My dad was rushed to the hospital last thursday with tingling in his arms and legs. My brother took him to the nearest hospital and they transferred him to Lutheran in Ft. Wayne (about a 45 minute drive). They determined he had a blocked artery, and he had surgery last Friday to put in a stint. The surgery was postponed when they discovered he had blockages in five places in the arteries in his heart. The good news is that Dad is in good physical shape, and his heart and lungs are strong.
Sidenote: Dad will be 81 in March and just gave up riding his motorcycle last fall, if you can believe it.
He had bypass surgery yesterday. I was there with my step-mother and my brother when I noticed it was snowing. A massive snow storm was supposed to move in, and I wanted to be sure I could get home before it hit. About then, we were informed that Dad was out of surgery and doing fine. They were closing him up, and it would be awhile before he would be returned to his room.
I had to leave. The roads were drifting on the trip home and the wind was getting strong. It got worse after I got home with sleet, freezing rain, snow, and high winds with gusts reaching 35 to 40 mph. All the IN counties north of us were in a blizzard including Fort Wayne, while where I live was in a major snow storm.
I called my boss (I work the evening shift but took the day off to be with Dad). They sent 2nd shift home at 7:00 pm and canceled 3rd. All the schools closed for today (Wednesday) and a lot of businesses... including mine for 1st shift. We're still under a level 1 snow emergency, and they won't decide whether 2nd shift will work today until 1:00 pm this afternoon.
We didn't get any huge drifting out our way (We live in the country with open farmland all around us) mainly due to the sleet and freezing rain. We're going to start digging out the drive in about an hour or two. It's still snowing but no high winds. The weather report says that might pick up around 1:00 pm. Makes me wonder if that's why they're waiting until then to decided whether to cancel 2nd shift today.
I'm going to be calling the hospital after I finish posting this and see how Dad's doing. I just hope my step-mother and my brother got home okay. I have no idea how late they stayed and hoping they spent the night at the hospital.
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So happy you're brother was on the ball and took your father in. Patients bounce back quite well from blocked arties but will stop a heart if ignored. Hope he makes it home soon.
Wordcaster: Where do you live near Detroit? Waterford is my home and we have and Dark Warrior is close by as well.
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I'll say misheberach (healing prayer) for your father. He sounds like quite the guy. Strong at 80 for multi-vessel cardiac bypass. FYI: This is quite a common procedure and nearly all have great outcomes. There will be need for rehab, mostly exercise and strength building, as well as education on improved diet and regular exercise. He will likely also be on bloodthinners and cholesterol-lowering medications going forward (and more if he actually had heart muscle damage). I wish him, and you, well.
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I posted this around 11:00 am today on my horse forum:
I called the hospital, and Dad is doing well. They don't have a phone in his room, so I didn't get to talk with him, though the nurse said he was physically able to take calls. Maybe later.
My step-mother and brother got home okay. They called this morning too, to see how Dad was doing.
Meanwhile, we're getting more of a breeze outside, and it's still snowing. Steve (my husband) would like to see me stay home tonight regardless if my shift works or not. I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet, but the drive still needs to be dug out if I'm to go anywhere. And Huntington County is still under a Level 1 snow emergency. If that doesn't change, I know very well where I work will stay closed. Time will tell.
And I posted this on the same forum about 1:30 pm:
We got most of the drive shoveled out, but the wind is blowing the snow back in. I'm sure the wind gusts must be around 15 to 20 mph by now.
I called work. No 2nd shift tonight, thank goodness. If I had gone in, I don't know if I could've gotten back in the drive, and our road isn't the greatest in weather like this either.
My step-mother goes to dialysis today too. I called my brother earlier and got no answer. I'm sure he's taking her in. I just hope they make it there and back okay.
[This message has been edited by Crystal Stevens (edited February 02, 2011).]
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I have never been snowed in but that reminds me of a Newspaper column I read. The writer usually does a political column but that day he wanted to show that he was proud of his son. Even though I don't agree with his usual comments I didn't blame him for wanting to write about his son.
The son and wife/girl friend had to take their baby to a hospital, turned out to be nothing bad but they ended up stuck at the hospital through a bad snow storm. They had very few diapers and no baby food with them. When the column writer called his son, the son answered on his cell phone and said he was walking through the snow headed for a store. Snow bad enough no one was allowed to drive.
But glad your dad is okay and you got home fine. Sounds like your work will be there in the end. But you got power to write while you're off?
Obviously you're on the computer but for how long?
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Crystal ~ best wishes and real prayer for your dad. Sounds like the scary stuff is behind you all.
