IMPRESSIONS

I think Heavenly Father has been kind in keeping me appraised of my father's well being.

As I have reported before, the 'system' my sisters and I have set up is if I haven't heard from my father, I attempt to call him. If he does not answer, I check with my sisters. If they haven't heard from him, I continue to attempt direct contact with my father and then it is off to Wyoming to check on his welfare. (or sometimes I would call the police department and have them do a welfare check on him!!)

My father missed his regular Friday phone call last week. I was busy piecing together the salvaged wood for my floor and didn't think too much of it. But then he didn't call on Saturday either. Sunday was Migraine Morning and I slept it off--which took all day. Monday, I kept telling myself I needed to check on my father, but failed to do so.

Tuesday, I left my desk for the morning break and took my phone with me. I attempted to call my father and knowing that he is hard of hearing and it was still somewhat early in the morning (9:00?) I allowed the phone to continue ringing; probably as much as 20 times! No answer, so I attempted to call Teresa since I knew she was currently in Cody. I thought she might be able to do a quick check on him, but I had the wrong number. The number I dialed was the 907 area code, which was disconnected. But only minutes after I hung up--Teresa called ME! In my brain I am thinking, "oh, she saw I tried to call her and now she is calling me back." Logical. Except that I did not call her on the 307 area code, from which she was now calling me.

Teresa informed me that our father was being taken to the ER right now. ARE YOU KIDDING!! (of course when I return home, there was a message from the care center that I needed to call) So, yeah--I think the Lord is still keeping me in touch with those impressions.

My father's blood pressure is not stable right now. It runs very low, in fact my father reported that it was something over 11! I said, "Dad! That is almost nonexistent!"

His explanation is that he had breakfast in the morning and then went into the bathroom. He thought he was done and stood up, only to apparently pass out. He came to and used the sink to pull himself upright and back onto the toilet. He said, "the next thing I know, I've got lots of company in there with me!"

According to the nurse, she found my father sitting on the toilet, sweating, with clammy skin. He was not responding to her questions so paramedics were called. By the time the nurses helped him to lie on the floor, the paramedics arrived. It is so great having the center attached to the ER! The nurse told me about the trouble stabilizing his blood pressure and her guess was his straining to have a bowel movement caused his blood pressure to drop too low.

He was in the ER for a few hours while they did some tests. His blood pressure continued to be problematic but they also found he had a bladder infection. Dad told me he had a 'gall bladder" infection, but I didn't feel the need to correct him. (he had his gall bladder taken out several years ago)

When I spoke with him that evening, he was enjoying an orange and sounded fine. He asked me to "...go up to that seniors place, or whatever it is (I think he is talking about Deseret Industries) and pick me up a little suitcase."

"A suitcase! You think you need a suitcase?"

"Well, I am going to need it to come down there!"

"I think we will wait until closer to May to get one. You have not been very stable lately. I think I may need to get permission to bring you down."

"oh, you mean talk to the doctor?"

"yea." He seemed to be ok with that. Yea...I think Heavenly Father has been kind in keeping me appraised of my father's well being.