DNR

My Dad has a DNR order. (Do not Resuscitate) I never gave that order much thought. Today I have, many times. Here is the update on my Dad.....

Sunday he went into the ER for vomiting and a meter that read HI. His blood sugar was over 1,300. No reason. I went to visit my Dad for a few minutes before work this morning. I had to see him with my own eyes before going on with my day. A bit too comfy on morphine (he has hip and back problems) so he pretty much stared right through me. His blood sugar was down to 900. Two hours later my mom called me at work. Labs results showed he had a heart attack, which was the answer to the high blood sugar they say. He was going in to the Cath lab, so I left work to be with my mom. Results aren't good. 9 or more cardiac vessels blocked at 70% and one artery 80-90% blocked. Regardless, they say his heart is nice and strong. This isn't good for anyone. Especially not for my Dad. He isn't healthy. He is a Dialysis patient. A smoker. He has COPD, a history of of TIA, blindness, amputation, severe neuropathy, Charcot's foot. This is very, very bad.

Then came the D5. After my Dads cath procedure, his blood sugar plummeted. From 900 to under 60 in just a couple hours. Just like that. Insulin drip still going. How is that even possible? Even 6 hours after sedation for his procedure he still wasn't fully awake. Blame that on the cocktail of drugs. He has no idea what has even brought him to the hospital.

The surgeon came and spoke with us briefly. We want him to consult again tomorrow when Dad is more understanding of what open heart surgery could mean. I don't think my Dad can recover from a surgery such as that. His risk of infection, or secondary infection is just too high. Worse, they want to take the veins from his leg for the surgery. How can you take the veins from a man with SEVERE neuropathy? His risk of infection from that alone is huge, and thats just his leg. Then there is his crazy high risk of DVT. Pneumonia. Coding on the operating table. DNR. I'm pretty emotionless today. I only cried when it was time to leave. I didn't want to go. I still want to go back. A part of me still thinks my Dad will refuse the surgery. He's been through so much. He knows. He knows that the risk is huge for someone in his condition. Please pray that my Dad remains comfortable. I think right now we need to pray for a miracle. Miracles do happen.