In reference to a recent comment from fellow blogger Kathy of Well Placed Words, I wanted to post a short series about a dream I will never forget.
A little history:
My father passed away several years ago. I was rather young and his passing devastated me. He had survived open-heart surgery--a triple bypass and mechanical valve replacement.
There were several complications following the surgery including a catastrophic staph infection in his sternum. They had to re-open him to remove a great portion of his sternum and build a makeshift replacement.
He survived all of this and lived quite well for another six months.
He went to the dentist for an abscessed molar. As it turned out he needed root canals on four molars. The dentist opted to do all at once. A problem occurred and he was transported to emergency and admitted to the hospital that afternoon.
After one week in the hospital, he was scheduled to go home on Saturday. Friday night he asked me to just take him home because he hated it there and couldn't stand one more night. I told him I couldn't but he would be going home tomorrow. One more night, just one more night.
The next morning my mom called and told me pick up my Nana and hurry to the hospital. I walked out the front door and vomited. I had not been ill so I was quite surprised. Afterward, I felt an urgent need to be with my dad so I got there as fast as I could.
When we arrived, my father's wing was locked down. We were directed to a private waiting room. The room was dank and dimly lit by small sconces on the wall.
My mother was sitting in the room alone. Tears were streaming down her face. Unaware of what was going on we sat with her. My sister arrived shortly after us with my grandfather.
Dad's doctor entered the room and shut the door. He had sweat on his brow and his eyes were blood shot as if he had been crying. He knelt before us and took my mother's hand. "He’s gone.”
Apparently there was some medication problem. His mechanical valve burst and there was nothing that could be done to save him.
To be continued...
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Muse:
ReplyDeleteSo sorry to read about your father's passing. There's never a good time to lose a family member. However, it's wonderful they way you are telling the story - they way it is constructed. It held my attention from the first sentence to the last. But, as I read through it, I wondered if the dentist hadn't done something wrong. Did he use too much medication, or the wrong medication? Did he know about your father's heart condition?
Have a nice day.
Hi Swu!
ReplyDeleteWe thought maybe doing 4 at once was extreme. Too much for anyone I think. The dentist knew about his heart.
We had gone over it all so many times to try figuring it out--it was just one of those things I suppose.
We suspected the valve may have been defective also.
I wish I had just brought dad home Friday night. Perhaps things might have been different.
I sure miss him.
Have a good one!
MUse:
ReplyDeleteYou are just too funny. Thanks for leaving that comment on my post.
Happy trails.