These last few months have proved to be a strong test of my will. All in one week, my nephew had oral surgery, my niece had her tendon transfer surgery, my mom had her gall bladder removed and my dad became very ill and we almost lost him. It’s during times like these you really get to know your own inner strength as well as the strength of your family’s bond. And although that particular week was stressful, Easter and birthdays were canceled, the following months would prove more trying and heart wrenching.

My dad has had his struggles over the years with his heart failure (Quadruple bypass and valve repair), lung surgery, eye surgeries, kidney transplant etc. But this last battle was most frightening. It started in February when he decided to go out and blow snow during the blizzard. The neighbors found him lying in the driveway next to the snow blower. At that time the doctors didn’t know what the cause was, but a few episodes later and 2.5 months in the hospital they have determined that he has pulmonary hypertension as well as the right side of his heart is failing due to sleep apnea. As a result of these two conditions he had severe edema and was filling up with fluid. The medicine they gave him to urinate wasn’t helping, and they didn’t want to endanger his transplanted kidney with dialysis.

The most horrible moment was on a Saturday, we were visiting with him and he was struggling so hard to breath. It was as if he was suffocating right in front of us. They ended up putting the by-pap on him just to keep his lungs working. Since he couldn’t talk, we all said goodbye and left. I looked back through the door one more time, as if to say my final goodbye because I just didn’t feel good about his condition, he looked back with that thing on his face and I could see the fear in his eyes. We got a call later that night. He was moved to the ICU, and the doctor’s had pretty much written him off.

Long story short (too late), they ended up putting him on dialysis and taking a total 15 liters of water off of him in 3 days. It has been a long recovery, with a few times of being released from the hospital only to return again with something else… like ulcers in his stomach and esophagus. I think this last week has been his longest stint at home. He continues with his dialysis but they no longer have to take fluid off of him. His kidneys creatin levels are back to where they should be so he just might be able to get off of dialysis.

He’s a trooper although his tempter gets short and he tends to fly off the handle now and again. I can’t blame him, it’s not easy feeling like crap all the time, losing your freedom to drive because you take enough medication to choke a horse, and knowing what you want to say but the words won’t come out of your mouth.

I have a new understanding for the grumpy old men I encounter in the grocery store. So please, be a little more forgiving if an older person is grouchy towards you, take good care of yourself, and please if you aren’t already, give some thought to becoming an organ donor. You could save someone’s life.