Been hanging out with Ed’s Dad, Henry. He’s in hospital. Things are going as well as they can be expected.
As I said yesterday, we were not planning on coming to Allentown. I was planning on napping. In my bed. Instead, I napped in the car on 495/90/91 – on a lot of highways and byways.
Today the Hospice coordinator dropped by to discuss our options. Over the course of the discussion it became clear that Henry still had some more fight in him. He is going to give rehab another go; a different rehab, hopefully one that has a better handle on patients who have a double whammy of a brain tumor plus an operating-table stroke.
Henry wants to go home and walk around and enjoy the rest of his life. Right now his left side is paralyzed (due to the stroke). The only way he can give it the old college try is by doing the rehab. Any better movement (sitting up by himself, being able to move himself from bed to wheelchair) will be an improvement.
It could happen.
He is not quite ready for Hospice, which doesn’t cover rehab, it covers palliative care only.
What will not happen is chemotherapy, radiation treatment or any other life-sustaining measures. We are not going to worry too much about high blood pressure or fatty foods. There will be no extraordinary measures taken with his care. Right now rehab gives Henry his best chance at regaining his mobility.
Henry is laying in his hospital bed, listening to jazz and blues on an iPod shuffle while tapping his (right) foot and talking about Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Big Band music, and Dizzy Gillespie. No need to talk back. Henry’s got you covered.
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