Visit To See Dad

My Dad had been struggling with his mental health since moving into the Collingtree Care Home back in Northampton in the UK. Depression had set in. I made plans to fly back and visit him for his birthday in March so he could have his three daughters with him on his special day. Flying from Redmond in central Oregon to San Francisco, California, with an overnight layover, followed by the long haul flight to London Heathrow, was a long journey.

The day before I flew I learned my dad had been admitted to hospital. His oxygen levels were low, he was very wheezy and his asthma medications weren't helping. He had a high fever, all of which pointed to a bad case of the flu, or possibly pneumonia. It was very worrying.

My sister Caroline picked me up from the airport in her lovely white Tesla and drove us to her home. After a quick cuppa tea we decided to go and see Dad at the hospital straight away. I was jet lagged but had my second wind.

Dad was still in A and E which was packed, noisy and generally chaotic. Dad was in a small room and was clearly distressed and disoriented. I sat and held Dad's hand while Carrie grilled the staff to find out exactly what was wrong and if any test results had come through. His x-rays, heart and vital signs indicated he would be in hospital until he stabilized. There was a diagnosis of COPD and some additional heart issues.

We reassured Dad that he was safe and in good hands while they searched for a bed on a ward for him.

And so for the next two weeks, the entire time I was in the UK, including Dad's birthday, I visited dad in hospital every day. 

Hospitals have such a powerful energy. I felt it.

It was the same hospital where my mum passed away, where I'd had a miscarriage and where my Grandmother had been admitted many times. Painful memories.

Dad was slow to recover his health and mobility and was grumpy the entire time. He was desperate to get out. At 83 years old he worried he would never get out. A legitimate worry.

Finally, the day before I flew back to Oregon, he came out of hospital and returned, with great relief, to his room at Collingtree. He was so grateful to be back with all his carers and back to his own routines. It took another couple of months to fully recover his health.

I am so glad, honored actually, that I could be there with him and advocate for him while he was in hospital. 

Happy Birthday Dad!