Monday afternoon Skylei called my dad and was talking to him, and asked where he was and he said he was in the ER. She then could tell he was crying. I met skylei at the ER and we were met by my Uncle Jim who had taken my dad there after they had met for lunch and my dad was shaking and limping.
He had bought a new pair of cheap shoes a few weeks ago, and had grown some blisters and continued to walk in them. He had been feeling pain in his right foot for some time, but failed to ever have it looked at. It had grown so painful that he had a fever, and could barely walk.
Long story short...
The combination of being a Diabetic and a smoker, eccelerated the festering of his wound in his foot. Since monday afternoon, the infection had spread up his leg. In surgery Monday night, they look 6 centimeters of his Achilles tendon out.
The thing at the top that looks like bone is whats left of his Achilles. Also, the bottom is his heel haha! At first I thought they amputated his foot off!! Yikes!!
He is in a hyperbaric chamber right now, which is like a giant submarine that pressurizes oxygen into his body, speeding up the healing process. It's the COOLEST invention ever!! They had to transport him to the 400 E. Hospital for the therapy, and when they came in with the stretcher, my dad was so medicated, he laughed when they lifted the stretcher up and thought he was goin for a ride!
This is the Hyperbaric Machine. It literally looks like a submarine. The Doc was so cool and gave us a quick tour of it Pre-Therapy.
This is the Inside...
They aren't sure if the infection is in the bone, but if it is they will more than likely amputate his right leg. (knee and down..it spread from his foot already) On top of the infection, the NP told us he has an enlargement in the heart. Skylei slept over at the hospital monday night, and I slept over tuesday night. It was so fun spending that time with my dad.
Tuesday night, it snowed!! I didn't want to leave my dad so I just took a picture of the snow from the window! My dad was so excited when I told him it was snowing! He kept saying "Well I'll be dipped in chocolate!!!" He is the most funny guy you will ever meet. He kept calling himself Daddy Vegas when he was on the morphine and other pain killers. He'd say to my Uncle Jim, "Jim, tell them that 'Daddy Vegas is in the room!' We would all DIE LAUGHING! If you know my dad, thats where he is usually if he isn't working in STG. He loves to have a good time, and is always the life of the party.
You can't really tell, but there is snow on the grass and trees... It made the sleep over at the hospital a little less depressing.
Tuesday night, he had a fever, and a low blood pressure and went to the restroom atleast four times. The male nurse Juan, told my dad he could have breakfast (he hadn't eaten since monday afternoon) at 6:30 when the Kitchen opened, and the transportation would pick him up at 7, so he had to eat quick. Well Nurse Juan forgot about my dad and he never got his breakfast. When the other girl nurse came in at 7 to give him his shots, he yelled at her saying "THAT DUMBA$$ NEVER CAME BACK WITH MY BREAKFAST! HE FORGOT ABOUT ME! HE ALWAYS FORGETS ABOUT ME!" While I was trying not to laugh in the corner, I had to gently remind him that Nurse Juan was just really busy and it was an accident and there was nothing he could do. After He pouted for 10 minutes, he quietly asked the girl nurse for a coke. She then broke the worst news to him, in his eyes atleast. She told him they only had PEPSI products. I wish I would have taken a picture of his face in that moment. After he told her that he HATED pepsi, He "guessed" it would be fine is she brought him a pepsi, with of course a cup with ice also. That was the icing to my dads angry cake. hahaha I've never seen him so bugged. If you know my crazy dad, you will know that he is THE MOST un-patient man alive. He hates when Nurse Juan comes in and has to bite his tongue hard to not call him a Dumb A$$ hahaha. ANYWAYS...
I woke up Wednesday morning and my car had SNOW on it! I didn't believe it! I took a picture.
After scraping my window shield with my Student ID card for 15 minutes, I went home. The ride was FREEZING (I don't have a heater) but it was so pretty!!
