My online friends have been a real help to me in the past few days. Thank you all. A hospital room is a decidedly offline place; not very connected at all to the usual kinds of communication and trappings of a plugged-in life. So when I come back to my computer, it’s both comforting to find you here, and jarring to the part of me that has just left the institutional environment.
Dad did indeed have a stroke; two small ones, actually. Various tests and scans are ongoing, and he’ll have a heart scan on Monday (Monday is a long way away when you’re in the hospital) to examine the back of his heart for any damage or clots. When he is released from the hospital, he’ll have to spend some time in a rehab facility.
Being in the hospital and under the control of others would have been tough for my father under the best of circumstances. But with a droopy left side, and bouts of confusion, it is pretty harrowing. He doesn’t want to be there, and he gets agitated about that. It’s our job to keep him calm, be with him, advocate for him, and remain sane ourselves. Difficult stuff.
Thanks again to all of you who have reached out to me. It really, truly means a lot.
Glad to hear things are looking up for you. Connectionless hospitals on the other hand are made of failure and other unpleasant things. We’re glad you’re able to reconnect at least every so often.