Just a quick post . . .

I'm exhausted, and as soon as I get my cup of soup eaten, I'm going to bed. It's been a long day. We took my dad up to the emergency room a little after 11 am today (after a battle with him - he didn't want to go and was mad at us for making him go!), and were in there until almost 7pm, and then it was another 1 1/2 hours before we got him settled in his room and answered all the nurse's questions. He'll be there a minimum of 2 days, but more likely 3-4 days. His fluid build up was really bad - he has chronic congestive heart failure, and it flares up once in a while. He had gained @ 17 - 18 pounds in the last 10 days or so, and that was all fluid on his heart, lungs, in his ankles, feet, groin area, and this time even his face was swollen.

The real problem is that his kidneys aren't functioning as they should, and they have to be very careful how they give him the drugs to make him lose the fluid. It's a kind of catch 22 situation: If they don't give him the drugs, his heart and lungs won't be able to handle the extra work of carrying the fluid, but if they do give him the drugs, it can damage his kidneys worse than they already are.

And both my parents were arguing and hateful all day, and I threatened to resign, and they got a little better. Not much, but a little! They had me so stressed out I didn't know whether I was coming or going. And to top it off I heard someone dying in another room. They brought them in and immediately everyone on the staff in ER went straight to that room, and I heard them using the defibrilators = heard it charging and then the shock - but it didn't work. Of course they won't tell you anything, so we don't know what happened. It sure didn't make a fun day any better.

Anyway, that's where I'll be the next few days. Driving between my home, my parents home 25 miles away, and the hospital 10 miles from them - in the other direction! I'm going to take my Trikke tomorrow so if it's not raining, I can get out and ride in the hospital parking lot. I did that before, and it really helped me with the stress levels.

I'm going to extend the giveaway through Friday midnight, so if you haven't entered, please do. As soon as we get him home and I'm back to a more normal routine, I'll do the drawing - hopefully this weekend some time.

Any good thoughts and prayers will be apprecicated. We know that things will not really get any better. We just take each thing as it comes and wait until God is ready call my dad home to be with Him.

I'm going to bed now. Blessings folks! Becky