So proud of my 19-year old son [View all]
His dad is in his 80s and just had a 2 week stay in the ICU. A week after he got out, son and I arrived to take care of him. Two days later, winter storm hit.
Some people froze to death this week here in Texas. We didn’t. But the night nurse didn’t show up all week because of icing road conditions.
Dear Son in 1 week:
*Learned to give insulin shots
*Learned ritual of recording blood pressure, blood sugar and oxygen and treatments, precisely
*Taught me to give insulin shots and vitals ritual and treatments, precisely
*Loved on his dad giving him reasons to live
*on the 1st night the power and heat went out, rigged up 2 car batteries and converter to run small electric heaters for the 1 room we all stayed in — stayed in the 60s+
*on the 2nd night the power was out, suffered for 30 minutes in subzero windchills to set up a new generator we borrowed and kept it running for 3 days
*ran extension cables to 2nd floor to make room cozy with heat, light, charging as well as fridge
*pressured me (the disorganized one) to make sure we got replacement insulin on time
*healthy foods for dad and intervened to stop midnight sugar raids
*ran comms and made peace with other family members, despite complications
Never complained.
After 3 days of caregiving in freezing weather, gas lines to get fuel to keep generator running, grocery shopping in dark stores with log lines to get food and precious drinking water, and cooking without any running water or electricity, we collapsed exhausted. And then, Son:
*went through the shock of being the one to find dad on floor with a midnight fall and sheer terror of watching EMTS taking him away
*stood by his dad all night in the hallway of crowded ER, checking him in and holding his hand, surrounded by screaming or bloody people, as the “sole visitor”
Son has left tonight, dad is coming home tomorrow mostly unscathed, and really grateful / proud of Son.
Staring down a winter storm, facing possible mortality, showing compassion and ingenuity and patience and sensitivity. All in 1 week.
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