I got Daddy up early this morning to bathe, dress, and feed him breakfast. He had a doctor’s appointment in the early afternoon with a surgeon to see what needed to be done about the pressure sores on his heels. We went to my doctor appointment Tuesday, so I took the opportunity to have our GP look at Daddy’s feet. I had pointed out the rancid smell of the sores to the home health nurse, but she didn’t seem that worried.
Our doctor got down on his knees and removed the bandages on daddy’s feet, examined them, cleaned the sores, and applied new bandages. He never called for the nurse to assist.
As soon as he saw the right foot and smelled that smell, he determined that Daddy needed to see a surgeon about cutting out the dead meat in his feet. The nurse set up the appointment for Thursday. I’m thinking it’s a good thing I brought him along rather than having someone stay at home with him. That was just dumb luck.
Surgery? This doesn’t sound too good. They said it might be an in office procedure. In and out. No big deal.
Well good, maybe it will be like the nurse said, they go in cut out the big black disc of dead meat, then the wound would heal up reasonably quick.
The surgeon came in and got down on his knees, with the nurse assisting, and removed the bandages from Daddy’s feet. He immediately jumped back…
”Yes, I smell it. That’s dead meat. We will have to do surgery tomorrow morning.” He directed the nurse to begin the process of admitting Daddy to the hospital. In tonight, surgery tomorrow, not expected to be released before Monday.
Then the bomb dropped.
The doctor told us that from the feel of it, the bruise is very deep. However deep it is must be cut out. If it involves the bone, then there is a possibility that the leg must be amputated.
I just about fell through the floor! I don’t think Lewy caught it……..I sure hope not.
The doctor continued….”If this were left to go another month, there would be no doubt he would loose the leg. It’s good that he’s here.” I’m thinking about what a fluke it was that we had not waited for the previously scheduled appointment a month from now.
I’m astounded really, that it could be this bad, and the home health nurse not recognize it. We had discussed the smell. Everything the doctors said backed up everything she had said about the wounds, except the smell thing. She must not know what that smell means. We’ve been noticing it for 2 weeks now. I don’t fault her. I believe she just has not been presented with this basic and necessary information.
It wasn’t long before the surgeon’s nurse escorted us to Daddy’s hospital room. As much as I don’t care for the for-profit healthcare system and all that political crap, I have to admit the facility is top notch. The staff is too.
As the Charge Nurse checked Daddy in, he asked all the usual questions…family history? Surgeries? Alcohol? Then he smiled…any recreational drugs?
Daddy responded…”I smoked a marijuana cigarette about 30 years ago.” The nurse was laughing his ass off. Daddy continued…”I didn’t see that it did anything for me.”……
OK, I’m sorry, I could not help it then, I can’t help it now. This is another famous Daddy story.
In the late 1970’s Momma and Daddy retired to Florida and lived in one of those retirement trailer park communities near Naples. I never knew where he got it, but as the story goes, it was supposed to be some really good sh**…………Really good sh**.
Anyway, Daddy got hold of a couple of joints and stashed them out in the laundry room for over a year before he decided one day to give it a try. He told Momma he was going out to the laundry room to do whatever with his tools. He figured Momma wouldn’t come out looking if she had no reason to look. Good logic…Daddy went outside to piddle about with his tools in the laundry room and fired up one of those bad boys. He says he smoked the whole thing all by himself.
From Momma’s side of the story, he probably did.
Its odd that “it didn’t do anything for me” is what Daddy says. Because according to Momma, about 30 minutes after he went outside, she decided to go ask him something. When she found him, he was sitting on his stool in the laundry, giggling.
Of course Momma had to know what was so funny. Daddy just sat there and giggled. She said he tried to talk but got his tongue all tangled up and then would start “laughing like a hyena” (That was her favorite line).
My Mom was a mathematical genius. It didn’t take her long to eliminate the possibilities of what could be causing this odd behavior.
Ballistic would be a mild description of how her reaction went. The more she fussed about it the harder he would laugh. This of course, pissed Momma off even more. This of course was even funnier to Daddy.
Needless to say Hell was paid for his sin. But in the long run, it became one of Momma’s favorite stories, and whenever she would tell it, Daddy would always just sit and giggle.
Hubbie here.
Pauline is trying to end on a high note (pun intended) I have heard the story before and it is funny as hell…………and it is true……………..but as you rightly assume from the front part of her post some things are afoot at the Circle K;…………………things that may not be so good
Lewy/Daddy is in the hospital tonight. He is having surgery tomorrow. They will remove the dead tissue from the soars on his feet.
They may remove his feet.
Stay tuned.
4 comments:
Stella said...
May the Lord be with you, your dad, and Hubbie as you try to get rest tonight. It sounds like the medical staff really cares for your dad and I'm sure they will do everything possible to send him back home to you in as good a condition as they are able. Please know there are many prayers for you and your family.
Rose said...
I have been meaning to thank you for your daily postings. They have really helped to alleviate the loneliness of our similar situation. I feel as if I've come to know your family, and I was floored to hear about this latest issue. My thoughts are with you along with my prayers for a good outcome and a quick recovery for your father.
Hubbie said...
Thank you for your concern and your prayers. There is some good news. Lewy is out of surgery and they did not have to amputate. He will be in the hospital at least a few more days, probably on some very good pain killers. Wow, Lewy on drugs; the nurses have no idea what they are in for. I'm sure Pauline will give you the full story tomorrow.
pearose said...
Things can change on a dime, apparently! I'm glad there was no need for amputation. I can't imagine the additional pressure the two of you would be under if that had to happen. You are all in my thoughts. I hope Lewy likes the drugs!