Another year...
My dad was the kind of person who didn’t take care of his health for most of his life.
As a result of this he had emphysema (after many years smoking a lot), heart problems, kidney problems and high blood pressure.
Some five years ago he was diagnosed a prostate tumor. He took a lot of drugs and underwent surgery. The cancer didn’t got the chance to evolve and spread and it seemed he would be alright, but the drugs he had to take had made some more damage to his kidneys.
Yet he would still not obey the prescribed diet nor would he quit smoking.
Not surprisingly his blood pressure kept on rising until something finally gave in.
The weak spot was a vein inside his head, he had a brain hemorrhage.
He lost his balance, most of his vision, motion coordination and some of his memory.
The scans show an apple sized dead area in his brain. It is normal in young kids to have a part of the brain resume the functions of a damaged area, it is not as common in people his age, yet he is almost completely recovered.
Against all odds in a man his age and with all the health problems he has, he managed to overcome all of it.
He is not ok now, his kidneys collapsed and he is doing hemodialysis, his heart still is frail and there is no chance of getting much better, his lungs damage is permanent.
Late as it may be he changed his habits, he started following the diets doctors prescribe him, he quit smoking, he is holding on to life.
One year ago he was too frail even to support dialysis and the doctors said he wouldn’t make it to the end of 2004.
Now the doctors say they don’t know how long he is going to be with us, he seems to be fighting death quite well.
And you want to know something else? Although he went thru a lot in the past few years, he never whined. Once, only once he cried, after losing his sight and his balance, while facing the chance of spending the rest of his life in a bed.
But he managed to pull himself together and keep going forward.
Me? Well, I am just thankful he is still with us.
As a result of this he had emphysema (after many years smoking a lot), heart problems, kidney problems and high blood pressure.
Some five years ago he was diagnosed a prostate tumor. He took a lot of drugs and underwent surgery. The cancer didn’t got the chance to evolve and spread and it seemed he would be alright, but the drugs he had to take had made some more damage to his kidneys.
Yet he would still not obey the prescribed diet nor would he quit smoking.
Not surprisingly his blood pressure kept on rising until something finally gave in.
The weak spot was a vein inside his head, he had a brain hemorrhage.
He lost his balance, most of his vision, motion coordination and some of his memory.
The scans show an apple sized dead area in his brain. It is normal in young kids to have a part of the brain resume the functions of a damaged area, it is not as common in people his age, yet he is almost completely recovered.
Against all odds in a man his age and with all the health problems he has, he managed to overcome all of it.
He is not ok now, his kidneys collapsed and he is doing hemodialysis, his heart still is frail and there is no chance of getting much better, his lungs damage is permanent.
Late as it may be he changed his habits, he started following the diets doctors prescribe him, he quit smoking, he is holding on to life.
One year ago he was too frail even to support dialysis and the doctors said he wouldn’t make it to the end of 2004.
Now the doctors say they don’t know how long he is going to be with us, he seems to be fighting death quite well.
And you want to know something else? Although he went thru a lot in the past few years, he never whined. Once, only once he cried, after losing his sight and his balance, while facing the chance of spending the rest of his life in a bed.
But he managed to pull himself together and keep going forward.
Me? Well, I am just thankful he is still with us.
posted by DCveR at 7:41 PM
11 Comments:
DCver, I am so choked up reading this post of yours. You know that I can relate to what you are going through right now after having spent these past weeks in the hospital with my mom. I think we all should just spent this time that we have with them being grateful for the time we have. Take it day by day and just keep telling the people we love how much we love them. I hope that you have a very special holiday. Keep the faith. xox
Last Girl On Earth
I hope your dad hangs on until he's old, old, old age, Dcver.
Your dad reminds me of my best friend's father. The old man had everything. He told me he had everything except Aids and t.b. He lived until Double Eight. 88. And was as witty and as sharp as a tack.
Thank God.
That is such a huge fear of mine. Huge for my own parents and my in-laws.
oh my gosh dc. I am so sorry... I don't know if we have talked about my dad, but he faced a similar situation to yours. He was on peritineal dialysis which he administered on his own at home...we lost him in 2001, and heart failure was the eventual cause.. But it was all diabetes related complications. Yet, he still had the same fighting spirit your dad has. I wish the best for you and all your family as you go through this rough stuff. It is NOT easy. Courage, strength & much aloha to you... K.
isis: Thank you. Divine intervention, mind over matter, call it what you will, the docs are puzzled, so are we, but we're thankful.
last girl: Thank you. And most of all we must make them feel they are loved for whatever time they have left.
GG: Thank you. I hope he hangs on as long as he is not suffering, as long as he can still enjoy is life.
portuguesa: I don't really fear is death, in fact I would prefer he'd dye if he was to stay in a bed, blind and without any quality of life. Hard as I would miss him, it would be easier than suffering without hope. But fortunately he's now able to attend to his own needs and feel independent (although mom and I are always on the watch).
kris: You've told me a few things about your dad, plus you posted some others, although I didn't recall the dialysis issue. Your dad was very lucky to have such a nice family, that's all I can say from what I've known. Mahalo.
Vivo de muito perto um caso similar. de apego à vida, de desafio a todos os prognósticos relativos a esperança de vida. Já passaram 6 anos desde que essa pessoa descobriu sofrer de um cancro disseminado por todo o corpo, pleura, coluna,... É impressionante o poder da mente.
Bon courage para o teu pai e todos vós.
tall glass: I'm sorry your dad didn't make it. We all do stupid things from time to time. Some of those things are bad for our health it's true, but at the same time maybe we need to do those mistakes, maybe those mistakes are part of what defines us.
MRF: Obrigado. Boa sorte e coragem também para vocês.
He is brave, your dad. I wish him and everyone in your family all the best.
annie: Thanks. Same to you all.
Your dad has a will of steel. I hope he continues to defy the odds.
I hope I would be that strong. But I hope I never have to be.
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