My Dad is sick.
Very, very sick.
He spent 3 days in the hospital because of a bladder infection that needed IV antibiotics. Since the holidays, he has fallen 5 times and needed assistance getting up.
He will only eat liquid sustenance, barely!!
He barely communicates!!
My wonderful, faithful, loving and kind mother has done her best to assist him in his daily needs and tries so hard to boost his spirits. She hardly ever leaves him alone.
He is wearing a diaper. He is weak, only gets up to have a bowel movement and spends the rest of the day in bed.
YES--we are being proactive with physician care, treatment, medicines and testing to determine possible causes!
He has lost 30 pounds since back surgery in April. He has not been very mobile.
But saddest of all: he is NOT my Dad who loves:
--to hear how old friends are doing
--to go to the SPA and listen and meet new people
--to watch BYU football or other sports on TV
--to attend his grandchildren's school and sporting events when available
--to spend time with his family and listen to his 4 daughter's talk about "chic" stuff
--to catch up with his only son concerning all things sports
--to talk and share stories with anyone who will listen
--to eat shrimp with his buddies
--to eat raspberry chocolate shakes from Red Robin or a McDonalds ice cream cone
--to play and cheat at card games
--to drive a truck that delivers food to needy people in rural communities
--to help stock shelves at our church's food warehouse
--to serve other people
--to play and take care of babies, children and his grandchildren.
--to be my DAD!
Today, after he only consumed four bites of chicken noodle soup and had two small bites of ice cream, he laid back in the hospital bed.
I loudly scolded him (oh, forgot to mention, he can barely hear) to be a BIG MAN and eat some more chicken noodle soup.
He did not say a word. Just silently smiled and laid his head on the pillow.
A few moments later, he arose, sat at the edge of the bed, and began to take a few more bites.
I most likely will never know if he did this because of my loud plee for him to eat or if he saw my tear-stained face and blood-shot eyes!!
He is still my Dad and I am happy to help him with his daily needs as he has always been there for me.
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