Thursday was both upbeat and difficult. I am hesitant to tell this story but through it all dad has been unflinchingly honest and open, after talking with him last night and again this morning I will.
Thursday started out better than most of the previous days. The combination of meds seemed to be working well. We went for a couple of walks, sat outside in the garden soaked up the sun and read the paper. After a light dinner his nurse Cora came in to administer his afternoon dose of medication. Dad said he started feeling fuzzy and his heart beat raced towards 200 beats per minute at that point the pace maker he has implanted in his chest tried to slow his heart beat down. when the pace maker could no longer pace his heart the defribralator part of the pace maker shocked his heart to slow it down, essentially it momentarily stops the heart, at that point dad turned blue and past out for a few seconds then the pace maker once again did what it is made to do, t shocked his heart into a normal beating rhythm and dad woke up.
After another blood test the doctors believe that very low calcium levels are what caused the episode. Once again it re enforces the point of how difficult it is to get everything balanced out from day to day. I spent the night with dad in his room. He got some rest and was eager to eat breakfast this morning.
We march on.
I will talk more about yesterday a little farther down the road, for know Iv,e got to get some sleep.
Duncan
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4 comments:
I'm following this with intense interest. You can hear me quietly cheering you on from out here in Illinois. I've got a tattered and beloved copy of the Utah Phillips songbook, that I acquired ages ago (along with the words to Hello Stranger) at a San Francisco music gathering/campout. That was a great time - camping out near the end of Golden Gate Bridge and singing all day. Been singing Utah's songs ever since.
Best wishes to Utah, Joanna & Duncan & all that extended nation(?)/people who dearly love & treasure our own craggy Mt Rushmore of the soul, Utah Phillips. We all have our treasured memories of hanging out with Utah, attending performances or having those "light bulb" moments in the brain from one of his zingers and insightful comments (not to mention a lifetime of bad puns).
We here in the frozen cornfields of Central Illinois send our best to our A#1 friend and wish him many days just to soak up the sunshine, touch the earth & relax.
We love ya!
Mike Matejka
Bloomington IL
Thanks for sharing it all with us, Duncan. I hope in some small way it helps you all to know that there are many of us out here reading the words, gasping, and cheering as you go along.
I loved hearing about Utah playing in the dirt. I can relate.
Hello Utah,
Graeme and I had a really fun time Friday night at the New Old Time Chataqua Vaudeville Show. We were splitting our sides with laughter!
I met Faith Pectric, what a wonderful lady. I want you to know that everyone shouted out a riotous "Hello Utah" that I am sure you heard all the way down to SF. I send you my love and I am keeping you in prayers.
Your fellow Hospitality House board mate Margaret "Maggie" Little
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