My New Year Off To A Bad Start

[n2ize]

Of late my dad hasn't been feeling well. He has had swelling in his ankles and lower legs for some time but felt okay otherwise. I kept urging him to go to a doctor but he kept refusing to go with the mindset that he will correct it "naturally".Over the past couple of weeks things started getting worst and worst. The swelling increased and he started feeling short of breath on mild exertion. I finally convinced him he must see a doctor. This afternoon I took him to my doctor and after a couple minutes in the exam room the doctor called me in and said he must go to the emergency room because his heart is failing. Got him to the ER and they admitted him at once. Turns out he has congestive heart failure. The pumped him full of diuretics to start getting the fluid from his body and put him on oxygen. They are running a battery of tests to try and figure out why the heart failure is occuring (i.e.a silent heart attack or some other cause). The good news is his EKG doesn't look too bad except for some atrial fibrillation. His blood pressure wasn't bad either. The other good news is that once they get rid of the excess fluid from his legs and lungs he will be stable.Let's just say he got to the doctors in the nick of time.They expect he'll be in the hospital for another 4-5 days (until he is stable) and then he will be on a regular regimen of medications, i.e.blood pressure and diuretics and he will have to make regular visits to a cardiologist. He's 84 years old and has never been in a hospital before.I am just hoping for the best. My Mom is spending the night with him at the hospital. Tomorrow and the next few days I'll likely be spending a lot of time at the hospital. I'm hoping the rest of the year things will take a turn for the better.

[WZ7U]

That sucks John. You did good to get him in finally. What is it with stubborn old people anyway?

Best wishes for a complete, quick recovery from all of us here in CN86jc as well as the rest of the island.

Go be with Dad and let us know when he's better. Later dude.

[n2ize]

Thanks for the kind words.Yes,older people can be quire stubborn and reluctant when it comes to going to doctors. Hopefully all will turn out well. I'll keep y'all posted.

[WZ7U]

Yeah, I have some stubborn oldies in my life as well. If I get too much more like them I'm not sure how to handle that. Best wishes, good luck.

[KG4CGC]

Sorry John. I hope he makes improvement.

[n2ize]

Sorry John. I hope he makes improvement.

Thank you for your good thoughts.Yeah, I sure hope so too. The doctors at the hospital seemed pretty optimistic that they can pull him through this and stabilize him and hopefully send him home in a few days. But he is going to have to accept that he will be on medications and be seeing doctors on a regular basis from now on . Up till now he was never on regular day to day medications.Now it's something he will have to get used to. No more not taking the medicine and blowing off doctors appointments. I think he is prepared for this new way of life for him.Now it's just a matter of hope that things go in his favor.

[n2ize]

Yeah, I have some stubborn oldies in my life as well. If I get too much more like them I'm not sure how to handle that. Best wishes, good luck.

I used to be scared to death of going to doctors and I used to avoid them myself. I was always worried that they were going to tell me I have a few days left to live.Doctors offices, hospitals,etc.always made me nervous. But I too had to get a few health issues of my own taken care of and I am all the better for it. I also lost my fear of doctors and hospitals.

[WZ7U]

You ever do any research on copper and MRSA?

[n2ize]

You ever do any research on copper and MRSA?

No not yet. But I haven't forgotten you mentioned it. I'm going to look into it.

[PA5COR]

Hope your dad gets better soon, looks like you were just in time though.
Lost both parents, so keep on doing the good work.

[KK4AMI]

Sorry to hear about your Father. My wishes for his speedy recovery. I knew what he had as soon as you brought up the swollen ankles. Having an 87 year old Father and an 87 year old FIL, I am experiencing all the symptoms and signs of aging. That and a sore ass from having to drive to Richmond and Orlando.

[WØTKX]

He made it to 84 without regular doctor visits and meds? Wow. Too bad he ignored the symptoms for so long.

You're a good son, and good luck to the both of you.

[W3WN]

It could have been worse.

You might not have gotten him to the doctor in time.

Glad to hear he's on the mend.

And I know the feeling... we had a heck of a time getting my mother to see a doctor a ways back, turned out she had a broken hip. Not to worry, she's had surgery, she's recovered, and she's still in denial that she ever needed to see anyone about this in the first place. (She's 85)

[N8YX]

I lost my mother to the same set of circumstances...and a host of other ailments in conjunction. Glad your father's prognosis is good, John. Keep him in the fight.

[n2ize]

My parents were always skeptical of modern medicine and were strongly of the mindset that everything can be cured "naturally"via supplements, exercise, that pharmaceuticals were just about "big pharma". Internet quackery rather than valid science also made its impression. In fact that is one of the main reasons he refrained from seeing a doctor for so long. He insisted on taking the "natural approach". All this could probably have been avoided had he seen a doctor. But what is done is done. Now we have to deal with what is and look towards a better future.