Tuesday, July 20, 2010
Never Say Never
As you may recall, dad recently announced to the world that he would never again set foot in the Juneau hospital’s ER. There is no doubt in my mind that he meant what he said.
Unfortunately, life is not that simple. On Sunday afternoon he failed to connect his ass to the chair in the dining room. Landed on the floor with a thump. Mom summoned his friend, Ron, from up the street and dad was assisted into his wheelchair.
That’s where I found him – placidly watching a Mariner’s game when I arrived to help put him to bed at 8 PM. Although his leg was painful to stand on, he was able to put weight on it to transfer from the wheelchair to his sleeping chair. I noticed he was beginning to show a bruise on his right hip and we all assumed he would be stiff and sore for a few days – but no real cause for concern.
Monday morning I arrived to help him get out of bed and the bruise looked REALLY ugly. And he could not put any weight on his leg. Damn! Called the ambulance and we were off to the ER – previous vow of ER abstinence notwithstanding.
The ER doc was not overly concerned. Dad said he had no pain other than when he tried to put weight on the leg and all present assumed he simply had a very bad bruise. But safety pays and he was immediately (that is to say an hour or two later) sent down the hall for an X-ray. And much to everyone’s surprise the picture painted by the X-ray was quite different – an ugly break in his leg and an indication that the stem of his artificial hip appliance was now loose and unstable. Double damn!
An orthopod was summoned and his conclusion even more unsettling. The fracture and appliance replacement was too complicated for the local bone docs. They didn’t have the right equipment or replacement parts. And maybe not the expertise either – although that was not explicitly stated. Dad’s options were stated baldly: 1) check into a nursing home for the remainder of his time where he would be unable to walk and be bed ridden; or 2) Medivac to Seattle or Anchorage and undergo surgery with a good chance he would be able to return home.
This was not a difficult choice for dad and three hours later we were hurtling towards Anchorage in the cigar tube with wings that is the Lifeguard Learjet. Got checked-in at Providence Hospital around 6 PM and within the hour he was seen by both a resident physician and an orthopod. No show stoppers for surgery and it is now 8:26 AM Tuesday morning and we are waiting for another orthopod to show up with the expectation he will be able to perform surgery later today.
Dad is resting comfortably. He slept well and has no pain. One tough ol’ bird.
ADDENDUM
The wifi was out at Providence today. So...it is now almost 1 PM and I am at the lovely Motel 6 on "A" Street - the bowels of mid-town Anchorage.
The surgeon came in to see dad about 10:30 AM. No surgery 'til tomorrow; but it still looks like all systems go. Hopefully I will be able to post from Prov tomorrow.
I just got back from the airport where I tried - without success - to rent a car. EVERY rental outfit was out of cars. I have reserved one for a week starting on Friday but will be cabbing it 'til then. I did get one offer for a mini-van for $260 a day...but took a pass. Sheesh.... Cabs are not cheap either and since I've got nothing but time I may try to figure out how to use the bus.
Assuming dad has surgery tomorrow, by Friday I should have at least some inkling of how this is going to play out. If I'm going to be here for multiple weeks (quite likely I suspect) I may try to get a room at Hickel House - Prov's boarding house for guests. Much cheaper than a hotel in peak season; and if I have a car so I can get out for supper and to the club every day then it would be a satisfactory arrangement.
Right now I'm going to go have a workout. And then check-in at the hospital. And then back here - will probably go back to the "Lonestar Steak House" for another mediocre supper. Will post again today if I have any news.
I now need to update my Norton security software. I haven't used this computer since last September and before I check email or otherwise get too ambitious need to make sure I'm secure.
Later gang!
Unfortunately, life is not that simple. On Sunday afternoon he failed to connect his ass to the chair in the dining room. Landed on the floor with a thump. Mom summoned his friend, Ron, from up the street and dad was assisted into his wheelchair.
That’s where I found him – placidly watching a Mariner’s game when I arrived to help put him to bed at 8 PM. Although his leg was painful to stand on, he was able to put weight on it to transfer from the wheelchair to his sleeping chair. I noticed he was beginning to show a bruise on his right hip and we all assumed he would be stiff and sore for a few days – but no real cause for concern.
Monday morning I arrived to help him get out of bed and the bruise looked REALLY ugly. And he could not put any weight on his leg. Damn! Called the ambulance and we were off to the ER – previous vow of ER abstinence notwithstanding.
The ER doc was not overly concerned. Dad said he had no pain other than when he tried to put weight on the leg and all present assumed he simply had a very bad bruise. But safety pays and he was immediately (that is to say an hour or two later) sent down the hall for an X-ray. And much to everyone’s surprise the picture painted by the X-ray was quite different – an ugly break in his leg and an indication that the stem of his artificial hip appliance was now loose and unstable. Double damn!
An orthopod was summoned and his conclusion even more unsettling. The fracture and appliance replacement was too complicated for the local bone docs. They didn’t have the right equipment or replacement parts. And maybe not the expertise either – although that was not explicitly stated. Dad’s options were stated baldly: 1) check into a nursing home for the remainder of his time where he would be unable to walk and be bed ridden; or 2) Medivac to Seattle or Anchorage and undergo surgery with a good chance he would be able to return home.
This was not a difficult choice for dad and three hours later we were hurtling towards Anchorage in the cigar tube with wings that is the Lifeguard Learjet. Got checked-in at Providence Hospital around 6 PM and within the hour he was seen by both a resident physician and an orthopod. No show stoppers for surgery and it is now 8:26 AM Tuesday morning and we are waiting for another orthopod to show up with the expectation he will be able to perform surgery later today.
Dad is resting comfortably. He slept well and has no pain. One tough ol’ bird.
ADDENDUM
The wifi was out at Providence today. So...it is now almost 1 PM and I am at the lovely Motel 6 on "A" Street - the bowels of mid-town Anchorage.
The surgeon came in to see dad about 10:30 AM. No surgery 'til tomorrow; but it still looks like all systems go. Hopefully I will be able to post from Prov tomorrow.
I just got back from the airport where I tried - without success - to rent a car. EVERY rental outfit was out of cars. I have reserved one for a week starting on Friday but will be cabbing it 'til then. I did get one offer for a mini-van for $260 a day...but took a pass. Sheesh.... Cabs are not cheap either and since I've got nothing but time I may try to figure out how to use the bus.
Assuming dad has surgery tomorrow, by Friday I should have at least some inkling of how this is going to play out. If I'm going to be here for multiple weeks (quite likely I suspect) I may try to get a room at Hickel House - Prov's boarding house for guests. Much cheaper than a hotel in peak season; and if I have a car so I can get out for supper and to the club every day then it would be a satisfactory arrangement.
Right now I'm going to go have a workout. And then check-in at the hospital. And then back here - will probably go back to the "Lonestar Steak House" for another mediocre supper. Will post again today if I have any news.
I now need to update my Norton security software. I haven't used this computer since last September and before I check email or otherwise get too ambitious need to make sure I'm secure.
Later gang!
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