Notes from the week it happened.....

My dad was sick.

Wednesday night....My brother called me to say my dad was sick and he thought I should know.  My dad had been sick before....he'd had a bout of the flu around Christmas time.  This seemed similar to me.  I wasn't sure why it merited a call.

Thursday morning....my dad sent me text -- responding to an earlier request I'd sent.  He let me know that he'd been in bed since Tuesday evening.  He told he he thought he'd been getting better but had fallen three times about midnight and that it now hurt to roll over in bed.  He figured he'd maybe cracked a rib.  But he still offered to host the Attorney General at his coffee group.  I asked if he needed help getting to the doctor.  He said he planned on waiting until Friday to see if there was a change.  My last text to my dad was..."I don't think that's a good idea.  Why suffer.  It's not noble."

Thursday, my brother takes my dad to the doctor.  The doctor notes an elevated white count but no cracked rib.  Sends dad home.

Thursday evening, my dad is in unbearable pain.  He asks for an ambulance to take him to the hospital. (this is incredibly not typical).  My brother goes with him.  I leave work early and go sit with my mother.  My sister plans to come home from California.  After we get word from the hospital -- it's his gall bladder -- it's severely infected.  They will start to treat infection and then remove it once the infection is better....in maybe 5-6 weeks.

I leave to go home but go to the hospital first.  I've never seen my dad in such pain.  It's gut wrenching.  They prepare to take my dad to put in a port and a drain...then they will move him to ICU.  There is nothing to be done but sit and wait....so my brother and I head home.  In the parking lot, Randy tells me...."You know, I'm fully committed to him being immortal"

Friday morning, prior to the start of my work day, I head to the hospital.  To my surprise, dad is sitting up in ICU....looking really good.  We chat briefly and then the ICU doctor comes in on rounds.  Everything is looking good, he says....other than his gall bladder and a gall stone the size of a golf ball...Surgery should wait....means pain will stay for a while longer....but safer to wait.  They will be sending him to the regular post surgical ward.  He's doing great.  On track to be released maybe Monday.  I talk to my mom after the doctor was there.  I have her talk to my dad.  I brought him his pajamas in a banana bag...an inside joke between my mom and dad.  Then I leave so  he can rest.

Friday afternoon, my sister arrives

Saturday morning, I head to the hospital again prior to work.  Dad is in the regular wing now.  I wait outside his room for a bit because he's trying to go to the bathroom.  I don't want to embarrass him.  He sits in the chair for a while.  We visit briefly.  I tell him about being stung by a wasp that morning at the gas station.  The new doctor comes in on rounds again.  They are talking about sending him home maybe even tomorrow or Monday.  Good news....  After the doctor leaves, it's clear dad is uncomfortable....pain.  He needs to head back to the bathroom.  I tell him I'll leave.  I let the nurses know as I leave.

Sunday morning before 6....the phone rings.  Bill answers.  It's my sister.  Dad is gone.