Rollercoaster
Monday, 5 May 2025 11:47![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elusivekIt's a rollercoaster of emotions right now as I'm second guessing myself.
Dad's now been transferred again, this time to the ICU.
Visiting hours is a bit more lenient and now that he's in ICU, there's no need for us to bring anything (food, etc) so in terms of work, it's been easier.
But I don't know if I made the right call.
Hospital called me yesterday that his situation has deteriorated yet again, and needed to intubate him. In a sudden shock and decision paralysis, I just said yes. This time it's his lungs, lung infection. So he's now intubated, and also has a... central venous line? (IV in the neck?) because the... medication they need to pump into him cannot be done via peripheral IVs.
ICU doctor saw us last night and explained the situation. After some ping-pong discussion I mentioned about the kidney infection, and the doctor was like, "they told you it was a kidney infection?" I don't know what he meant. I even said "yeah, they said he had an infection, they didn't know where, so they had to do the CT scan, and for the CT scan, the contrast fluid can damage his kidneys."
The thing is, after that CT scan, that first doctor (the one whose bedside manners left a lot to be wanted), said "so as you know it's his kidneys?" And I asked "Oh, so it's confirmed it's his kidneys?" He went all "but I already said yesterday it's his kidneys!"
But it's like... if you knew all along it was his kidneys, why the F did you need CT scan that would damage his kidneys?
And now this ICU doctor was like in disbelief that anyone had told us it was the kidneys. So was it kidneys or not?
Oh because he has kidney failure also they're going to have to put him in hemodialysis (spelling?)
We haven't specifically discussed all that, but from his usual chit-chats I think Dad wouldn't have wanted anything like that, he wouldn't have wanted needles in him. I told Mom I'm second guessing my decision and she's also having second thoughts. I think we will put in the formal request of they can continue to do what's done now, but in case of cardiac arrest, then do not resuscitate.
In a somewhat more light hearted note, my cousin who works at the hospital has talked to the doctors and the doctors have commented that when he came in for the fall, his intake blood test showed he already had some kind of infection, so it wasn't because of the dog that he fell. He could have felt a sudden weakness or a missed step or anything and fallen. At least the worry I had in the back of my head that Mom would say no more Frankie has now been resolved. She's now blaming the hot water boiler. Had it not gone out of order, we wouldn't have had to replace it, wouldn't have had the man come replace it, Dad wouldn't have gone out with the dog, the fall wouldn't have happened.
Dad's now been transferred again, this time to the ICU.
Visiting hours is a bit more lenient and now that he's in ICU, there's no need for us to bring anything (food, etc) so in terms of work, it's been easier.
But I don't know if I made the right call.
Hospital called me yesterday that his situation has deteriorated yet again, and needed to intubate him. In a sudden shock and decision paralysis, I just said yes. This time it's his lungs, lung infection. So he's now intubated, and also has a... central venous line? (IV in the neck?) because the... medication they need to pump into him cannot be done via peripheral IVs.
ICU doctor saw us last night and explained the situation. After some ping-pong discussion I mentioned about the kidney infection, and the doctor was like, "they told you it was a kidney infection?" I don't know what he meant. I even said "yeah, they said he had an infection, they didn't know where, so they had to do the CT scan, and for the CT scan, the contrast fluid can damage his kidneys."
The thing is, after that CT scan, that first doctor (the one whose bedside manners left a lot to be wanted), said "so as you know it's his kidneys?" And I asked "Oh, so it's confirmed it's his kidneys?" He went all "but I already said yesterday it's his kidneys!"
But it's like... if you knew all along it was his kidneys, why the F did you need CT scan that would damage his kidneys?
And now this ICU doctor was like in disbelief that anyone had told us it was the kidneys. So was it kidneys or not?
Oh because he has kidney failure also they're going to have to put him in hemodialysis (spelling?)
We haven't specifically discussed all that, but from his usual chit-chats I think Dad wouldn't have wanted anything like that, he wouldn't have wanted needles in him. I told Mom I'm second guessing my decision and she's also having second thoughts. I think we will put in the formal request of they can continue to do what's done now, but in case of cardiac arrest, then do not resuscitate.
In a somewhat more light hearted note, my cousin who works at the hospital has talked to the doctors and the doctors have commented that when he came in for the fall, his intake blood test showed he already had some kind of infection, so it wasn't because of the dog that he fell. He could have felt a sudden weakness or a missed step or anything and fallen. At least the worry I had in the back of my head that Mom would say no more Frankie has now been resolved. She's now blaming the hot water boiler. Had it not gone out of order, we wouldn't have had to replace it, wouldn't have had the man come replace it, Dad wouldn't have gone out with the dog, the fall wouldn't have happened.
