The Long Road to Recovery...

I'm not sure what made me think that because Dad's surgery was a great success, he'd be up and about and ready to go home in a couple of days. This week has been really tough!! Although Dad is recovering and doing well, it is such a long process. I don't know that I fully appreciated the emotional and physical toll this surgery would have on Dad and Mom as well. It seems like each step forward is accompanied with a few steps backwards.

Dad has been in the hospital now for exactly two weeks and although the IMC hospital is brand new and very fancy, it is still a hospital and it is sterile and cold and depressing and not someplace you want to stay for a while. While Dad has been recovering from his surgery, he has experienced some confusion and disorientation. The doctors have said that it is common and can be attributed to a number of factors. Dad seems to have ALL of the factors including age, multiple medications, recovery from major surgery, lengthy hospital stay, etc. etc. With everything that our family has been through in the last little while, I'm surprised we all haven't experienced some "confusion and disorientation". I think it's been difficult for Mom to watch Dad in this state of confusion. They've always been able to communicate and know what each other is thinking and feeling before any words are spoken and I'm sure that it is scary to watch the one you love suffer so much and not be able to mentally grasp what's happening. The doctors say that his clarity of mind will return and it has. He is a lot more conscious and aware than he has been in the past few days and we are so grateful that he is recovering. I keep thinking that if Dad could just go home he'd be able to recover and resume a normal life and begin to enjoy the summer and the beautiful weather we're having. It's naive of me to think, but I just want so badly for him to get well and go home.

There are a few hurdles Dad has to conquer before he can go home. He has to eat, have movement in his bowels, and he has to walk on his own. I will never again take for granted the simple things in life. When I visited Dad yesterday, he was so grateful to just have a sip of cold water. He held this glass of water in his shaky hands like it was more precious than gold and he cherished the ability to drink just a few sips. He was so gracious to the nurse for bringing it to him. It was so simple, but it was a really tender moment.

Each day Dad is getting stronger and able to meet more of the goals needed before he can go home. We are all hopeful that he'll be able to come home in just a few days. Mom scheduled a classroom at the hospital on Sunday for the family to celebrate Father's Day with Dad. She's planning on bringing Dad downstairs in a wheelchair so he can be with everyone. I'm pretty sure the classrooms weren't designed for a "Watkins Family Party", but it should be really fun and so great to be with Dad!