My Dad

Just to let you all know...I think I have to learn a little humility and ask for some help...a little :) My dad has been in the hospital for a week with a very bad infection called MRSA (I think). He had knee surgery right before Christmas and everything was great. He has had this many times, they scope out of the arthritis, and the recovery time is pretty quick. He said that he has felt the best as he has in a very long time.

Anyway, about a week and half ago, he tripped over a box and landed on his knee, and it was so swollen! He couldn't walk. Wednesday (over a week ago) my mom took him to the doctor and he said it was a really bad bone bruise. Anyway, two days later, he couldn't walk and wasn't feeling good, thankfully the doctor's office said to get him there right away. My mom took him to the hospital where he had the knee surgery. Turns out he is full of infection, and it has got into his blood stream. It is so bad! People have to wear gowns and put on gloves, they changed his trash bags to the hazardous red ones! Then anything that goes in his room can't come out because of the contamination. He was in horrible pain, swollen, and can't really walk.

He has to get antibiotics 4 hours (2 times) a day of a very strong antibiotic, that is only done through an IV. Anyway...it's a terrible disease and very contagious. We are very scared...but things are starting to look a little better. He's still in the hospital, but we are hoping to get him home in the next couple of days.

He now has a pick line where a home nurse will have to come 2 times a day to give him the IV, and that's crazy in itself. He has this port thing that could also become infected or cause blood clots if it's not taken care of properly.

Tonight, my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew are on their way down, and we are going to build a wheelchair ramp so we can get my dad in and out of the house. He won't be going to work for about 6 months to a year (short term disability will kick in soon)....so it's going to be a major life adjustment for us. It's been a rough week because he's clear over in Chandler, and we live about 40 minuets away (one-way)...so my mom and I are exhausted!

Anyway, back to the humility part...we need your prayers that all will go well and he can heal quickly. We just heard today that if they don't catch this disease within the first 25 hours of having it, the survival rate is 25%. Crazy! And my Aunt Vern Lee just told us that her husband had this disease and was a main reason how he passed away.

Well, sorry for the long post...I needed to get it out there because we need help from our Heavenly Father because we love my dad very much and we need him home :)