Oct 26, 2014
Ships passing in the night and some bad news
Adios Colin....
We were barely together for 24 hours but like ships passing in the night it was time for Colin to head to the airport at 6 AM this morning. Our original plans had us leaving Edmonton in our RV after a 4 day visit with my Dad in Edmonton and heading to Winnipeg. Colin’s Mom turns 100 next week and he is off to celebrate with her. Sadly I won’t see her for at least another year. Because of my Dad’s situation it just didn’t work out for us to take the RV to Winnipeg and then head straight south thru Texas to Mexico. We were looking forward to a new route and some different locations to have some adventures in, but it was not to be. When Dad took a turn for the worse last Tuesday Colin graciously told me to stay in Edmonton and he would see his Mom another time. I am so glad that things worked out as I just could not deprive Colin of celebrating his Mom’s hundredth. That only happens once in a lifetime.
Carmeh is missing Colin already, jumping up and barking at the sound of a car. She is his girl.
Caeli is my girl and now that I am home she is just happy to be laying under the fireplace.
I’m loving being in my own house. I miss Colin but at least I have the dogs to talk to and they talk to me. They have different sounds for asking me to open the door so that they can go out. It’s too cool now to leave patio door open so they can use the dog door in the screen. When it’s time to eat there is a moaning sound like they are starving and haven’t eaten for weeks. Treat time is announced with a sharp bark at exactly 2:00PM and if you don’t move fast enough the bark is repeated until you head to the treat cupboard. I was often lonely at Dad’s as it was just me in a big silent space so I am enjoying every moment here even though I am working.
Sadly just after starting this post I received a phone call from a sister who found out from another sister that Dad has the superbug Ecoli ( ESBL ), it was found in his last sputum specimen. I have been in touch with the charge nurse twice and she has put in a call to infection control on my behalf. We are still waiting for the blood cultures to come back. I was told that the IV antibiotics are broad spectrum and should be good. Colin has offered to come back here early and I said not at this time as I should be able to manage things by phone. Right now Dad is in isolation with everyone needing to wear masks and gowns. My sister Lise wondered about the nurses not washing their hands and I started to think back. Ecoli is so easily transferred from the colon to the mouth area due to poor hand washing on the part of staff. There is one particular health care aid that has been helping Dad to the bathroom earlier this week. He had been constipated and things started breaking up on Wednesday. This particular person would wipe Dad’s bottom and then with my help get him back to bed and reattach his nasal oxygen cannula. However she was wearing the same pair of gloves that she used to wipe him and then touch his nose!!!!!!!!! Over the past few weeks I have had to mention to the staff that they had dropped his nasal cannula onto the floor and a new one needed to be added to the oxygen line. Once before I could speak the HCA just picked it up off the floor and put it on his face. Sigh!!!! Of course I mentioned this to the charge nurse this afternoon and suggested they change gloves between certain procedures. People do not think! Hopefully Dad will recover from this but he does suffer with a lack of immune system especially in his lungs. The charge nurse assures me that Dad is responding well to this antibiotics.
Right now there is not much more than I can do but take a deep breathe, pour a glass of wine and hope for the best. I think tomorrow is going to be very very busy for me.
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So glad Colin is getting to spend his mother’s birthday with her. 100 is a huge event and who knows how long he will have her around too. The latest situation with your Dad isn’t good but being in the hospital is always presents additional danger for catching other things. Hang in there and give the puppies an extra hug.
Congratulations to Colin’s Mom on reaching the 100 year mark. I am sure that he will enjoy his time with her.
Hoping that things improve with your Dad. Enjoy that glass or two of wine, you deserve it!
Ruth
100th birthday, is so s[pecial, not many people ever get to see that one, so nice that he can be there.
Enjoy that vino while you can.
Just catching up with your blog. Hope things improve with your Dad. it’s good that Colin was able to get away to visit his Mom for her 100th birthday.
We miss stopping out on the isla to see you. We’re having a good time, other than I got walking pneumonia. I’m pretty sure I had it before we left, I had terrible pains under my shoulder blade and my chest was tight. The doctor came this morning and have me a big antibiotic shot and a prescription for more, plus he’ll be back twice to give more shots. Feeling better, now, not so sick. Prayers for your dad, you really have to stay on top of things don’t you?
Wish we were there at least just for moral support. Big hugs!