Friday, August 05, 2011

Holy Fried Toads on the Pavement Batman!


Its a dry heat. 

So I'm down in Tucson visiting the parentalunits.  Dad hadn't been doing very well last week and so I thought it'd be good to come on down.

This week he seems to be doing a lot LOT better.  They've moved him into a Skilled Nursing Facility - which is just a fancy name for a nursing home. Me no likey.

When I got in yesterday the MomUnit and I headed over to see dad.  We walked into the facility and at first glance all I saw were old people scooting around in wheel chairs.  The reality hit home for me that we weren't in Kansas anymore. 

We walked down to the DadUnit's room and my first thought when I saw him was "Man he looks frail."

My dad has ALWAYS been a big, strong, strapping, stubborn man. The small frail man I saw in the bed just didn't seem to be dad. 

He seems to be doing a tons better and from the sounds of it his color is better.  Being grey-ish last week to normal this week.

Today the MomUnit and I went in and sat with the DadUnit while he ate lunch. The dining room was wall to wall wheel chairs.  All the patients pushed up to their tables, some talking, many not, many attempting to feed themselves and failing horribly. It struck home again that the DadUnit wasn't in a normal hospital.  Looking around the room was difficult. It was hard to come face to face with what could potentially be your future. I know nothing about all these folks but I wondered if they had family come visit them or if they were "left" there. Heartbreaking. Truly heartbreaking.  I commend those nurses who work in those homes because I sure couldn't do it.

After that the MomUnit and I went to grab lunch and do a little shopping. It's been so dang hot down here (shocking I know) that I barely felt like shopping. Crazy.

We came home and sat to watch a monsoon come over the hill. Crazy weather today. Hotter than hades and then these big storm clouds form and come over the mountains.

This was yesterday's storm.

This was today's. We left to go see the DadUnit before this one hit us.
Tonight we had a beautiful sunset. The sun cast a crazy rose color glow on everything. It felt very strange. The air felt almost electric.

Tomorrow will be much of the same. We'll get up go visit the DadUnit (assuming he's not grouchy like he was tonight). Then off to get a Sonoran Hot Dog (more on that tomorrow or the next day).Then back to visit the DadUnit. 

For doing almost nothing, I'm pooped. And hot.

1 comments:

Nicki said...

My heart goes out to you. I hope your father is in good hands and makes a great recovery. I know he's got an awesome daughter cheering in his corner.