Update: A Different Kind of Christmas

Hello Friends.

I hope you are all enjoying your pre-holiday festivities.  Christmas is going to be different for our family this year.  

As many of you know, my 87 year-old father underwent back surgery earlier in the month at a Columbus hospital.  If you or anyone you know has had lower back surgery, you know the road to recovery is long and arduous.

The anesthesia and pain meds left my dad very confused and, at times, combative.  Thankfully, most of that has since worn off.    

Monday, we were able to move him to a rehab center in Marion, where we live.  He seemed very comfortable there and everyone relaxed a bit.  

Wednesday was perhaps the most peculiar day of my life.  I received a call, while I was driving to work, from the nurse at the center saying they were rushing Dad to the local ER because his breathing had become labored.  I turned around to head back to Marion and started trying to contact my brothers.  No one answered their phones so I finally called my nephew, who is a police detective and used to getting calls in the night.

When I got to the hospital BJ and Jordan were there, but the ambulance was not.  Jordan offered to drive to my oldest brother's house to awake him.  When he returned he said something is wrong with Uncle Chuck.  He is bloated and can't talk right.

I called him and his speech was slurred.  I asked him if he was ok and told him  he should come out to be checked.  

Before he could get there, some family friends came into the ER.  Their children were driving to school and the car was struck by a truck.  

Dad had sustained a small heart attack and was in congestive heart failure.  He was admitted to ICU for observation.

Chuck's kidneys were not functioning correctly due to a change in medication.  He was admitted to the hospital in a room just outside of the ICU.

The children who were in the accident are fine.  They are very sore and shaken up, but are home recuperating.    

Needless to say, Christmas will be different this year.  There will be no cookies, no big family celebration, no day of playing.  It is disappointing, but we are very thankful that everyone is healing.  

I would like to thank my Secret Santa for all the wonderful treats she sent me.  As soon as life settles a bit, I will share my box of goodies with all of you.  

Until then, I hope you all have a wonderful holiday.  I think of you often and hope to rejoin you in the very near future.  La