If you know my dad, he has the mouth of a sailor but regardless is always in high spirits. When Ky and I first saw him, he was telling us what had happened and described the pain as a list of profanities while laughing. He cried to us and told us how much he loved us, and I had an epiphany. Skylei was bawling, ( I don't blame her, my dad was talking like he only had a few hours left..) and I wanted to cry, and I could feel it coming on, but I just couldn't let it out. I haven't spent real time with my dad in a very very long time. I felt guilty wanting to cry at the side of him. I haven't been a good daughter and I have not treated him with any respect for years. Why should I cry for someone who I had treated so awful and had resented for, for so long? I will be the first to admit it, I've used him for money for a long time. And in that moment in that little room in the ER, it hit me. That man laying down crying, is my dad, and I have to love him no matter what. And I Do love him. So much. He is definetely not perfect, and by no means the best dad in the world, but I know he loves me and he lets me know EVERY SINGLE time I'm with him, or call him. Even when I'm mean to him, he always tells me he loves me at the end of the phone call. I am so sorry for the way I've treated him. We have to love our parents no matter what. Its a freaking commandment. I just felt awful in that room, and I just wanted to hug him and tell him how sorry I was for being so mean to him. Instead, I fought back those guilty tears, and texted my older sisters of what was going on. Tiff was the first to arrive, and then Lins. Holly came Tuesday morning. This sounds a little crazy, but I SWEAR. Seeing a lot of his kids that he hasn't seen in a long time helped his spirit. Even in this short time, he is a happier person and I believe it's because of all the love he has felt from all of his family. Even my MOM came and saw him. Sweetest thing I have ever seen. It makes me cry thinking about. My parents have been divorced for a few years and never have a good thing to say about each other. But It's so obvious my dad is still in love with my mom and just covers it but calling her mean names. But the truth came out when he saw her tuesday afternoon. He just kept STARING at her and had the weirdest/cutest little smug grin. He kept telling her how beautiful she was, and just stared! It was so weird to see my parents together and actually having a civil conversation. I have missed it so much!
I truly believe that if this had not happened, I KNOW that none of us, his daughters would be with him during the holidays. It's so awful to think about now, and I am so ashamed of it, but I think this has brought all of us closer to our dad and each other. I am so grateful for the love my family has for one another. I am so blessed to have my dad alive, and here to give me a hug and make me laugh. Tonight, )Wednesday night)...Skylei, Marki and Myself ate dinner in his room and laughed all night. Here's an example.
He told us that there is a "good nurse" named Neisha,who has been the only nurse to give him good news during his stay in the hospital and that she is really cute and he's going to ask her tomorrow if she wants to push him around in a wheel chair around the hospital tomorrow hahaha! He still hits on women even on his death bed! SO funny! Atleast he is staying true to himself during all of this!
But here are some Pics from tonights fun!
Marki and Ky
Skylei lost his glasses while waiting in the Surgery waiting room (oops!) so he's been blind for the past three days, so I lent him my glasses. He can see in them perfectly, and looks SO fab in them! Who doesn't love cheetah?? ;)
He's enjoying the pain killers a little too much ;) hahaha!!
(he begged me this morning "PLEASE BRING ME MY YANKEES HAT, I REALLY NEED IT!" So I did...
This is the "sponge-Vac" there is literally a sponge in his wound that is soaking up all the yucky fluids and bacteria and sending it through this tube into the vac. Pretty cool!
It's blurry but he loves getting his picture taken!
Marki and Dad...(Tuesday night after everyone left dad was on morphine,and skylei said that he kept saying "marki? marki? marki?" My dad loves his "marki mark" and she is such a good sport going to vegas with him every weekend. (mostly cause she gets whatever she wants) but she is definetely the favorite!
Here's his foot now...The doctors are pretty sure the infection is in the bone, and will continue to do operations to get the destroyed tissue, and bacteria out...but if it doesn't heal they will more than likely amputate his right leg, from the knee below.
Sorry this post has been FOREVER long, but it's been a long week and I've learned a lot! Family really is everything, and I am so grateful for my dad!
Love this crazy dog! 
