In A Fog

I've been in somewhat of a fog these last 22 hours or so. I talked to my mom last night and found out things with my father are far more worse than we had thought or known.

He's been in the hospital again for a week now. He went in because he was having some difficulty breathing. Also, his hands and feet were swelled up again. They've been monitoring him and doing more tests, giving him meds intravenously to help with his heart (it was beating a little fast), and to bring down the swelling. They also scheduled an endoscopy for yesterday, and wanted to check his stomach to see if there was something causing him not to be able to keep his food down too well.

Well, yesterday when I talked to mom, she said that the reason he had been retaining water (the swelling) was because the tube running from his kidney to his bladder was bent. It's supposed to be straight. They operated that night to put in a couple of stents to straighten it and it looked promising. They had managed to drain about 3 liters of fluid from around his lungs. The nurse said that was probably why he was having difficulty breathing. However, since then, there hasn't been much drainage - little if any really.

They said Dad's kidney (not sure if it's one or both of them) was working when he went in last Wednesday, but somewhere along the way it stopped working. They said the kidney is the problem and the only option is dialysis. However, before they put him on dialysis, they want to do a CT scan or something to see if there is cancer in his stomach. If there is and the oncologist decides that he can't or won't operate, then they will not put Dad on dialysis. The doctor said that dialysis would only prolong any pain and suffering Dad has.

When I got up this morning, I called because mom had left me a message about an update on my dad. It's not good. My brother had been talking to one of the nurses (they didn't get to the hospital in time to talk to the doctor I guess) said that they are going to put another stent in to see if they can get Dad's kidney working. However, they have now found the reason why Dad wasn't, and isn't, breathing too well. The cancer has spread to his lungs - and it's a fast spreading cancer.

I'm praying for my dad, and for my family. We've got lots of people praying. I'd appreciate any more prayers I can get. It's difficult for me being so far away, even though there is nothing I can do even if I was there. Right now, I'm praying - actually begging - that my dad can and will hold on til I get home from Korea.

So, that's what I'm dealing with now. I'm working away at packing up some more boxes to send home, and I'm starting to clean up the apartment and get it spotless and whatnot...especially if I have to end up leaving sooner than expected. It's definitely not a fun time. I never thought a year ago that when I would leave to come back to Canada, it would be under such circumstances.