About my dad....

It's only been a month and yet, never ceases to amaze me how much can happen in just a few weeks. Lately, our lives have been consumed with:

1. My dad's accident
2. Unexpected hospitalization for Rylee
3. Friends/couples get-away to Lake Powell

The drama of #2 and the desperately needed #3 will be addressed in a later blog. But, since my sister already typed most of this up, I thought it was easy enough to tell about #1, I guess in honor of Father's Day. What a year. Seriously!

Here are some details on my dad's conditions and what's gone on this past month.

My dad was in an induced coma for a week after the accident to help expediate the healing of his ribs so he could start breathing on his own. They kept him in intensive care for 10 days and then moved him to the recovery floor for 3 or 4 days, where they kept him extremely and sometimes comically medicated. Can you say hallucinations? You wouldn't believe some of the stuff he was saying- it made me uncomfortable to see him like that.

My dad was released from the hospital on Tuesday, June 9th. Since then, my mom has become his full time nurse- helping him with everything from eating, getting up, bathroom, etc. His right hand is broken and has pins in it and his left side is practically debilitated right now with all the pain. He will be going to lots of therapy for his hand, is still a little beat up on his face- but got most of his stitches out, and his left side is painfully sore(with 7 broken ribs and a broken scapula) . He can get up and down really slowly and has been glad to be at home. He is still weak, but improving everyday. It's a miracle that he is still alive and still has full use of his brain and all his organs.

It has been difficult to see him in so much pain and hard to watch him endure this trial. It is hard to watch your parents suffer. He has said that this is the most difficult thing he has ever had to overcome and has been humbling to become so dependent. I have never seen my dad in a condition even close to what he's in right now and he's been through some crap in his day. A few years ago (the night Jus & I got engaged to be exact), he was in a farm accident where a jack slipped and a loader fell on his hand, cutting the tips off of two of his fingers. It was like, he went to the hospital, got stitched up, came home, put a grocery bag over his bandaged hand (minus two finger tips) and went out to work. Never missed a beat- never dwelled on it, never felt sorry for himself, never let it hold him back. This accident has come with a lot more suffering and he won't be out of the woods for awhile. It will at least be another couple of months until the ribs are just a little healed. He's got a long road ahead.

We, as a family, have so much appreciated everyone's thoughts, prayers, cards, gifts, food and phone calls from our neighbors, community and friends. Thanks to each one of you who has been so caring and considerate of all of us! We're once again reminded of our blessings, despite the trial. It really could have been so much worse.