Ellen Datlow's Blog, page 69

goin' to rehab!

My dad is headed to rehab tomorrow--that is, assuming the place we want him to go (about five minutes away from where they live) has a bed tomorrow--they're supposed to, as someone is getting discharged in the morning.

All tubes and catheters and iv's were removed today, along with the restraints (which he was actually mostly off of today)- a patient has to be restraint-free for 24 hours before leaving the hospital.

My mom's worried that he isn't as responsive as he was before the surgery and I...

Dad update--December 7

We arrived at his room on the 3rd floor and he wasn't there--which was pretty scary, until we found out that he's been moved down to orthopedics, which means he's no longer being monitored specially for his heart.

He was sleeping when we arrived on the second floor and was told he hadn't eaten breakfast. He slept a lot today but I think that's a good thing, considering how active and relatively incoherent he was yesterday. When he was awake he spoke more clearly. He doesn't have the heard lea...

Dad update--December 6

He was wide awake all day (which is actually unusual for him because at home he naps a lot.

Ate breakfast and lunch and is getting solid foods now (no puree but he had baked cod and mashed potatoes for lunch--so soft consistency). The OT (occupational therapist came in to evaluate him--what he could do for himself before he fell and broke the hip) and the physical therapist came in twice to have him sit on the side of the bed.

He talked a lot all day, but my mom and I could only figure out oc...

dad progress

This morning we called before we went over and were told he ate breakfast and that he talked in full sentences (he doesn't do this all the time pre-surgery,  because of his June stroke), so it's really good when he does.

When we got there he was looking  better--he's totally off the pain meds--ate a very wee bit of lunch. Verbalized a lot, although mostly we think to complain about being uncomfortable.

His wrists have been tied with restraints so that he doesn't pull out his catheter, which he'...

dad progress

No real progress today as far as my father sleeping less or communicating, although my mother and I met with his various doctors and his day nurse for the next three days.

I got  a printout of all the meds my dad was  on for the 24 hour period before we went to the hospital (11:30 am). He had been given a sleeping pill last night and painkillers in the morning. As of this morning (before we got there) alert enough to be fed some breakfast and take his pills.

He was given a swallow xray/test...

Update on my dad--Thursday

Hi everyone, my mom and I just got home from dinner, after leaving the hospital about 6pm. When we first got there 11:30am, he was still mostly sleeping, but as the day progressed, he started opening his eyes more and obviously recognized us, although he wasn't talking at all.

My mom was able to feed him (this was the first time he ate) some jello and soup but he wouldn't drink any water from a straw. We don't know if he didn't want it or didn't remember how to suck through it, but he didn't ...

A Cthulhu Christmas

In celebration of H.P. Lovecraft and the jolly Christmas season (because they go so well together), Tor is presenting blogs about the great old ones, including suggested Xmas gifts from several bloggers, including moi!

<a href="http://tinyurl.com/ykkvnbz">December Belongs to Cthulhu</a>

 

Dad's surgery update

Thanks everyone for their kind words. I arrived at the hospital a littleafter 4pm and by 4:30 he was out of surgery (the surgeon was an hour lateand it took 1 1/2 hours.) My mom and I waited in the surgery waiting room and at 6:30 went to his room and he was brought up around then--woozy,half asleep, and very out of it. The surgery itself was successful (replacing the ball in the balljoint...orsomething along those lines.)He'll be in the hospital 3 days and then off to rehab. We're just...

News and going out of town

Some good news first: Poe and Lovecraft Unbound are both nominees for the Dark Scribe's Black Quill Award..Congrats to all my contributors and congrats to all the other nominees...

<a href="http://www.darkscribemagazine.com/3rd... Third Annual Black Quill Awards </a>

Also, I'll be hosting and  Brian Evenson, Caitlin R. Kiernan, Michael Cisco, and Richard Bowes will be reading from Lovecraft Unbound at the Montauk Club in Brooklyn, Friday, January 15th. Books will be...

A surprised kitten (or, the definition of cute)

A little something to cheer people up (well it cheered me up at least)
someone gets tickled




thanks to jezebel