My Dad

On Easter Sunday around 10:45pm. My dad's nursing home called me to let me know they were transferring him to the ER and he was having trouble breathing.

I came to the hospital immediately and in the 10 minutes or so it took me to get here he was already on a ventilator. 

  My dad has been in a nursing home since 2007 and when James and I moved to Amarillo in 2008, we moved him into a nursing home here, so we could be a part of his long term care. 

 In the fall of 2005, he suffered a life changing near fatal heart attack that left him on a ventilator and later a trach for months, during those months he suffered several mini strokes, blood poisoning, kidney failure, and a quad by-pass with too many stints to count. At one paint we were bought in to say good-bye to him. He did eventually pull through, but his quality of life was never the same and his heart will never work well, it's damaged beyond the repair it has already had and to weak for a pacemaker. Flash forward, 9 years.... On top of that health history he has COPD, chronic lung disease.

 On Tuesday they tried to take him off the vent, but that only lasted about 30 minutes. They have talked every day this week about taking him off but everytime they attempt to bring him out of sedation, his vital signs go crazy and he labors to breath and they end up sedating him again.

This morning the same thing happened, and the head doctor came and said we wouldn't think about trying again until Monday that He's not ready. He was also concerned that he was awake but completely unresponsive and unable to follow commands. Given his history it's risky for them to try and take him off the vent. In fact if they try again next week and have to retube him, we will be looking at a trach and long term vent care. Regardless, we only have about two weeks total on the vent before we have to discuss a trach. 

  Everyday has been up and down and unknown. My brothers are currently driving here now and we will probably have some hard decisions to make next week on his long term care. 

  I cannot tell you despite everything how blessed we have been this week.  Sweet friends have helped out with James Henry. The preschool has allowed him to stay in after school care. Prayers, phone calls and texts have come from all over. Friends have bought us food.

We have felt so loved this week.

Please continue to pray for us as I feel this is the beginning of a long road for all of us. 

I know that God is in control and I will rest in his embrace.