Almost Fall

The best time of the year.  My yearly trip is over.  I came back yesterday from a trip to Texas to see my friend and I got to see my other friend, Holly, who is a student at Baylor.  Beautiful school.  It was tough saying good-bye to my friend.  But I know I will see her again.  And she is being cared for by her wonderful, youngest daughter.  She is in good hands.
While I was gone, my father was released from Kane.  This is not a good thing.  He is not able to live at home any more.  We just can't care for him.  Today the visiting nurse called an ambulance and he is back at UPMC Mercy.  So we are waiting to hear what will happen.  I have already called the social worker and he promises someone will "get back to me."  We just have to wait.  All will be well.

"Don't Get Old."

I've heard a lot of people say that and people often quip back, "Well it beats the alternative!"  But I am not one to agree so readily.  I know, for sure, that after this earthly life, there is an Eternal one.  And I know it is going to be incredible and I know I will be there, thanks to the Blood of Jesus and His Love. So I am not one bit afraid to die.  Much like the Apostle Paul, I have struggled and wanted to go Home now!  But I know it isn't my time.
Having my father in a nursing home has been tough on my mother and me and more so on him.  He is very depressed, even though the care is wonderful and he himself admits that.  Tonight he told us that he just can't believe his life has come to this, seemingly so quickly.  My father has recently begun to pray and believe in Christ and I plan to ask him if he would like me to baptize him.  I pray he will say yes.
Today there was a good little editorial in the Post Gazette about the scare-factor of getting old.  The writer concludes that he would rather get old than die young.  I can't say that I agree with him on that, but I know that when God decides my time on earth is through, that will be when I will return to Him, and not any sooner.
Not sure why I felt compelled to write this now, I just did.

Adventures in Nursing Home Care

Today my mother and I visited my father in a nursing home.  After a year long battle with a diabetic leg ulcer, culminating in skin grafting and surgery last Friday and three different infections in his leg, he must spend at least two weeks in skilled nursing care.  It has been an emotional week.
"Putting someone in a home" has a lot of baggage with it.  Guilt, worry, relief.  Everyone in that situation goes through it and there are no right or wrong feelings.  That's what I have told others.  But when it's you, well it seems like a different story.
Like I wrote, as it stands now, my father will be in there only two weeks, but so much depends upon that.  He will have IV anti-biotics for two weeks, but then he will need to make sure that he can come home and care for himself, so that's the other part that will define the length of his stay.  A couple of things have made this a little easier for us than it is for others.  For one, the doctor ordered the skilled nursing because of the IV.  Secondly, my father wanted to go because of the pain he has been in for the past year and the pain he is in now.  His willingness makes us feel less guilty.  A bit.  If we had more money he could have the IV at home.  If we had more money we could fix our house up with a wheel chair ramp and other ADA accessories.  So that is a big source of guilt, for sure.
He's at Kane Ross, which I am very familiar with, having visited many, many people there during my years as a pastor.  The level of care there, in my opinion, and from what my father has already experienced, is excellent.  We are thankful he is there.
It's been a long journey and it isn't over.