It's now Wednesday night (late) & things aren't looking so great at the moment..
So Gary & I again are asking for prayer for my Father (Richard)
This afternoon my Mom took Dad to Cardiac Rehab @ The Heart Institute in Dav...
Upon his arrival the staff did some question & answer.. Ended up getting the Cardiothoracic doctor.. Dr. Augelli... After going over some test, and speaking with my parents (putting it lightly, my Mom freaked out) The doctor informed them that my Dad is in Congestive Heart Failure. If you remember correctly when he had his quad bypass, his aorta blew & so the doctors didn't get a chance to replace the Mitral Valve that was & is still leaking in my Dad's chest/lungs. They had hopes of my Dad recovering from this quad bypass & then 3-6 months later going in & then doing a valve replacement. Well... now that valve has leaked enough that it's put Dad into congestive heart failure... The plan of attack for now is to start Dad on an infusion (IV drip) 3 times a week (Mon, Wed & Fri) @ East (4th floor) & each treatment takes about 4 hours.. (Dad has already stated that he's not interested in the infusion & he was quite fussy about it to me, so we will see what happens with that) They will be giving him medications & stuff to boost his immune system. Their goal is to get Dad strong enough to sustain yet another surgery (which by the way he's not agreed to as of yet) They want to do this for 3 weeks.. The comment the doctor made was they just weren't sure he had 3 weeks. The doctor wanted Dad to go to Iowa City right now & let some specialist there do this surgery with some robot thing.. But Dad said Absolutely Not.. My Dad is 73 (almost), he's tired, and he's just wore out... I would love to have my Dad live another 10-20 years.. but would that be realistic??? I just don't know.. what I do know is my Dad is tired.. He has told us all tonight that he feels himself slipping away, and he's not sure why, but he feels like he's going down hill pretty fast.. But asked Mom to just let him go.. She was upset (understandable) and yes we were all upset.. But on the other hand for me personally.. I just thought it was such a sweet & tender moment that they shared I was in awe... Once again I've learned that so many people die with out getting the chance to say their last good-byes, I'm sorries or I love you's.. that when people do get that chance it's just beautiful to me..
At times, over the past 3-5 days my Dad has been incoherent, lethargic, and even doesn't recognize us for a brief time frame.. That is probably the hardest for me personally.. Besides the amount of pain he's been in..
His lungs are full of fluid (Dr Augelli says blood & fluid) He coughs often, which hurts from the quad bypass still (cracking of the ribs & stuff)... Shortness of breath, tires easy.. He's swollen, edema in his legs & feet are evident... He is so cold to touch most the time.. And he's like green in color.. His feet, neck, hands & the sides of his face are green.. He's lost 50 some pounds & his blood pressure is still irregular..
Obviously I'm not a doctor.. I'm just a child of a man whom I just love & adore & I want what's best for him... I just wish I knew what that was... Although I may not know.. My God does know.. And whatever God has planned for my Dad, my family will all know we were/are loved by him.
We again thank you for your prayers & thoughts...
Windy Felsing