The Call

Sometime around 1 AM Jim got the call from mom. Pops needed to go to the bathroom but lacked the strength to get up from the bed and go. He got down to Lad Vegas yesterday and found himself in incredible pain in his back. The slightest move had him wincing in pain. Jim had given him a blessing earlier and they had purchased a heating pad for him. He was still in severe pain.

Jim came and woke me up. I had gone to bed about an hour prior and was sleeping pretty well. He told me the situation. I started getting dressed and started wondering if it was a dream, then Jim same back to the room and we left. It was not a dream.

We got to the hotel and found pops looking way out of it on the bed. We tried to get him up but he was in a lot of pain. We readjusted and tried again. We managed to get him up and in a rolling desk chair. Once in the bathroom, we got lucky because there was a lot of room. Anyhow, we finally got him up. I basically bear hugged him and stood him up whilst Jim took down his pants. We sat him down.

He was very non responsive on the toilet. Just sat there. We tried to help but not much happening. He was out of it. We talked about getting him to the ER and decided that based on the fact that he was so weak and in so much pain, He would need an ambulance.

I decided to give pops a toilet test whilst waiting for the ambulance. I asked if he wanted me to get him his phone so he could post something on facebook. He actually perked up a smidgen and asked what was on Facebook?  I don't know if he truly knew what was happening. 

They came and got him and off to UMC he went. We met them over there. The waiting room at the ER was a pretty scary place. It was like a homeless shelter. We all survived.

It took a couple of hours just to get mom back in the area they put him.  Around 4:30 in the AM we were on our way back to Jim's house. Slept until 10 minutes after 8 and then got up and went to church. Mariens homecoming talk was excellent. Loved it and am so grateful for her example.

Anyway, the news came. He has fluid in the lungs and around the heart. The cardiologist team is assessing the situation and are going to do an angiogram. There is a good possibility of heart surgery. The heart is struggling to keep up.

I went in and saw him before we headed back to Cedar. He was completely out of it still. Last I saw him not that way was Friday night. Scary. Talked to mom a bit and she is feeling good about the doctors and the nurse she met. I am grateful for that.

We had to get home for the kids to finish out the semester, get packed, and then head back down to Vegas to fly out to Alaska. Hopefully we will have some improvements over the next couple days and he is looking better when I see him next.

It has been a long and beautiful day. Grateful for the hand of the Lord in our lives. I know he knows and is aware of each of us. So grateful for that. So grateful for the wonderful Spirit at church today and for the impact it had on Natalie. I am grateful that pops is in capable hands.