It's Not Fun Getting Old: December 2015

Just one day more and 2015 will be no more but we will have the memories of a year gone by. For Dad, there are no memories of the year gone by. He lives in the moment, one day at a time. For the rest of us, well, we just keep getting older and it is not always fun.

However, Dad did have some good news. On my last post I informed you that Dad was being treated for wound on his left foot and that the initial treatment was working. Well, after a month of weekly doctor visits, the wound is now almost completely healed! During November he only needed a couple of follow-up visits and his last visit to the doctor on December 17^th indicated that the treatment worked perfectly. His next follow-up is not until mid-January, 2016; perhaps a good start to a new year.

At one of the doctor's visits.

The wound improving.

At the Marin General ER

While the treatment on the wound has been successful, there were some scary moments. On November 19^th I arrived at the doctor’s office late and Dad was not there. I phoned the nursing home to find out Dad was going to be sent to Marin General Hospital because he was “complaining” about chest pains and his blood pressure was high.

Fortunately the hospital was near the doctor’s office and I arrived there be the ambulance arrived with Dad. About 15 minutes later Dad was in the ER and I was with him. Blood tests, x-rays, and an EKG were taken. I sat patiently waiting for the results. Then a couple of hours later an ER staff person came and put the boot back on Dad’s wounded foot.

I asked the attendant if that meant that Dad was going to be released and he said, “Yes.” He asked me if the doctor had come to speak with me and I said, “No!” He advised the doctor that I was waiting and she came immediately to speak with me and apologized. Then she proceeded to tell me that all the tests were fine and Dad was released.

At lunch with Dad.

A few days later on Sunday, November 22^nd, Joyce, Jeremy and I had lunch with Dad at his nursing home. He ate his meal with our help and sat there and stared at us and others in the dining room. While we were eating, a woman was going around the room playing a harp. When she arrived at our table I asked if she knew any Latin or Hispanic tunes. She thought for a few moments and then began playing. And Dad responded to the music! He moved is fingers to the beat and we could tell that the music triggered a memory or a familiar feeling. It was wonderful to see!

One day more with Dad is a treasure.