Dad in the Hospital
My father was admitted to Lyons hospital this morning after not being able to keep anything down yesterday. He is being treated for dehydration, and has been diagnosed with an illeus. This medical term refers to an intestinal "paralysis" resulting in a digestive shutdown beyond that point. Food cannot move normally out of the stomach and through the intestines because peristalsis, the normal rhythmic contractions of the intestinal walls--which pushes food along, has ceased.
Through a nasal tube, his stomach is being pumped out. This, along with the morphine they're giving him, has provided significant pain relief. Everyone hopes that normal peristalsis will soon resume, as it often does. Tomorrow, if there is still a problem, there will be a CAT scan, and further treatment options will be considered. He will probably be in the hospital for several days at least, even if all goes well from now on.
Marvin and Lois had been keeping tabs on Dad since yesterday and were the ones to decide he needed to go the the emergency room this morning. They took him and stayed with him today after he was admitted. We're all really glad for their help.
Dad slept a lot today--a good thing, after not having been in bed at all last night, and sleeping only fitfully on the recliner, between episodes of vomiting.
He is the only patient in the hospital, except for some long-term care patients in another part of the hospital. Marvin and Lois are giving glowing reports of the outstanding care they're witnessing. Dr. Decker says the timing was just right for bringing Dad to the hospital. I suppose he means that things were far enough along to get a clear diagnosis, but not so far along that irreversible damage had occurred. That's good to know. It's often hard for caregivers to figure these things out.
Dad has his cellphone and made several calls on it today, and he asked Lois to bring his Bible back when she left to go home temporarily. With those two supplies at hand, he'll probably be ready to face the day again tomorrow. His normal sociability and optimism are unlikely to be waylaid for long, if he has any choice in the matter.
We all would appreciate your prayers for him, especially that the illeus would be resolved without surgery..
Through a nasal tube, his stomach is being pumped out. This, along with the morphine they're giving him, has provided significant pain relief. Everyone hopes that normal peristalsis will soon resume, as it often does. Tomorrow, if there is still a problem, there will be a CAT scan, and further treatment options will be considered. He will probably be in the hospital for several days at least, even if all goes well from now on.
Marvin and Lois had been keeping tabs on Dad since yesterday and were the ones to decide he needed to go the the emergency room this morning. They took him and stayed with him today after he was admitted. We're all really glad for their help.
Dad slept a lot today--a good thing, after not having been in bed at all last night, and sleeping only fitfully on the recliner, between episodes of vomiting.
He is the only patient in the hospital, except for some long-term care patients in another part of the hospital. Marvin and Lois are giving glowing reports of the outstanding care they're witnessing. Dr. Decker says the timing was just right for bringing Dad to the hospital. I suppose he means that things were far enough along to get a clear diagnosis, but not so far along that irreversible damage had occurred. That's good to know. It's often hard for caregivers to figure these things out.
Dad has his cellphone and made several calls on it today, and he asked Lois to bring his Bible back when she left to go home temporarily. With those two supplies at hand, he'll probably be ready to face the day again tomorrow. His normal sociability and optimism are unlikely to be waylaid for long, if he has any choice in the matter.
We all would appreciate your prayers for him, especially that the illeus would be resolved without surgery..
posted by Mrs. I (Miriam Iwashige) at
11:22 PM
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