Will it ever end?

What a difference a day makes. Wednesday at noon, my dad was released from the hospital. I spoke with him by phone when he got home. He sounded perfect, and I visited him during the afternoon. He actually looked surprisingly healthy! Except for the rash, which will take several weeks to clear, he was back to his vibrant, funny, take-charge self. It was a joy to behold.

Thursday morning, just before 8:00AM, I got a call from my mother. She was calling to let me know that some time around 3:00AM, my father had screamed for help and my mother came running, only to find him laying on the floor of the bedroom. He hadn't fallen... he was just too tired to get back into bed after a trip to the bathroom. She's nearly 80 herself, and couldn't get him off the floor, so she called the ambulance. Good thing too. When they got to him, he was close to death. I shit you not.

From miraculous recovery to a near-death experience, in a matter of hours.

He would later tell the nurse at the resthome that it was the worst night of his life, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

He spent about 7 hours in the emergency room, on fluids, before the doctors basically said that all he really needed was close medical supervision, so he would take his meds and do what's required to get well. Without even admitting him to a room, he was discharged into the care of my mother and taken home.

This is the second time he's left the hospital in good shape only tor return in under 24 hours. And each time, the downhill slide had come faster than the time before. My sister and I had decided that what was necessary was close supervision outside the hospital. After some calls, we decided that the best course of action would be to have him in a private nursing home - at least until he can completely recover from the current bout with SJS. Within hours of making this decision, he was registered at a local nursing home, and we moved him out of the house.

At least now, he can be cared for by professionals, and my mother can be alleviated of the burden of trying to care for my dad. Last night was his first full night there, and since he doesn't yet have phone service, I don't know how the night went. I do know that my name was the "emergency contact" on the admission form, and I didn't get a call. So hopefully, things didn't go too badly for him.

Today, I have to bring him his TV set and make arrangements for him to get phone service.