This is a personal post today, not much by way of photos/graphics either. It's been a hectic, emotional and sometimes angry 8 days or so in Wirgie's little world. You probably know from past posts, my elderly (1 month til he's 85) father was diagnosed with lung cancer earlier this year. He has been through an intensive course of radiation treatment. My son took him to those appointments because they were close together and he lives up near his grandad. However, I've been going up taking him to his follow ups, gp, scans and such.
Last Wednesday morning I got a frantic call from my younger sister. Now bare in mind, she is dependent on my father. She doesn't drive, she's on a disability pension and isn't the shiniest penny in the jar at times. Let's just say she's on the autism spectrum, so all kinds of different in some ways. She was with Dad at his new GP. Yes, I know, bad timing to change to a new GP mid cancer treatment. But I'm so glad he did. Dad was very sick. He'd been going to his previous GP for three weeks, being kept waiting for hours, got impatient and stormed out. The last time was the final straw and he sought out a new GP who happens to be my sisters, closer to home and more convenient re: blood test, pharmacy right next door as well as the supermarket he likes to shop at.
Well, he got taken by ambulance to the nearest hospital from the doctor's surgery. My sister had to go with him in the ambulance too (not the first time she's called one from home for him as well) Any who, the GP got on the phone to me because Nicole isn't capable of relaying to people what other's have explained to her, she gets all muddled and doesn't really grasp how to say exactly the same thing she's been told. What's that saying? "In one ear, out the other"? So I spoke with the GP and yeah, suspicions confirmed that Dad has pneumonia as well as his heart was racing so bad, doctor thought it best, given his recent radiation treatments, he'd best be in hospital to be checked out.
So I race up there, drop everything, get there, pick up my sister because they wouldn't let both of us be in there and they'd taken him for a scan. We went home to their place, threw together some things in case Dad got admitted. They kept us waiting near on 10pm at night then discharged him with some antibiotics and a request he get back to his GP before Friday. So, like the dutiful daughter I stayed up there to get him to the GP. He wasn't capable of driving, he was coughing too much and he's also very fatigued. (that's expected after radiation treatment, not the coughing though)
I've always know my father has a had a bit of a temper and anger issues in the past but I've ever witnessed it personally. Sadly I copped the brunt of it for days. I do understand he's dealing with so much, I do have empathy with the frustration he can't do things around the house like he use to do ie gardening, painting, pottering about in his shed and such. He can't do that any more but he is fiercely independent but also quite deaf without his hearing aids. That's another thing, he complains he can't under stand what people are saying but he fiddles with his hearing aids so much and gets massive wax build ups that he's brought some of that on himself. He snapped at me in front of the doctor, I had to excuse myself for a few minutes to calm down, stop crying and go back in. The doctor was so 'perceptive' and I think my father also realized how he'd spoken to me. From then, the doctor spoke with me so I could relay to Dad.
There is so much more that I could share but I'm so shell shocked and cranky and sad and annoyed and tired all at once. Didn't help I had a to do with my son via sms but we've sorted that. On top of that my father's phone line is in the throws of being transferred back into his name with he company he use to be with before Ben moved in. Talk about a pack of pooh tickets. Bloody Telstra. Anyway, we've got dad an emergency mobile phone. Not that he'll turn the bloody thing on, but it's there in case he needs to make a call or we need to call him if Nicole is out. Once his telstra account is reactivated, we can link it to this mobile I've given him and he can take that mobile with him where ever he goes.
I have been walking around his house lately looking at all that's not been done in a very long time. He has a cleaner for maybe one 1 to 2 hour session a month but she, in my humble opinion, is a bit slack. She's never dusted. When I moved the few pieces of the Japanese tea set that had been unpacked 18yrs ago, from the shelf, you could see it hadn't been moved in years. I mean really, Dad has lung problems, why would you not keep the dust to a minimum? Benjamin can only do so much now he's moved to Budgewoi. I see things that need doing and I myself am too short to rectify them. If I was taller I would but nope, can't do stuff. You know even plugging in things to power sockets in the kitchen I can't do because the darn house must have been built for giants, I can't even reach to plug in, unplug the toaster, kettle, my phone charger. My sister went out and I had to go find a ladder to get my phone down.
So you see, things have been so erratic on my blog for months but I am trying to keep a positive outlook. I am awaiting a call from an Aged Care Assessment team who will see if there are things they can put in to place to help Dad more to be able to stay in his own home. He's been given the all clear to keep driving by his GP, so he has to put those papers in and sit a driving assessment next month too. Now that's going to be interesting, wonder if he'll loose his temper during that when it happens? Nothing like yelling at other drivers, shoppers, even the tv screen when he doesn't agree with things. Sigh, so over it all at the moment but I just want my Daddy to be a bit more happy, comfortable and confident he can call on others for help instead of being so stubborn and putting on the brave face, the stiff upper lip so to speak (yeah he is so freakin' 'British' it is sickening some days). No such thing as keep calm and carry on in his world any more. I am looking forward to talking with the care team because I am positive my father is severely depressed. He admitted he's never enjoyed Christmas since my Mum passed away 13yrs ago. I 'get' that but he has a 3yr old great grandson no, he should be happy to be having a Christmas with a toddler in the family now, sigh.....
Thanks for reading if you got this far. We shall see if I can gather together a nice crafty post for you all tomorrow.
Byee for now, have a lovely Thursday!
And remember,
happy stamping, colouring & creating!
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