It has been awhile since my last e-mail.  Dad's pacemaker crapped out.  So on Feb 20, he had a replacement one put in.  The area where the pacemaker was installed, got really swollen and we took him back to the Dr.  He said the swelling will go down in a few weeks.  Dad started rubbing on it some and on this past Monday, it was leaking a clear fluid (like from a blister) and oozing a bit of very dark blood.  So we went back to the Dr. and he was admitted to the hospital (in the Medical Center - the one Aunt Jay went to) this past Tuesday. 

The Dr. was worried that the pacemaker or leads were infected.  But another Dr. said no, it was just the skin on top of it (where Dad was touching it) was infected.

Dad was started on 2 IV antibiotics and the wound care nurse was called in.

He had a hard time with being at the hospital and we immediately moved our home nursing staff to the hospital, so he isn't alone.  He tends to try to get out of bed and escape.  He didn't really sleep until last night.  He did get some sleep and then today he didn't want to get up.  He was swinging at and kicking at our nurse (Liz) and the hospital's nurses.  Liz called me at 9am and asked if I could come up to try to get him up (I work a few hospitals over from where he is).  I got there and he didn't want to move or wake up.  Liz and I finally got him up (after a few swings and kicks) and I got him to take his pills and to eat breakfast.  He wouldn't however get up to get changed.  He was wet and so were the sheets.

I went back to work and then returned at noon for lunch.  He was much better.  He was up and cleaned, sitting in the chair and watching TV.  He had a good lunch and I am back at work.  I will go back at 3 pm (after work).

Overall, he is getting better.  They want to keep him there for a few days to make sure that the antibiotics are working (Oh, they took him off one IV antibiotic and put him on the pill type) and the wound is healing.  The Wound nurse came in between my morning visits and said it looked real good.

So hopefully he will go home no later than Monday.

I will let you know how things are going.

Love and hugs to all,

Mary