99:365

Well.... dad's fever has finally somewhat stabilized.... and he is tolerating the IV antibiotics he is getting. His spirit is strong... but his body is betraying him these past few days. Today... it was discovered that he has a significant blood clot in his left femoral artery *left groin/upper leg area.
Ironically... the best thing for the pneumonia is to be as active as possible.... but with a clot.. he is confined to minimal movement at best... as he is getting blood thinners and such to absorb the clot and minimize more from forming. It is a viscious cycle almost.....

Mimicking the up and down of dad's health... is the weather here. I took this photo of a stained glass art piece in my parent's living room looking out to the backyard... and not even an hour later... we were in the middle of a massive snowstorm.

The snow didn't stay of course.... and I'm sure the weather will improve... it just seemed horribly ironic....

Walking around the house... I was really tired... and trying to figure out what I would take as my photo for the day....

And so.... I am including a photo of probably some of the most *ahem* interesting wallpaper ever.... (in my parent's bathroom)... and a photo of a hand-colored photograph of my dad taken when he was about 3 years old. Yes... my grandmother really did dress him like that for school. He says it was how he learned to fight so well as a kid (>>giggle<<).

* all photos by Elaine A. Russell

98:365

-----------------------------------------photo by Elaine A. Russell

At 3am we called the ambulance. Dad was incoherent, lethargic... and had a raging fever of 104 (axillary).... which means it was actually higher at the core of his being....

I hated to call the ambulance. Dad has only been home form the hospital for about a week... and I know that he would not want to go. That said... he really needed to go.

Mom and I spent the night in the ER, and he was admitted in the am. Diagnosis.... pneumonia.

This whole trip has been so topsy-turvy. None of it makes any sense. Dad will have a good day or two... and then a lousy day or two... and there doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to it.
Mom is holding up alright... but it is definitely wearing on her.

I'm sure there are some that could wax philosophically about this all.... but I can't... and I won't.

97:365

----------------------------------------turkey at a farm in Gold, PA

Today was an incredibly busy day. Dad had an appointment with his primary physician at 9am. It was good to be able to have a lengthy visit, and get everything straightened out.
From there... we had lunch at Fezz's Diner. I have mentioned Fezz's before.. it is a fantastic 50's diner just outside of town. My dad hadn't been there in quite awhile.. and actually felt up to staying for lunch.. so that was awesome.

Around Noon, he had his first infusion of Zemetta; which is an IV medication that helps with bone formation and strengthening... used primarily with cancer patients.

In the afternoon, my daughter and I went back to Gold, PA to drop items off at the Recycling Plant. It is a very pleasant drive. We stopped at the Gold General Store... just as quaint and old fashioned as you would imagine it to be.
Just past the Gold General Store; it a small farm... and in the front area were a stunning pair of turkeys.
In Colesburg, we stopped at the Wending Creek Farms to get fresh spring water for my parents. We filled several jugs.. and admired the spring beds of daffodils that were in full bloom.



We got back to Coudersport just in time to take my dad up for his first radiation appointment... and he seemed to do very well.... but by suppertime he was not feeling well. Assuming it was just the effects of a very busy day; he went to rest. By midnight.... he was running a fever.....

----------------------------------------all photos by Elaine A. Russell