The Hospital Visit

I had to call 911 last night and have them take dad to the hospital.

When getting ready to put his night clothes on and was sitting on the edge of the bed, he couldn’t get back up due to severe back pain. When he laid back down trying to stretch it out, then he -really- couldn’t get back up. Not only that but he was having severe spasms. I could tell they were very painful because of the way he would tense up and scrunch his face and he eventually started tearing up.

He wanted to wait about 45 min or so before decided whether I should call the ambulance, but he eventually gave in. I made sure I had his wallet with insurance info, his cellphone, and his glasses in case he needed to sign anything. I also moved all the furniture out of the way for the paramedics in case they needed to get a stretcher in the house. One of the neighbors stopped over when they saw the ambulance to check and make sure everything was okay. I teared up a little talking to her and explaining things, but she was very nice.

Hospital visit was pretty quick and uneventful, though I’m surprised the paramedics made him walk to the ambulance and down the stairs with how much pain he was in. Dad’s sister and brother-in-law came up to the hospital despite me telling them it wasn’t that big a deal and they needn’t to. The doctor said that he would treat a herniated disc or a pulled back muscle the same way. Some muscle relaxers, pain meds, and anti-inflammatory, then he would send him home to relax, and call his GP in the morning. The paperwork I have looks like they are calling this a “back sprain”.

Anyway so that’s what I will be doing this morning. I’ve let work know so I can try to work from home as much as possible with their permission.

Neither one of us got very much sleep last night, but we eventually fell asleep around 1am, with periodic waking up throughout the night. Dad slept in his recliner chair and I slept on the sofa next to him (or rather fought the dog for the sofa throughout the night) in case he needed anything. I have to keep a jug next to him in case he has to use the bathroom since he can’t walk, and I cooked him breakfast and made green tea this morning and have Westerns on the tv for him.

Not much else I can do at this point but play nursemaid and take care of things around the house and with the animals. I plan to call the doctor as soon as they open, and my Aunt is dropping off his prescriptions for me at the pharmacy that opens at 9am. Actually I’m not even sure I remember how to get to that pharmacy, but I know the general area. And I wasn’t sure I’d remember where the hospital was but I found it fine. Just never drive up that way much.