Saturday, October 29, 2016

Deedon in Utah

We had a simple mac and cheese dinner with Anna and Michal the night Dad arrived, with wine of course. BTW, he wore the Depends things, but they're a nuisance because there's no fly. I told him now he knows what it's like to be a girl and then I cut a front slit in one pair. But he really had no problems like that while he was here.

Glen and I went to pick him up the next morning for the drive to Boulder and Dad was not in good shape. He said he had woken up "with the worst headache I've ever had in my life" and realized his whole body and every joint hurt. He didn't do anything but tried to sleep. Hours passed and the next thing he knew he woke up and realized he didn't hurt anymore. But it must have been quite severe—he said at one point he thought he was going to have to cancel the trip. We figure it was altitude sickness, which is highly unpredictable. But given the recent bout of pneumonia and the 3,000 or so extra feet, it makes sense.

The drive down was longer than usual—I had arranged to visit a crazy cheesemaker in Cainesville. Dad came in and met Randy and tasted the tomme and enjoyed it. But he was exhausted by the time he got to Boulder and then we had a little crisis because there were two beds in the bedroom and apparently no sofa bed in the living room. Dad did NOT want to share a room and insisted on sleeping on the sofa which I was not going to let happen.

We shelved it, took a toes up, then went to dinner at Hell's Backbone, where Blake treated Daddy like the amazing treasure he is. He was very happy, but tired, and drank no wine. Back at the suite, I won the bed battle and I slept on the sofa with Glen on the floor until I realized after a few hours that it was a sofa bed after all. Not sure where the original assessment came from.

So a good night's sleep, a leisurely breakfast with Jen, a nap and a good drive around Boulder and the monument. Dad continued to feel dizzy and unsteady on his feet, so we didn't get out of the car much.
Dinner with Blake again—Glen and I declared it close enough to celebrate our anniversary, so we drank sparkling. Daddy didn't sleep well again—probably the combined effect of altitude and alcohol.

Easy drive to SLC, and home in time for a good rest before dinner at our favorite Mexican restaurant and a fun evening watching Phantom of the Opera with Lon Chaney at the Edison, which has a Mighty Wurlitzer and an amazing organ player who accompanies the films. Right down Dad's alley.
Tuesday we drove up to a saloon in Huntsville for lunch—seems like everything meant driving up another few thousand feet. Another nap, then soup and sandwich at home with the World Series and Sam who had just returned from Boston.

And so it went—a drive out to Golden Spike the next day, which fortunately had a wheelchair available, then a nap, then a Bacchanalian dinner at The Paris, whose owner is generally acknowledged to be the biggest a-hole in SLC but he ADORES Dad—served a 7 course dinner with significant wines and comped the whole thing. (Eric had to take a break to talk to his lawyer about some assault charges.) He's been waiting since last year to have Daddy back—messaged me and Anna earlier this month to make sure he was coming. Amazing gesture, but too much food and wine for all of us. Whatcha gonna do??

Our last day, we went up to Deer Valley for lunch—highest altitude yet. Dad was panting hard and slightly panicked when we got there, but partly because he needed to pee and there wasn't a restroom close enough. After that crisis, he settled down to enjoy his bloody mary, topped with wasabi foam in a black sea salt-rimmed glass.

So. The visit was wonderful. Everyone here loves Daddy so much. We're so lucky.

But this will probably be his last visit up here. Dad's balance is so shaky and the lack of oxygen was really hard on him—I would have rented a wheelchair and asked Dr. Wiggins for an oxygen prescription if I had had any idea. I think John Rector used to get oxygen when he went to Vail, right?

Anyway, see you all at Thanksgiving.





Tuesday, October 11, 2016

News from the other side

Thursday night Chamberlains had gulf oysters for $9 per dozen.
Will was out of town and I went with Dad.
He ate 2 dozen oysters.
Technically he shouldn't be eating oysters
Impaired immunity and oysters are not the best combination.
But who am I to take away pleasure at this stage?

On Friday, we went to Sevy's. He feels guilty that he relies on me and wanted to take me to dinner to say thanks. I let him.

