Taking a Fall

I've fallen behind here, as I've been with my elderly dad who fell last week, and spent the better part of a week in the hospital. He tripped, and landed right on his face on a sidewalk. The impact broke his maxilla, the roof of his mouth. My brother and I have been helping his wife during this time, both while he is in the hospital and returning home.

A few observations.
I've worked in a hospital (as a chaplain), and been a patient (just for one night, in college), but have never played the role of the family member, ever present, at the patient's side. This is tiring. Even if you are not doing anything, this is hard work. I'm amazed how worn out I have been, going home in the evening.

It's unusual to have men doing this work. The nurse asked today if there would be women home to help with my dad's care (beyond his wife). My brother and I were suspect. However, one of my dad's nurses was male.

My dad received great care. It's a truism that patients who have family around them get the attention that others don't get. I felt sorry for those patients who were laying in dark rooms alone.

Healthcare has changed, and not all for the bad. My dad's wife worked many years ago as a nurse. She noted that at that time, no one except doctors gave patients and visitors any information. Now, technicians will provide vital signs as they take the measurements, (often with interpretation: 'ooh, that's high'), and the nurse is happy to open and help interpret the patient's charts for me.

I'm grateful my dad had good care at this local hospital, and is under the care of a fantastic doctor, who fortunately is happy taking my dad's medicare payments. We continue to work to see he gets good care (see previous post), but a good doctor and hospital makes it much easier. Now if we could just figure out how to expand medicare (or a better model) out to every American...