Coming Home - A Hard Reality

Earlier this week, the latest testing revealed that the problems with Dad's heart are more extensive than previously understood. Sadly, there is no long-term fix.

• Dad will be returning to Elkins to spend his final days. A transfer to Davis Memorial Hospital is planned for Tuesday.
• Words like disappointed and dismayed fail to register the impending sense of loss.
• We haven't given up and continue to hope and pray that he will get well. However, the hard truth is that absent a true miracle he won't. This is a depressing and sobering reality.
• Dad has fought hard over these past 4 months. He has fought on many fronts. He is a very strong man who has been saddled with overwhelming medical burdens.
  
• His heart valves are malfunctioning and the heart muscle itself is only operating at 20% of capacity. While his heart can be stabilized somewhat in the short-term using IV medication, there's no heroic medical solution at hand.
• A CT scan of Dad's brain confirmed a watershed infarction (stroke) he probably suffered during or near the original surgery has resulted in irreparable damage.
  
• In the last few days, there has been a decline in Dad's kidney function, which is a serious and unfortunate development.
• On Friday, a chest x-ray indicated a new infection in Dad's right lung. A bronchoscope was used to identify the nature of the infection to help select the right antibiotic.
  
• The long-term prognosis is that Dad will remain dependent on the ventilator for breathing. The much hoped for weaning and independence from the ventilator is highly unlikely.
• That leaves him with "comfort measures" in lieu of healing.
  

I never thought about my Dad not being around. Even now, I'm reluctant to think about it. Sure, I've known people - Susan (my dear wife) for one - who have experienced the difficulty of losing their father, but the application has been lost on me. I guess I thought my Dad would live forever. I've never known life without him and it never occurred to me that I'd have to. The prospect of not picking up the phone to call him to check in to share a story or anecdote saddens me in a way that defies description. Dad has been - and continues to be - an inspiration and model for me. I love him dearly.

Thank you for your prayers and support. Please continue to pray for Dad's complete healing - which we now understand will require a miracle - and particularly for him to have peace with his circumstances. Please lift Mom and Dad up in prayer to give them strength and peace throughout this trial.

About Visiting - Dad will be at Select Specialty Hosptial in Pittsburgh until his transfer to Davis Memorial. In the meantime, please feel free to visit Dad at Select - you are welcome. I will make a new post to this site when the transfer happens, and will include the new contact information in Elkins.