Business to slowing down

 Well, today was one of those busy Mondays. You know the sort where you start slow and then quickly go into Indy 500 speed. After getting Haley off to school I headed straight to Brandon.  I figured better to take care of the errands first thing than to put them off to Procrastination Land. Amazingly, after a Skinny Latte at that wonderfully overpriced coffee chain we have all come to love I was able to get that extra spurt of energy this day would require.  Mercedes and I stopped by to see Kelly, Kiersten and "Da boyz" as Mercedes calls them. I think that was definitely the highlight of her day. Twin toddler boys and plenty of toys plus being outside is most assuredly three of Mercedes "favorite things". After taking care of errands and drive through lunch at Chick Fil A, we went to visit with dad.

  By now the entire 3rd floor of South Bay hospital is aware when Mercedes comes to see Popa. As a typical two year old with an extra boost of strong-willed stubborness, a couple of tantrums are sure to be a part of every visit. And today was no exception. I believe today's was about her  wanting to pull tissues out of the trash can. 

 Dad's doctor came in and basically told him that he was getting close to being able to be released but right now he would be going to a rehab type facility first instead of straight home. This is because he is not walking around on his own or getting up on his own. I spoke with the doctor and he agreed that if dad was up and walking and moving about on his own, he would be able to go straight home. Dad says he does not want to go to a rehab facility and seems to be more motivated to get stronger. We will see how he does in the next couple of days. The doctor also agreed take dad off of the liquid diet as well. Hopefully dad will begin to eat better and put back on some weight as he has lost so much in the last couple of months. 

 Off to a bike ride with the girls. Getting outside is always a life to the spirit.

 

Sunday News

 What a beautiful day here. The wind is blowing just gently enough to keep you cool as you enjoy the Florida sunlight. 

 Haley and I got to enjoy a special time together yesterday. After a birthday party at the clubhouse the girls and I went swimming with their cousins and other friends. Going to the Mirabay pool is always so much fun for the kids and you never know what friends you may see and get to spend a little time with. So fun for kids and mommy. After the pool we changed and Mercedes quickly fell fast asleep. While Mercedes napped peacefully Haley and I took the opportunity to get our nails painted. What fun mommy and daughter moments!!  

 Some good news about my dad now. He is now out of ICU. He went into a regular room in the PCU, which is a step down from the ICU. He wasn't too happy about this. He is tired a lot and very hesitant to get up because he is so weak from being in the bed so much.  They did a CAT scan yesterday to look at possible causes for some intestinal issues he is having along with the issue of his low Hemoglobin and Hematocrit. Because of those low numbers he is having to get another blood tranfusion today. We pray that he begins to slowly gain strength and starts to look forward to going home and moving about again. Albeit a bit slower than before the hospitalizations. 

 Haley and the girls are going to go and see him this afternoon. Hopefully that will lift his spirits a little. 

 I am missing that I didn't get to go to church this morning but I love that I can watch it live online. Although, it is not the same as being there, I enjoy it. 

 It's been fun trying to think of some creative ways to make mom's birthday special. Haley and I love to do things like that. Although Mom doesn't want any attention paid to her birthday I know inside she needs and wants to celebrate life's special moments as much as we enjoy celebrating them with her. 

Reflections

As I tucked my precious Haley into bed tonight and we ended our prayers she had tears in her eyes. I asked her why she was crying and she repied "I miss Popa". I held her close and told her he was getting better and she would see him very soon.
Later ,when I came downstairs to continue my nighttime routine I reflected on how very hard being a mom is and how there is no amount of preparation that can equip you for how to help a six year old through watching her granddaddy get so sick. I hope the words I say to her during these times, where I myself often struggle to find peace, will be the right ones.
I spoke with the Case Manager for PCU and ICU at SouthBay today. She said that dad is off the Nitroglycerin drip and as soon as some other cardiac numbers come down they will begin to get him sitting up and then moving about some, slowly. She also educated me a great deal about congestive heart failure.
I pray that soon he can come home and we can remind him of the many things he enjoys at home. That was one of the points that the case manager was talking about, how we can give dad things to look forward to and plan on each day. This helps him to focus on those things and not just how poorly he may be feeling that day. Maybe that is a lesson we could all take to heart.