Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Round-Up Wednesday

Dad, taken last summer.


I've been pretty sporadic lately with blogging due to a few commitments with my father. Here's an update on the 'goings-on' in the family to accommodate his needs.


After Dad's one week stay in the hospital with pancreatitus, he was 'discharged' this past Sunday. We were all amazed at his recovery, as were the medical staff. I guess we shouldn't have been as Dad has always had good health.




So he is back home now and a little 'shaky' from the whole ordeal. All eight of his 'kids' were here. A good time to hold a meeting and decide what had to be be done and put in place to help him out for the next few weeks.


I phoned a couple of the sibs and they thought it was a good idea.......Monday at 6:30 P.M. at Dad's house. The agenda would be to work out a schedule of times for each of us (minus the two that were leaving for Alberta) to be with Dad 24/7. 




I was anticipating a lot of difficulties with this. We each have our own agenda and mind-set. How would this work out!


Well, in a nut shell, it went very smoothly and in about two hours we worked out a schedule that has Dad 'covered' around the clock. Each of us will spend one night with him ( one brother will do two nights) and the 'flexible' (retired/semi-retired) sibs, along with a few nieces and nephews, ex-brother in-law will be there throughout the day.




All of us had one thing on our minds, Dad's recovery and safety at home. I was very proud of all of us to be able to focus on what mattered the most.


Dad of course is very pleased with this and feels very comforted by the fact that he will not be alone at this time. Mind you, he is not used to all this 'fuss' and realizes he has to relinquish some independence for the time being.




We all feel he will recover from this but will be weakened, mobility-wise, to some degree. Considering his age, 94, this is to be expected. So today an Occupational Therapist from the Department of Veterans Affairs (Federal Government) is meeting with Dad and myself to see what his needs will be in the immediate future.


This department has been very helpful in the past in providing 'help' for Dad as he got older and wasn't able to do certain things anymore.....like grounds maintenance, house-keeping, mobility equipment etc.




So we are all relieved that Dad is back with us and are looking at this as a 'bonus' to have him still with us.


        Taken last June at his birthday party.







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