We had a... ahem, powerful snow storm here too... we DID! It snowed 6 inches with huge drifts up to at least a foot and a half! I know, it sounds like I'm making this up but it's true. Schools all across the area are shut down from the sheer devastation... it's, it's terrible I tell you, terrible! The roads (all flat) were covered with this slickery hard stuff that made people have nervous breakdowns and the like... and I got snow in my shoe! In my SHOE! This icy living hell has been going on for four days, in a row! Usually it melts on the very next day. And yes... I had to shovel the snow from my doorway. Took a grueling ten minutes. And where is this paradise that closes down completely with 6 inches of powder? Texas! Where else? Love It!
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Draney; Thanks you so much for the laugh. Actually, it's not much worse here. The problem with shoveling our drive out is the crusty layer from the freezing rain and sleet. We had maybe a 2 foot drift wrapped around the barn and out in the arena where the horses spend most of their time. They were snug in the barn during the storm with the barn cats on Tuesday night. We did have gusts up to 45 mph that night.
We almost have the drive cleaned out, and I'll be going to work today. We're down to a Level 2 Snow Emergency right now, and 3rd shift went in last night. Level 2 means only drive if there's an emergency or you're going to and from work. The reason for the Snow Emergencies is to keep people and cars off the streets and roads so the city, county, and highway crews can clear off the roads without worrying about people driving around or stranded vehicles.
We have not been without power through this whole experience, praise the Lord. Though I heard there were some without north of us where the blizzard hit. They got over two feet of actual snow, let alone the drifting. Those south of us got ice. My friend who lives near Indianapolis said the ice was so hard at her house that the cleats she put on her boots to get to the barn (she has horses too) could not penetrate the ice. Miraculously, she never went without power either.
A cold wave came in last night. The sun is shining right now with a gentle breeze. Actual temps are around 10 F above with the wind chill about 3 or 4 above, and there's still work to do on the drive for me to get to work. We're shoveling it by hand. I'm sure I'll get there on time. We should finish the drive this morning, hopefully before lunch.
I really do love living in the country, but it's this time of year that it's at its worst.
And my step-mother didn't get her dialysis yesterday. That part of the hospital services closed down. Hopefully, she can go today.
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Crystal- glad to hear that things are progressing.
DRaney- we got quite a bit more snow in Michigan and we considered it "dodging a bullet."
I lived in dallas for a year and can confirm how bad it must have been for you. I remember getting some sleet and the entire freeway shut down. I'd rather get a foot of snow in michigan than a couple inches in texas. I heard tulsa got a foot!
We must be the only part of the continental USA not to get snow. I've heard there is one inch of ice covering Texas and you have to get power from Mexico. Besides a bit of extra rain and fog our winter has been about normal.
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I got to talk to Dad yesterday. He's still disoriented from the meds. My brother said he can walk some in his room with a walker and sit in a chair. Dad told me he was going home to watch the super bowl and then go back to the hospital. Dad has alwasy been a BIG Green Bay Packers fan... ever since I can remember... and his team is in the super bowl. Unfortunately, he won't be going home until Tuesday or Wednesday. I hope he doesn't give his nurses any trouble . I doubt if he would be so adamant about it if not for who's playing. And, yes, he does have TV in his room. But like he said; It's just not the same.
I can't see it either. Because of missing work due to the weather, we're working through the weekend. And 2nd shift will be the only one working during the game, darn it ! Oh well <<shrug>>. GO PACKERS!!!!!
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Glad to hear about your Dad's recovery from surgery, Crystal. He sounds like a tough bird.
As for the weather, I'm with DRaney. Weather like he described shuts down the whole state! Nobody is prepared to handle it like ya'll northerners. I lived in northern Oklahoma for several years and thought nothing of the three to six feet snow drifts and storms. I was prepared for it. So was the state. But Texas? Forget it. Only the upper northern parts and West Texas has any great experience with snow or cold weather. The rest are shocked when it gets cold, much less snows. I was in San Antonio for a forced vacation (my wife and her mother dragged me with them to a bead show) when the cold hit us. We were virtually trapped in our hotel room. Advised not to go out in the 19 degree weather. Well, yeah. We didn't bring coats! It was sunny and hot when we left. We got back the day after the storm to a house with no electricity and that meant no heat or cable/internet. Electricity was restored a few hours later but the cable/internet, not until just before the game started, thank God. Just in case anyone was wondering where I was. Hope we don't see another cold spell for a while. My old bones can't take it.
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! Oh well <<shrug>>. GO PACKERS!!!!!
