Papa Update...

Thursday, July 2nd, was a regular doctor check up for Papa. 

The nurse taking the blood samples for regular blood testing just did an awful job. Bless her heart and bless Papa's heart. She put that needle in his arm on the inside of the elbow like they usually do.  She couldn't get the vein. It kept rolling away. I watched her moving that needle and it appeared she was not taking it out and moving it, she was just moving it back and forth inside his arm. Ouch!! (To say the least!)  Papa never flinched. I could tell he was uncomfortable and not liking it a bit but he never said a word to her.  She finally gave up and tried the top of his hand. He then only mildly stated something about how nice it was she was trying somewhere else. It just looked awful. And I am not squeamish at all about having blood drawn. 

He did okay in the physical test with Dr. Weckman. His blood work shows an elevated sugar. Not good there at all. I have taken all the sugar away from him that he consumed in massive quantities. I do bring the man a milk shake on occasion or buy him a soda if we are out for a drive. Not sure what to do there but we'll just keep on keeping on.

His blood density was good. So he has that going for him.

Papa's body is just wearing out. It is very hard to see him like that. Such a strong, active man once and now he is a recliner kind of guy. Thank heavens for that recliner.  

In the last week he has walked better and without the walker a lot. I really believe the new recliner is helping support his back so the 'itis' can calm down in his hip and back. That is also a good thing.

But his memory is just not there a lot of the time. It is not like Mom with Alzheimer's. But we can be talking about something and he can't remember from one sentence to the next. For example, as we were driving out to my home yesterday for him to visit us, I was telling him that it was Neffie's birthday. He asked how old she was. I told him she turned 60. Then I shared that she and her hubby, Mike, were in the Netherlands with their son, Mike, and his wife Ashlyn. He said he had never met Ashlyn or their children and could barely remember Mike. I reminded him they came at Christmas with their 3 kids to visit with him. He thought about it and then said he remembered them. We talked a bit and then he wanted to know if Ashlyn was married. Hmmm... It is that kind of memory issue that is difficult. 

My Institute class last night was talking about faith. And how we have to exercise faith for different periods of time before we receive confirmation of our actions or belief.  One student shared her experience about this action and how long it took her to receive a witness of her faithful action. Another student shared a video on lds.org about this same principle. How a young man kept acting on faith and three years after he received his confirming witness. He had little things along the way in those three years that kept him going but his actual 'ah-ha' moment was three years after his first act of faith. I shared with the kids how that keeps on through life. I told them that I truly didn't understand why my mother had Alzheimer's. But I tried really hard to look for the things I was supposed to learn as I went through that process with her. I kept acting in faith knowing there must be a reason and things I was  supposed to learn. I know the things I did learn that were positive and good for me. Now I experience that with Papa. He is so worn out and ready to go home to Father. He misses mom and is just lonesome and feels out of place. His body doesn't cooperate. I can honestly, again, see no reason that Father doesn't let him come home. But I must again walk in faith, looking for lessons to learn and serving my father during this end stage of his life. Then, eventually, I will understand.  I told the kids they were learning just a valuable lesson about exercising faith and doing so in patience. That lesson would carry them through their lives.  

So, Papa is hanging in there. His body is really failing but he just keeps on hanging in there. I really must watch now for if and when to put him in a nursing home. Don't want to do that at all. But there will be care for him that I just don't know if I can give.  We'll see and we'll keep on going as long as Heavenly Father has lessons for us to learn and refining to happen in our lives.