The saga continues...

Friday was a “spa” day in the ICU for Dad. First the soothing and quiet rhythm of the chirping alarm beeps and bells gently awoke Dad. First thing on the agenda for the day after some delightful suctioning of his lungs, a leisure breakfast. A unique and nourishing blend of antioxidants, calcium, protein, and carbs. Then an exhilarating bath time scrub, scented with antiseptic and cleansers. Dad also received a shave and small trim of his handlebar mustache. The stylist is famous for the “neat yet sophisticated” look of a handlebar. After Dad’s cleansing scrub he was given time to meditate in a near sitting position. Its all part of the total body renewing process this ICU is so well known for. Several long hours of flew by in what felt like moments. Dad was then reclined and he dozed in his newly cleansed and healing body. Gently Dad was rocked awake as he was wheeled expertly long the path to another ICU room. This one offers a “different healing perspective”.

In Dad’s new ICU room he was visited by the Facial Reconstruction guy. He really likes how dad’s recovery is going. He even removed the wires holding Dad’s jaw together. This was for 2 reasons. Dad can now start to open and close his mouth, and go get an MRI of his head and neck. After a short wait, and quick trip to the MRI, they determined that oops, dad still has some metal in him. Evidentially the trach has enough metal in it to cause discomfort to dad during the scan. Whoops?!? Thank goodness for checks and double checks. Wow, that could have been the beginning of a bad day. So now the plan is to get another trach installed in dad that is more MRI friendly. Then back to get a scan which will hopefully clear his neck. Then with a cleared neck we are back on track, according to his care team, to remove the collar. Wow, what a saga.

I tell you its much like holding water in your hand this trying to keep up with all of Dad’s craziness much less attempting to keep a handle on my own chaos. As many of you know during this time my sister-in-law Hayley has come to help Sarah with the kids and free me up to be with Mom and Dad. She has been helping make meals, wrangle the kids, and be an extra helping grownup in our crazy household. Well, Hayley was playing on the playground with the boys, and somehow ended up hurting her knee. Another perfectly orchestrated accident. Every day at our house someone trips, scrapes, bumps or bruises something somehow. Tears, pic’s for the owie book, snuggles and a band aid or ice, and we continue with our adventures, but within a few short hours Hayley’s leg was very swollen and looking red and infected. Before you could say oozing scab, she ended up in the ER trying to get a hold on the out of control infection in her knee. What?... Another hospital trip? Corban who is almost 4 said, “AWW not again...can I have some ice cream?” So there you have it. Just a glimpse of how the saga continues, life is crazy, Keep Dad in your prayers as he is still in ICU, and recovering right on schedule, but i am beginning to feel like the end of my rope is near. I would ask when does it stop, but I am afraid of the answer. I can rest in the knowledge that God is in control and will not give me more than I can handle.

~With Integrity