I just came and went from Alaska in 6 days time
to Alaska from Oregon January 5th
then back to Oregon
and then back to Alaska again
now, this week
celebrated my mil's 94th in Oregon
was important to do
and necessary in all ways
however, the night i left Juneau
chaos began
my brother's son up there broke his leg in hockey game
tibia and fibula huge jagged break
same brother who spent 3 weeks helping me
with my
broken wristand resulting surgery in Juneau
now having to continue with his son
very next morning my dad was clawing at bedroom drapes
to get window open gasping for air
rushed to e.r. in Juneau from our Douglas Island home
he stayed 2 days in hospital
inconclusive test results
but very very sick, dizzy. nauseated, weak
sat night my same brother found him incoherent in bed 3 am
upside down twisted in blankets
gasping for breath
he asked for hospital
rushed him back to hospital
probable 1 to 2 heart attacks had previously happened
silent ons with no pain expressed
not even caught in previous 2 days of tests
in hospital just 2 days before
i got back on first plane out from Oregon
next day Mon am
back to Juneau
they told him i was coming
by time i got here and
went to him he rallied
huge turn around
they admitted he has incredible will to live
at his 93 years
stress and anxiety and caring for my Alzheimer's mom last 5 yrs
plus his acute shingles i came up to help with in 2008
exaggerated the mild sleep apnea he'd had for decades
oxygen deprivation as he slept and napped
combined to create stress on heart
undiagnosed cardiac irregularities and unrecognized heart attack(s)
my 'good 'unbroken and too overused wrist went out on me
two wrist splints now
talk about 'out of my hands' and thy will be done
one simply tries to flow through faith into a place of acceptance
and still stay cheerful and hopeful
my nephew had surgery on his broken tibia and fibula 4 days ago
visited him at home
and welcomed him to the
alien encounters'parts department'
he almost smiled thru huge pain
bless his heart
first cast created horrific pressure sores
my bro had to rush him into er again
total agony
removed cast,treated sores
new fiberglass cast that is looser
my sil's and brothers all rose to challenges
all being amazing tho exhausted
someone at home with mom
we all took multiple turns at hospital with dad
every second 24 hrs a day
and helping with mom's constant care
we are cautiously encouraged about dad
they sent him home wed
taking it all day by day
medicare just ended Juneau coordinator
no sleep apnea c-pap unit here
sleep study showed dad woke
gasped for air 45x that night
we have to order and ship big unit to Juneau
and learn how to set up,clean, and maintain by ourselves
with directions
over the phone from Anchorage office
my over used 'good' wrist now injured
so one broken and with badly islocated wrist
one carpal tunnel from constant use of only one hand to use
1 surgery but 2 matching splints
in just 3 weeks
challenging time
me with wrist here
then back to mil in Oregon
then my nephew to er here
then my dad
all in 3 weeks
its unbelievable yet
how life flows and goes sometimes
tomorrow, on Friday, the 2nd graders and
our kuspuks will be filmed
by Anchorage news crew on native culture segment
good times in spite of hard
we are all so grateful dad is still with us and mom is good
we still practice
laughter therapyevery single day
even in ICU
not sure others understood ;)
but so important to keep energy and spirits up
still so blessed in all ways
and we never forget that
it is the secret to all
challengesit really is
one more day at a time
we all can do this
links:
challengesbroken wristlaughter therapyalien encountersStitches in Memory and Timecoming and going.......
