While Away, Bunnies Play
Here I am, back from Virginia. The news: my Daddy suffered another stroke last Saturday and refused to go to the hospital until late Sunday night. When my Sister Ace and Mother dragged him to the ER, the hospital kept him overnight for a bunch of tests. After the initial tests were done, Ace called me to share the news and said I needed to come home. I flew home Tuesday to hear the whole situation. Daddy’s clot is somewhere in his left temple area. An angiogram and angioplasty were being scheduled, but there would be huge complications if the angioplasty were done. Because of the general location of the clot, a bunch of digging would be done in his brain during the surgery. If the stint were to be successfully inserted, Daddy would be in the ICU for at least 6 months while his body healed. If the operation were to be disastrous, he would become a machine-dependent vegetable or the unthinkably worse.
All that data was a bit difficult to stomach. The alternative was if he refused the additional tests and surgery, his next stroke would most likely be fatal, but using coumadin might help. Ace and Mother had called me home because Daddy immediately had opted for the surgery. By the time I had arrived and sat with him on Wednesday morning, he changed his mind and was ready to go AMA (against medical advice). Long story short, the doctor never scheduled the angiogram and was fudging his words about the surgery’s complications. Turned out that there are only a handful of local surgeons capable of performing the delicate operation — one of them is the Duke University surgeon who removed Ted Kennedy’s brain tumor. Not wanting my father to be a guinea pig, we let the doctor know of our thoughts. He then acquiesced and allowed us to take Daddy home.
I spent the remainder of the week hanging out with my father at the rental properties — partially chauffeuring him around in his truck (I keep getting told that it will be mine in the future, yes I think that is morbid!), partially keeping a watchful eye to make sure he was okay. Doing so gave my Mother a chance to do every day basic chores, and relieved Ace to spend time with her family. My parents are selling one of their rental homes, and are in the process of leasing out another. Here are some photos that I took at the Chambers location. Notice the hydrangea bush? I had disturbed somebunny napping under it.
During my time home, I managed to visit my beloved favorite yarn shop in Virginia Beach, Ewe Knit Kits. LYSO Bobbie never fails to make a person’s day with the various yumminess that she keeps in stock. I showed her the Baby Pinwheel Blanket that I cast on with the Lorna’s Laces Shepherd Worsted in Yellowstone which I purchased during my last visit in April. I scooped up more Lorna’s Laces, Jade Sapphire, beads, buttons, and needle felting tools. The buttons had a purpose — check out the Killer King Caesar!
Now that my weekly update has been written, I will answer the latest for SP12.
Question(s) of the Week #4
1) What yarn (that you don’t have/haven’t used) would make your stash “complete�
2) What yarn do you never want to be without?
Hmmm… I must say that I cannot think of anything that would make my stash “complete” or that I never want to be without in any respect. I admit that I have a crazy amount of yarn — almost at a collector’s level. Peering into my stash, the guess would be acquiring a silk laceweight like Sundara, Fyberspates, or Sunshine Yarns to help in completing the stash. As for a yarn that I never want to be without? The toss up is between fiber content — 100% buttery soft merino (Melosa, Malabrigo, Sunshine Yarns South American, Marta’s Merino Lace, etc.) and the silk/animal blends in my stash (Jaggerspun Zephyr (DK and Lace), Classic Elite Posh, K1C2 Richesse et Soie, Horstia Silk/Merino, Reynolds Rapture…). It is so hard to choose because I love them all!! =:8
I’m so sorry to hear about your dad’s condition. Do bear in mind that the docs don’t know everything. Your father could end up doing fine for a long time to come. But regardless, it’s his decision to make. It’s hard to stand by and let a loved one make decisions that we think might shorten their life, but it’s a privilege that comes with age and experience. Best wishes to all of you.
What a difficult situation for all your family. Thinking of you all and especially your dad with healing and peaceful thoughts.
That sure is the proverbial rock and hard place! I just wish you and yours comfort and happiness and lots of quality time together Kimberly!
Best wishes for dad and family.
Sorry.
I’m so sorry to hear about your father – I’ll be thinking good thoughts for you and your family! I hope everything comes out OK for you and your family.
I’m really sorry to hear about your dad’s condition. My thoughts are with you guys, and I hope things turn out for the best.
Thinking positive thoughts for your dad & sending virtual bunny hugs your way!
I’m sorry to hear about your Dad’s condidtion. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family at this time.
What a difficult situation for you and your family to be in. Know that our thoughts and prayers are with him and your family.
Hugs and best wishes to you and your family.
My thoughts are with you and everyone in your family. I wish all the best for your father having to endure this, and definitely hope for the best for him. It is a very difficult situation, and I do understand, as my father passed away two years ago due to a stroke/aneurysm. There are simply no words to convey all of what I’m thinking over what happened and what you are going through right now with your own father’s situation. I just wanted you to know that I had read your post and my thoughts are with you.
oh Kimberly! Im so sorry to hear about your Dad… My thoughts are with y’all!
(and on a lighter note, I think I have that exact same Lorna’s Laces as you just bought! 🙂 )
uhm. what they all said. 🙂
<3 xoxo
Hey there. Sending you hugs and support. I am experiencing some similar issues with my husband’s family, and I have some sense of the things you’re going thru. Hard to write this kind of message without devolving into cliches, so I’ll just end by wishing you and your dad all the best.
I am sorry to hear about your dad. My granny just had a stroke. She is 82, so there is not a lot they suggested for us to do. They put her on aspirin instead of coumadin. She has good days and bad days.
My thoughts are with you.
I’m holding you and your dad and the rest of your family in my thoughts and prayers…
((((Hugs))))
Just popped in to see how you were doing. Read about your Dad and am shocked at the events of your past couple of weeks. If it’s shocking for me, I can only imagine what it is for your family.
You and you family will be in my thoughts and prayers!
Oh my gosh! I was absolutely stunned when I read your news. My heart goes out to you and your family. I do hope that your father will get a 2nd opinion and hopefully it is from the M.D. at Duke who treated Ted Kennedy.
Having been in the medical field for 10 years, I have to tell you I have seen things (good things) that per textbooks and medical history should not have happened. Willpower, belief and positive attitude go very far sometimes in overcoming what medical people think will happen.
I’ll be sending good vibes your father’s way.
It’s so hard to deal with the illness of a parent. Sounds like you all made the right decision. 2008 is not your year, is it?