Today he had an appointment with Dr Secor's P.A., Ashley. Dr. Secor came in at the end of the appointment.
Dad has a tendency to downplay his symptoms when talking to the doctors. I speak up but he minimizes what I say. I'm not sure he remembers everything either.
The doctors say that there are 2 possible reasons for the diarrhea.
The first is that they don't know. Its kinda like the Parkinson's: if you respond to the medicine, you must have the disease. Imodium and pro-biotic taken every day. Dad says it tightens the stools and he has time to get to the bathroom. They added Pepto-Bismol to the mix
Second, it could be microscopic colitis. The only way to find out is to go in and do a biopsy in his colon. Because of the warfarin they don't feel comfortable cutting him at all. They are concerned about the bleeding.
Dad is concerned about the flight to SLC.
I suggested Depends, at least on the plane.
That didn't go over too well but I think that he is considering it.

Also, he has been feeling too dizzy to drive comfortably. When he feels that way, he calls for a ride or he doesn't go.
That's a good thing but then he doesn't go to work out, or the Parkinson's class, or his balance class.
Maybe we can get him comfortable with Uber.

News from the other side

Thursday night Chamberlains had gulf oysters for $9 per dozen.
Will was out of town and I went with Dad.
He ate 2 dozen oysters.
Technically he shouldn't be eating oysters
Impaired immunity and oysters are not the best combination.
But who am I to take away pleasure at this stage?

On Friday, we went to Sevy's. He feels guilty that he relies on me and wanted to take me to dinner to say thanks. I let him.

Today he had an appointment with Dr Secor's P.A., Ashley. Dr. Secor came in at the end of the appointment.
Dad has a tendency to downplay his symptoms when talking to the doctors. I speak up but he minimizes what I say. I'm not sure he remembers everything either.
The doctors say that there are 2 possible reasons for the diarrhea.
The first is that they don't know. Its kinda like the Parkinson's: if you respond to the medicine, you must have the disease. Imodium and pro-biotic taken every day. Dad says it tightens the stools and he has time to get to the bathroom. They added Pepto-Bismol to the mix
Second, it could be microscopic colitis. The only way to find out is to go in and do a biopsy in his colon. Because of the warfarin they don't feel comfortable cutting him at all. They are concerned about the bleeding.
Dad is concerned about the flight to SLC.
I suggested Depends, at least on the plane.
That didn't go over too well but I think that he is considering it.

Also, he has been feeling too dizzy to drive comfortably. When he feels that way, he calls for a ride or he doesn't go.
That's a good thing but then he doesn't go to work out, or the Parkinson's class, or his balance class.
Maybe we can get him comfortable with Uber.

Thursday, October 6, 2016

Not Quite Back to Normal...

Evidently the pneumonia hit Dad harder than we thought.

Personally, I was worried that his raspy voice and throat would turn into full blown cold mode, but that doesn't seem to have happened. Yet.

He is weaker than before the pneumonia and you can hear it in his voice. He has pretty much not left the apartment since his discharge a week ago. He declined to go to the symphony tonight but was talking about driving out to Chamberlain's for their oyster special but I don't know whether or not he did. This is Thursday night as I write. btw Susan and I used his tickets and the concert was fabulous. Piano Concerto by Bartok was electric and the Brahms German Requiem was glorious. Sorry Dad couldn't go. James Diaz played the organ for the Brahms.

I went by the APT yesterday and spent an hour with him during my lunch break. Had a good visit and we watched an Arnold Palmer thing on the Golf Channel. Sorry he missed the memorial service for AP. He would have enjoyed it. I found him a few clips of the speakers online.

BUT, his big problem and his big concern are the explosive attacks of diarrhea that hit him with almost no warning resulting in ugly messes and extreme embarrassment. I suspect that was one reason he didn't want to go to the symphony or why he didn't go to church last Sunday. He does not disclose these attacks to me, I hear about them from Helen. When I asked yesterday he said he had been fine for a couple of days. I suspect he is taking more Imodium.

Evidently his appointment with Wiggins was fine. His chest was clear. He finally got an appointment with Dr Secor (gastroenterologist) for early next week. Obviously it would be great if someone could figure a way for him to gain better control. Especially before flying to Utah!

Helen, as always, this is my view of things and you are no doubt closer. I have sent you author invitations to the two emails I have on file for you.