Day 635: No need to say Goodbye
Jun. 4th, 2008 10:04 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
nagi_schwarzSo my dad lived. The boss told me yesterday that I wouldn't have to come into work today. Just as good for them, I suppose, as I'm almost done with the last of the projects they assigned me last week. I feel pretty good about getting them done so soon, even though last week I felt like a bloody slacker. I like feeling that my work will all be done before I head off to Del's wedding and Defender.
This morning, Mum and I went to the hospital to chat with dad before they took him away. Brother Barben from church stopped by to say hi and talk a bit. Mum says he does that for everyone in the ward. He's a very nice man. Dad was scheduled to be taken away at noon, but I guess the first session surgery got done early, so they took him away at about half ten, so mum and I went to run some errands. Then we sat all day in the ICU with this lovely volunteer woman named Anna who read us jokes, pointed out interesting articles in the magazines, and talked to us. I crocheted and did horribly at Assassin's Creed. Mum worked on another of my dresses, which included numerous fittings. They called from the OR twice, once to tell us when Dad was put on bypass, once to tell us when he was taken off of it and everything was done. They did eight bypasses - because dad had eight spots in his heart that weren't right. Afterwards, mum and I went for food - just some cheap taco bell - and to feed the dog. We got to see Dad wake up. They sent us away when they did the extubation, and we got to say good night.
I wasn't really nervous, seeing him all hooked up to the machines, like Mum thought I would be. It was odd to see dad - he was all swollen and puffy from all the fluid they injected him with, and for a moment or two I had the morbid thought that that was what a corpse looked like after it was pulled out of water. Mostly we joked that he looked like a chipmunk or the stay pufft marshmallow man, or even like a balloon. Mother joked that we could tie a string to him and then he would fly away. His voice was terribly scratchy after the tube came out. I think only I was able to understand him properly. It was odd to see him vulnerable like that. As soon as I reached out to pet his hand he grabbed my hand - right quick, for an injured fellow - and held onto it very tightly. He was never ones for holding hands once I was older than, say, five. And he asked Mom to hold his hand, too.
Mum won't be able to sleep tonight. I couldn't sleep last night, and I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight either.
Mostly I'm glad Dad's all right.
None of his other children even called.
This morning, Mum and I went to the hospital to chat with dad before they took him away. Brother Barben from church stopped by to say hi and talk a bit. Mum says he does that for everyone in the ward. He's a very nice man. Dad was scheduled to be taken away at noon, but I guess the first session surgery got done early, so they took him away at about half ten, so mum and I went to run some errands. Then we sat all day in the ICU with this lovely volunteer woman named Anna who read us jokes, pointed out interesting articles in the magazines, and talked to us. I crocheted and did horribly at Assassin's Creed. Mum worked on another of my dresses, which included numerous fittings. They called from the OR twice, once to tell us when Dad was put on bypass, once to tell us when he was taken off of it and everything was done. They did eight bypasses - because dad had eight spots in his heart that weren't right. Afterwards, mum and I went for food - just some cheap taco bell - and to feed the dog. We got to see Dad wake up. They sent us away when they did the extubation, and we got to say good night.
I wasn't really nervous, seeing him all hooked up to the machines, like Mum thought I would be. It was odd to see dad - he was all swollen and puffy from all the fluid they injected him with, and for a moment or two I had the morbid thought that that was what a corpse looked like after it was pulled out of water. Mostly we joked that he looked like a chipmunk or the stay pufft marshmallow man, or even like a balloon. Mother joked that we could tie a string to him and then he would fly away. His voice was terribly scratchy after the tube came out. I think only I was able to understand him properly. It was odd to see him vulnerable like that. As soon as I reached out to pet his hand he grabbed my hand - right quick, for an injured fellow - and held onto it very tightly. He was never ones for holding hands once I was older than, say, five. And he asked Mom to hold his hand, too.
Mum won't be able to sleep tonight. I couldn't sleep last night, and I doubt I'll be able to sleep tonight either.
Mostly I'm glad Dad's all right.
None of his other children even called.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 05:39 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 05:09 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 05:41 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 06:02 am (UTC)And I'm sorry about Shaz. I'm kind of disappointed in her for you. :(
Love you so, so much. I was telling my sister-in-law about you the other night, and I got so animated and excited while talking about you--and it's hard to get me animated these days. I don't think Erin had ever seen me like that, because her eyes got all big while Chris chuckled quietly in the corner. And then he said he was glad you guys were coming up if it could make me act like that.
...And that is the wonder that is you.:) See you Friday! Call me with questions or directional help.
no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 03:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2008-06-05 05:41 pm (UTC)