Caryl Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 I would like to mention first, my dad is 76, gets about on a mobility scooter, has had multiple bypass surgery and heart valve replacement and, just before Christmas, almost died when his gall bladder ruptured. He is also on Warfarin, a blood thinning agent used by heart patients :roll: Anyway, he and mum went to town the other day, he scoootered and she walked. They met my sister and I for some shopping then I went home while Mary and mum decided to have lunch in town. Dad scootered home. Once home he realised he had forgotten his keys. He could have gone to any of the neighbours (he knows them all) and asked to wait there until mum came home (she wasn't going to be long) but no, he broke into the garage and got the ladder out. He then climbed up the ladder and through the small, high, bedroom window. Going through he caught his arm on the window catch, ripping his arm badly and causing a severe bleed (result of the Warfarin). From there he fell in the other side and hit the corner of the small table on the way down, damaging his leg. Apparently, as he fell, he thought to himself "I'm not as supple as I used to be." :roll: Here is the result (apart from the fact that today he can barely move and feels quite sick... and We asked him what he thought he was going to do once he got into the window and he replied that he hadn't actually thought that far ahead! :-? And he wonders why we won't leave him alone while we go overseas :lol: :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 The last pic shows his arm wet & bleeding as mum had just soaked the bandage off and was taking him up to A&E to be checked out - at my insistence. For those wondering, the thin scar running the length of his leg is from when they stripped his legs for spare veins to use in the bypasses. He had both arms and legs stripped and even then they couldn't find enough good vein to do all the blocked areas :roll: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ira Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 I'd say he's lucky to be mobile enough to hurt himself climbing through a window. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 your dad sounds like a man after my own heart caryl caroline says that she doesn't think i will ever grow up and i will probably do the same at his age i hope he is ok i can relate to the line "i'm not as supple as i used to be" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wok Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 At least he's active Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 7, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 That's just it wok, he isn't! That is why he has a mobility scooter. He can't even walk very far without having an angina attack! How he didn't have a heart attack as a result we'll never know :roll: Mum had to take him up to the hospital this afternoon to get checked (and fill out the ACC forms). He now has butterfly bandages holding the cut closed and been told to stop trying to climb in windows :lol: Mum is really worried about leaving him when we are overseas. We have told him that if he dies while we are away (which would ruin mum's 'trip of a lifetime', we will kill him! :evil: ) :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
livingart Posted March 7, 2009 Report Share Posted March 7, 2009 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 16, 2009 Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 OH MY GOSH did he ever do a number on himself!!!! It's a miracle he didn't break any bones. Hope he's all healed now??? I can understand why the worry about going away!!! My mother used to have an apartment in the basement of our house. One time she was really sick and not steady on her feet so I insisted she stay upstairs. I remember at one point I had to literally sit at the top of the stairs and block them so she wouldn't go down. I miss her so much but let me tell you she was very, very stubborn!!! I used to have to trick her to get her to go to the doctors or else she wouldn't go. But, I'd do it all again if I could have her back Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 16, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2009 Dad is recovering but developed cellulitis on his leg as a result of whacking it on the table as he fell. The last two times he got this condition it turned to septicaemia and he ended up in the ICU (Intensive Care Unit). He is on antibiotics and being closely monitored. We told him last week he either had to die now or wait until we got home so he has to live now for at least another 2 months :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whetu Posted March 17, 2009 Report Share Posted March 17, 2009 Oh Caryl, your Dad is a naughty man! And I admire every bit of it! My Dad used to do this sort of thing. At one point my cousins arrived unexpectedly at my parents' very isolated property in Northland, to find Dad up in a tree. Mum had gone into town (an hour each way) and Dad had climbed the ladder into a tall pine tree to remove a branch. When he was up there the ladder fell down and Dad was left dangling by his arms. He was in his late 70s, and if he had let go he would have been likely to break both his legs. He was glad to see my cousins because he didn't think he could hold on much longer! When Dad was about 80 years old I got a motorbike. He asked to sit on it and told me about the old motorbikes he used to have when he was younger. I kept the keys firmly in my pocket! I knew he would have required very little encouragement to fire up the bike and go for a spin around the block. I was laughing about it with my biking friends and they unanimously said I should have offered him the keys. I spent my whole time expecting a phone call from Mum to say Dad had fallen off the roof, or into the water tank, or over a cliff. He always said "I'm going to die with my boots on!" A couple of months after the motorbike incident, Dad fell ill. It turned out he had a major cancer (mesothalioma) that had been there for years. Within eight weeks he had died in hospital. I often wonder if I should have offered him the keys to my bike. After all, what's the worst that could have happened? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 18, 2009 Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 OH dear!!! Keep us updated on how your Dad is doing Caryl! Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 18, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 18, 2009 I think he is slowly improving thanks Caper. On his second round of antibiotics now and it is slowly getting better. At least it isn't getting worse. He is still too sore to walk far but at least it ought to keep him out of trouble for a while :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 19, 2009 Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Good, hopefully he'll keep improving. Hope he's all better before you go away, one less worry. Did you say that someone was staying with him while you are gone??? Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caryl Posted March 19, 2009 Author Report Share Posted March 19, 2009 Oh yes, No way are we leaving him on his own! My sister is moving in with him, and so is Bud for that matter, so between the two of them he should be under control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caper Posted March 22, 2009 Report Share Posted March 22, 2009 I think Bud will make a wonderful SPY!!! :lol: :lol: Caper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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