My father is running a fever again.
He suffers from urinary problems, has a catheter, is now more and more incontinent, has Alzheimers along with kidney, heart, circulatory and prostrate trouble and is 87 years old. His chance at getting some kind of infection is pretty high. Each time it weakens him considerably and worsens all his medical problems. I do not expect him to live for very much longer and yet It is possible that he could linger on in a more and more addled and weakened state for years.
so, the care facility calls me when they discover the fever and ask if I want to come and take him to the emergency ward or if they should call an ambulance. I ask if they have called my brother because he is the one that is supposed to make the medical decisions for my father. No, they hadn't because to date he has been unresponsive and irresponsible with his duties so they just call me first. But I am tired of taking on his responsibilities so told them to call him first and if they can't get a hold of him then call me.
They were able to get a hold of him and about an hour later he called and told me that they had called him and he took him tot he emergency room and he wanted me to come and stay with dad if he had to stay more than a few hours. I said, well, the last two times I had to take dad to the emergency ward I had to stay there all day so I don't really feel like come out to stay with him this time. More than likely this late in the day they are not going to treat him and send him home but will check him in for the night so you won't have to stay long before they get him into a room then you can go home.
He didn't get too upset but asked me to stay home in case he needed me for something. About a half hour later the phone rang again but I was in the bathroom and couldn't get to it and whoever it was dint leave a message. I suspect it was my brother but dont really know. He has been calling and not leaving a message lately. He told me this once at least and I have had three messageless calls in the last week.
Anyway, It bugged me that he couldn't call and tell me dad was in the emergency room and not try and shuffle off the tedium of waiting in the emergency room off on me. I've had five or six days of staying with either my mother, father or sister in the emergency room in the last year and have never called to have him come and give me a break even. Once he came by while I was waiting and brought me something to eat but he didn't stay or offer to let me leave. And once he wanted to stay a while and see what was going on but they would only let one of us wait in the room with them and he again didn't offer to stay in my place nor did I ask him to stay so I could leave.
It is maybe a little petty but I'm not planning on letting him get off this responsibility. He should have to wait till they have things situated and don't need him around anymore just as I have all those times.
To be fair he did stay once when dad was brought tot he emergency ward and admitted a few hours later. That is probably what is going to hap[pen tonight. So he is getting off lucky again, each time I have had to do this I have been there for at least five hours and closer to ten hours for more than half of the times.
As I have written before, I'm not expecting my father to live very long. I pray that he doesn't. I don't want to see him get worse and worse. It is better for him to pass away now before it gets so bad that he no longer even knows who he is or we are and can't even feed himself. I want it to be peacefully and quick.They thought he was going to die the last time he was in the hospital because of a fever. They put him on hospice care but for some reason took it away a few weeks later. I think it was because of the way my brother handled it, I'm not sure. But if we could get him on Hospice care it would be good. It would make things easier on him. And hopefully the next time he got sick theywould be there to make him comfortable. A fever and passing away while sleeping would be a good way to go.
so, the care facility calls me when they discover the fever and ask if I want to come and take him to the emergency ward or if they should call an ambulance. I ask if they have called my brother because he is the one that is supposed to make the medical decisions for my father. No, they hadn't because to date he has been unresponsive and irresponsible with his duties so they just call me first. But I am tired of taking on his responsibilities so told them to call him first and if they can't get a hold of him then call me.
They were able to get a hold of him and about an hour later he called and told me that they had called him and he took him tot he emergency room and he wanted me to come and stay with dad if he had to stay more than a few hours. I said, well, the last two times I had to take dad to the emergency ward I had to stay there all day so I don't really feel like come out to stay with him this time. More than likely this late in the day they are not going to treat him and send him home but will check him in for the night so you won't have to stay long before they get him into a room then you can go home.
He didn't get too upset but asked me to stay home in case he needed me for something. About a half hour later the phone rang again but I was in the bathroom and couldn't get to it and whoever it was dint leave a message. I suspect it was my brother but dont really know. He has been calling and not leaving a message lately. He told me this once at least and I have had three messageless calls in the last week.
Anyway, It bugged me that he couldn't call and tell me dad was in the emergency room and not try and shuffle off the tedium of waiting in the emergency room off on me. I've had five or six days of staying with either my mother, father or sister in the emergency room in the last year and have never called to have him come and give me a break even. Once he came by while I was waiting and brought me something to eat but he didn't stay or offer to let me leave. And once he wanted to stay a while and see what was going on but they would only let one of us wait in the room with them and he again didn't offer to stay in my place nor did I ask him to stay so I could leave.
It is maybe a little petty but I'm not planning on letting him get off this responsibility. He should have to wait till they have things situated and don't need him around anymore just as I have all those times.
To be fair he did stay once when dad was brought tot he emergency ward and admitted a few hours later. That is probably what is going to hap[pen tonight. So he is getting off lucky again, each time I have had to do this I have been there for at least five hours and closer to ten hours for more than half of the times.
As I have written before, I'm not expecting my father to live very long. I pray that he doesn't. I don't want to see him get worse and worse. It is better for him to pass away now before it gets so bad that he no longer even knows who he is or we are and can't even feed himself. I want it to be peacefully and quick.They thought he was going to die the last time he was in the hospital because of a fever. They put him on hospice care but for some reason took it away a few weeks later. I think it was because of the way my brother handled it, I'm not sure. But if we could get him on Hospice care it would be good. It would make things easier on him. And hopefully the next time he got sick theywould be there to make him comfortable. A fever and passing away while sleeping would be a good way to go.
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