worked (squish, squish!)

I was able last Sunday, during a rare sunny and dry day, to get the garden beds worked and some things planted.  It was a great stress reliever to be outside in the sunshine, working the dirt and making a mess.  I got potatoes, onions and a row of lettuce planted.  I'm still working on the plants I started indoors, too.  If it would just warm up and quit raining every day, I just might get things growing.  My asparagus doesn't seem to be affected by the rain and cool temps, though--it's over a foot tall!  Check out a few pictures of our yard below: (I took these photos with my new camera!)

Same asparagus as in the last post

Yes, that shows 2" of water in the gauge

My new purchases--two mosquito plants (they smell like citronella)

Technically, it's a non-flowering scented geranium plant

Looks like some twitterpated tweets are trying to nest in our back porch light!

A Week At The Hospital
As many people know, I spent last week in the hospital with my dad, keeping him company after having surprise bypass surgery.  It was a long, stressful, emotional week, but he's finally starting to feel a bit better and is not in nearly as much pain as he was right after the surgery.  Most all of the tubes and wires are out now, and there are a few more issues that will be addressed before he will be discharged, but it should be sometime this week.  Thanks to everyone who prayed for him and/or me during this past week.  It was much needed and appreciated.  While this experience didn't yield the spiritual awakening that I'd hoped for in my dad, I think it did scare him quite a bit.  Time will tell whether or not this experience results in lifestyle changes that need to be made.  Below is an overview of each day's activities. 

Monday:

The heart catheter procedure was done.  My sister and I were surprised at how quickly he was in and out.  We found out that stints were not going to help, and that our dad's arteries were 100% blocked in three of the four that go to the heart.  The fourth had 80-90% blockage.  A bypass surgery was scheduled, and he was admitted into the hospital.  My dad developed a temporary form of Turret's syndrome and would randomly say bad words while the news sunk in.

Tuesday:

Bypass surgery was scheduled for 3 pm.  My sister went into work for a few hours and I stayed with my dad.  He found out that they would only be doing one bypass on the artery that pumps 60% of the heart's blood supply, because the other arteries were too damaged to be able to operate on.  We also found out that his heart was extremely weak, barely pumping enough blood through the body.  I was there alone for a while while surgery prep was done, so I made several phone calls.  Eventually, my sister and brother-in-law arrived, and we all passed the time together.  I've never seen my dad as worried and scared as he was right before they anesthetized him.  We spent about four hours playing cards and hangman, reading, and conversing while the operation took place somewhere in the hospital, and our dad came out of the surgery doing very well.  We left around 9 that night.

Wednesday:

My sister had to go into work again today, so I went to the ICU to see how things were going.  No one kicked me out, so I stayed until my dad dozed off.  He was in a lot of discomfort (and that's an understatement), so he asked for a lot of pain meds, which made him pretty tired.  I left, met my sister and mom for lunch, and returned to the ICU later in the afternoon. After finishing work, my sister and her husband joined me and we stayed until visiting hours ended.  We went to get some dinner together.

Thursday:

Dad was still in the ICU.  They were trying to move him to a regular room, but they didn't have one yet.  He had improved quite a bit, but was still in a lot of pain and discomfort.  I lost a few brain cells thanks to the Jerry Springer Show, and then we watched The Price is Right.  I think we watched that every morning while I was there.  I left to get lunch and visit my mom at the K of C hall where she volunteered with helping to put together a fish fry that they do every Friday for Lent, then went to get lunch.  When I returned to the hospital, my dad's ICU bed was empty, so I went up to the cardiac floor and found him in his own room, finally.  Several tubes and wires had been removed, and he was a bit more comfortable.  I stayed in the room with him until my sister and brother-in-law stopped in, and we went for dinner.  It was my last night in town, so we met my mom and stepdad for dinner.  I, my sister, and my brother-in-law stopped back at the hospital until visiting hours ended once again, and we all went to our homes.  It was the earliest night I had while I was there.

Friday:

It was time to go home.  I'd been up there since Sunday evening, and this had turned into a very long week.  I packed my car, said goodbye to my mom, who had been boarding me through the week, filled up the gas tank and headed to the hospital one last time.  I was hoping that my dad would be discharged that day or over the weekend, but I found out while there that he wouldn't be discharged until Monday or Tuesday.  They detected an irregular rhythm in his heartbeat and wanted to schedule another heart cath for Monday to see if a pacemaker/defibrillator would be needed.  That upset my dad.  I stayed there until around 11:30 am, when my dad said that I should go to beat running into some weather that was coming.  I obliged.  It was a long, lonely drive home, with my thoughts constantly turning back to the hospital and my dad.  I was emotionally and physically exhausted, and ready to be home with the one person on whom I depended most for support and comfort, while at the same time feeling guilty for leaving my sister and father.  There was nothing more I could do though, and I knew that my dad would have visitors over the weekend, and would have the help he needed from his sisters and mother when he was discharged.  I had served my purpose.

God was there, with me, the whole week I was up there.  I know that, and I depended on my faith in Christ to get me through.  It was not easy, though, and I felt very isolated the during my stay, as no one else in my family shares my faith.  Twice I tried to approach the subject with my father, and twice I was shot down.  I was also denied by my sister when I asked if she would pray with me.  Easy to feel isolated!  But I know that God was there with me, and He gave me strength to make it through the week. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 is a reminder that weakness when calling upon the Lord is not a bad thing: "But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 


Update:  My father was discharged this past Tuesday.  The second heart cath was done the day before discharge and showed no irregular rhythm in the heart beat, and therefore no internal device was placed.  He is slowly improving a little each day.