My father has been in the Hospital since Wednesday, Sept 1st, as he had kneecap replacement surgery.
I called him on Sunday to see how he was doing- he told me he was in a LOT of pain and asked not to be released as he can not move! He told me that he would be bed ridden and would not be able to do things for himself- like get up to go use the bathroom- or make food for himself and he wanted to wait to be released before he had to have someone around to fully depend on. Even worse was the SOUND of the PAIN he was in. He was on morphine and at times a bit “out of it”- but then would “snap back” into time and place.
Morphine…the word transported me back to my mom’s hospital room- watching her struggle for breath- the family members pushing for morphine every 15 minutes to keep her out of pain…).
I found myself to be scared- frightened and ANXIOUS- listening to him moan –but try not to –try to be “normal” in a conversation.
My sister spoke to my dad yesterday and the Dr’s have had to operate on my dad again- cut tendons in his knee because it is not bending properly. She told me my dad was still in a LOT of pain, but had been taken off the morphine and given a different medication.
I am nervous for my dad- and hope his body heals quickly.
I also find myself nervous in the sense that while I REALIZE my father is in pain- which is not LIFE THREATENING-, it scares me to think of that pain and my own pain of loosing another parent. I HOPE and PRAY my father continues to live MANY, MANY, MANY years longer- in a healthy happy MOBILE body.