Dad 2

I didn't keep track of times as well for the last day or so. . . Laura and I got to the hospital sometime around noon, I'd guess. Mom got a call from Bunny Timmons that she was on her way, so she (Mom) was waiting until she got there before she and Laura went back home to prep the house for guests. It turns out a good thing she did, because, around 1:30 or so Dad's heart rate jumped up, to over 200 (I don't remember what it was before it jumped), and Dad's room became very busy. They even brought in the crash cart & put those things on his chest for it just in case!! Of course, I didn't really know what was going on, a nurse talked to Mom, though, and (eventually) she told us--it seemed like it was hectic and crazy in there for an hour, but I doubt my perception of time was correct. During this, Bunny arrived. Mom went out to the waiting room and talked to her, and she (bless her heart!) asked for Mom's keys so she could go start on the house. We were very grateful, of course, not wanting to leave Dad until he was stablized. Once things had calmed down for a bit, Laura and Mom left, as well--Mom really needed a break!

Things stayed pretty stable throughout the day--there was just the one scare, although Dad's temperature was hovering between 99 and 101 degrees F and his heart rate was still high--in the 170's right after the scare, couple hours later (thanks to some medicine) it was in the 150's. . . By nightime it was in the 110's, around 11 or so it was just over 100. When I left today (I stayed the night), it was in the 90's. In the early evening, some sisters from the Beloit ward (Finch, Evans, and Jaeger?) stopped by with snackage for us at the hospital! There was much joy and rejoicing--no, I did NOT eat it all! They even brought bottled water for us! It was so awesome of them to think of it! They told me to give their (and their children's) love to Dad, and then stopped by at home to check in with Mom; I'm sure that was good for her. Then Patsy Titus stopped by. It was good to see her, too. Tim got to the hospital around 8, Steve Tinkler, the Blackwelders and Moncurs followed soon after. I had arranged to have some friends of mine from the Uni ward (Kristina and Patti) to bring me some clothes, phone charger, and other necessities Meghan (my magnificent roommate) put together for me, they arrived at 8:45 or so with fun stories of the GPS leading them to the Janesville police dept instead of the hospital and misunderstandings from our texted conversations. . . lol! They gave me a much needed break (took me to IHOP!!) for a bit.

Editor's note on the misunderstandings: I tried to finagle a meet between Kristina and Tim so she wouldn't need to come all the way down to Beloit, but she didn't understand--she thought I was just trying to get her to meet Tim, like I was setting her up. . . She talked to Devin about it, asking about how weird it was, commented "Doesn't he have a daughter? And a live-in girlfriend?" There was confusion--I thought it was hilarious. When I told Meghan, she couldn't understand how Kristina didn't get it--even after I sent a text explaining ("I don't want you to have to drive all the way down here if you don't have to--Tim will be driving through Madison from La Crosse on his way here, so it'd be easier on you this way" etc.) it took her a bit to get it. Really funny!! lol!

When I got back to the hospital, the nurse said they had had to increase the medicine they were using to keep his blood pressure up, and talked about his breathing. The problem is he's somehow not taking in enough oxygen. When he first came into the ICU, he was at 40% oxygen or something (normal air is 21%, I think), and they had had to increase it until it was up to 100%, and his blood oxygen level was still right around 90% (90% is the least you need to function properly), and Dad wasn't responding much anymore--wasn't opening his eyes for her or wiggling his toes. Tim and I convinced Mom to stay home & rest up, Tim went home (I thought she'd feel better if she got to see him--I'm sure it's a comfort for her to have us all here) around 11? During the night there was fiddling with his blood oxygen sensor, the dialysis machine, etc. Overall, uneventful, except at some point Dad shook his head in response to something the nurse said--I must have been asleep or otherwise zoned out when that happened; I totally missed it. Mom came in this morning around 7am, had been up since 5 or so. When I got home, I saw what she had been doing--putting notes on all the cupboards & drawers so everyone would know where everything is--dishes, silverware, different foods--lol at Mom! I stuck around until the Doctor came in and went through the latest lab results, then came home--Aunt Nancy, Uncle Steve, and Jenny were just getting into the house when I pulled up! Aunt Willa and Carl are on their way & will get here tonight, and Aunt Susie & Uncle Dan may stop by after a wedding today in Minneapolis. I talked to Adrienne, had difficulties with plumbing, sent everyone to the hospital, and here I am.

It's SO bedtime!

One last note: we still are at peace with this--we know he will make it through this. He's a fighter, there's no way this is his end. I'll post again later!!