Monday, December 20 (Day 13)

Fortunately yesterday's ice cleared up by this morning, so I was able to return to Maryland (with kids in tow, but no husband!) on schedule. I managed to get to both the 4:30 and 8:30 visits. The difference in Dad's appearance relative to last week was pretty dramatic -- he looks like himself again, only a bit on the orange side. (Rather like an Oompa-Loompa, I thought, though Amy said he's too tall, and Katie pointed out that the Oompa-Loompas are somewhat better dressed.) His color seemed better at 8:30 than at 4:30, but Mom pointed out that the dimmer lighting probably hid it, so it's hard to tell. He has many fewer tubes and lines going into him now, and his monitor showed only two blood pressures, a pulse, and his oxygen saturation, which was up to a fabulous 98%. His oxygen percentage on the respirator was down to 40%, the lowest yet. They're really trying to wean him from the machines and medications!

Poor Dad has been plagued by hiccups off and on for the last couple of days, and occasionally he has coughing fits which are oddly quiet. I'm hoping such normal body functions are a sign that his system is trying to regain control, but maybe that's overly optimistic. The report this morning was that his chest x-ray might have been marginally better, though it's not easy to tell -- progress happens in weeks, not days.

When I got to Mom and Dad's house today I was touched to find a pile of get-well cards from friends and family waiting for Dad, with more arriving every day. Two were even for Mass intentions. When Dad is well, if he ever doubts that he is loved, he has only to look at these outpourings of affection for reassurance. I'm lucky to have him for a father.

I'm glad to be back with the family this week and am sorry that it's only for the week. Mom is doing rather well, given the circumstances, but she is finding it increasingly difficult to be out of her routine, particularly at this time of year. Lesser women would have collapsed completely by this point.