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Dad update
Jul. 20th, 2003 04:51 pmDad's still alive. Not expected to last much longer. I'm home in NJ for now, but I expect to go back to CT in a few days.
Longer version...
Friday the doctor said that if my Dad felt worse on Saturday the cancer had spread to his liver and it was a matter of days. If he felt better, then he's "ok" but his body was too weak for any more kemo so he won't live much longer (weeks). On hearing this, I left work, picked up Ying, and drove up to CT (about 4 hours) to see him.
Saturday all my siblings gathered at the hospital (brother was on vacation in Florida and flew up, sisters in VT and NY drove, sister in IL flew). We spent the day together and he was feeling better. "Better" means he'll live a few weeks, not days.
He had a lot of visiters. My aunts, uncles, and cousins (his sister, brothers, and nephews) visited (since he's the youngest of 10 siblings, his "nephews" are as old as he is). All of his grandchildren were there (3 girls, age 2, 3, and 5) were there... he really brightened up when they walked into the room.
His brother Tony (my uncle) passed away a few weeks ago and there is going to be a memorial for him in a few weeks. My dad was planning on making a big speech there, and told cousin Robert to give the speech if he couldn't do it himself. He was nearly in tears as he recited the beautiful speach he had planned on saying. Robert promised to give the speech.
Friday night before I drove my mother and Ying home, I asked to spend a llittle time alone with my dad. I sat with him quietly and then told him the things I'd been wanting to day (see an earlier LJ entry). He told me that he was always proud of me and my siblings and acknowledged what I said to him. It was good for me to get those things off my chest, and he appreciated hearing them. He told me that he was happy with his life and that if it ended soon, he'd have no regrets.
The hospital staff at St. Raphael's is amazing. They crack jokes constantly and keep everyone in a good mood. Everything was quite high-tech. My mother actually drove an extra half hour to take him to this emergency room because she knew this place is a lot better. It used to be that Yale hospital was the best around, but it's fallen on bad management lately. St. Raphael's been ranking by AARP as one of the top 50 hospitals. (Oh, an interesting bit of trivia... I was born at this hospital).
Ying had to be back in NJ by 1pm, so today we woke up early, stopped by the hospital and said hello, then drove home.
When I got back I spoke with Yang. She was hurt that I didn't ask her to join me on this trip because I couldn't handle the stress of having the baby around. We talked about it a while. I'm going back to CT in a few days and I'll let her come with me this time.
Longer version...
Friday the doctor said that if my Dad felt worse on Saturday the cancer had spread to his liver and it was a matter of days. If he felt better, then he's "ok" but his body was too weak for any more kemo so he won't live much longer (weeks). On hearing this, I left work, picked up Ying, and drove up to CT (about 4 hours) to see him.
Saturday all my siblings gathered at the hospital (brother was on vacation in Florida and flew up, sisters in VT and NY drove, sister in IL flew). We spent the day together and he was feeling better. "Better" means he'll live a few weeks, not days.
He had a lot of visiters. My aunts, uncles, and cousins (his sister, brothers, and nephews) visited (since he's the youngest of 10 siblings, his "nephews" are as old as he is). All of his grandchildren were there (3 girls, age 2, 3, and 5) were there... he really brightened up when they walked into the room.
His brother Tony (my uncle) passed away a few weeks ago and there is going to be a memorial for him in a few weeks. My dad was planning on making a big speech there, and told cousin Robert to give the speech if he couldn't do it himself. He was nearly in tears as he recited the beautiful speach he had planned on saying. Robert promised to give the speech.
Friday night before I drove my mother and Ying home, I asked to spend a llittle time alone with my dad. I sat with him quietly and then told him the things I'd been wanting to day (see an earlier LJ entry). He told me that he was always proud of me and my siblings and acknowledged what I said to him. It was good for me to get those things off my chest, and he appreciated hearing them. He told me that he was happy with his life and that if it ended soon, he'd have no regrets.
The hospital staff at St. Raphael's is amazing. They crack jokes constantly and keep everyone in a good mood. Everything was quite high-tech. My mother actually drove an extra half hour to take him to this emergency room because she knew this place is a lot better. It used to be that Yale hospital was the best around, but it's fallen on bad management lately. St. Raphael's been ranking by AARP as one of the top 50 hospitals. (Oh, an interesting bit of trivia... I was born at this hospital).
Ying had to be back in NJ by 1pm, so today we woke up early, stopped by the hospital and said hello, then drove home.
When I got back I spoke with Yang. She was hurt that I didn't ask her to join me on this trip because I couldn't handle the stress of having the baby around. We talked about it a while. I'm going back to CT in a few days and I'll let her come with me this time.
