At the stroke of two....

Thursday the 21st of JUNE 2007 at 2.13pm my 62 year old non-smoking, healthy eating, low cholesterol, top notch blood pressure, red wine drinking, pretty fit and active dad had a stroke.

They arrived back on the country on Monday after their “spend the kids inheritance world tour” It was not the flying that caused it.

They had 14 different long haul flights.

Dad had been feeling “off” since he got back. Jet lag we thought and a bit of a cold. He be-grudgingly accepted a cold and flu tab and spent some time in bed. He was feeling better and on Thursday he went with mum to have lunch with Kath, Mike and Ali. I declined due to a Uni assignment I had due.
They had lunch, and when they were leaving, dad dropped a napkin out of his hand, he picked it up with his right, and put it in his left, and it dropped out again. They all thought he was having a laugh. He then started to drool from his left side of the mouth, and became incomprehensible, he was still insisting to drive though! Stubborn old bastard.
Kath finally convinced him to give up the keys and while he was leaning on Mike, they called the ambulance. They then called me.

Rob and I rushed into the RAH, first choice of hospital.

It was a bit shocking for me. He looked so helpless, and no too with it. Mum was just holding it together.
Once in the Emergency Room, he was starting to pick up a bit, had strength in his right side really well, but a delayed reaction in his left, but still a minor grip.

We waited, and waited, he went off for a CT, and it showed a clot over the right eye region – hence the headache he said he had, and seemed to have had for a few days. (but not told anyone)
We were offered a new treatment for clot busting – 1 on 15 bleed out. Not good odds, and the time frame was fast closing. The intern suggested we did not go that option as he was improving.

He then did it again – 60 mins after the time frame was up and the dumb arse intern had disappeared thinking all her work was done. He started to crash before my eyes, cold clammy and grey. Crash cart was called and we were ushered into a family waiting area. The worst 15 mins of our lives thus far. We called Kath, she came in.

The doctor then came – and sat us down and explained what had happened, it had “extended” he used a herb garden analogy, when the watering system gets a blockage and you go away over summer, and when you come back it is obvious which parts have died off, He said the brain can re-route itself, and can recover, just depending on how big the damaged part is. We were then allowed to see him, he looked worse. Movement was less, although when we went in, he moved his left side, which the doc said he not done.

We then said, what dad’s wishes were, not to be resuscitated, and that he was an organ donor. If Dad could not have quality of life then he did not want anything done to prolong his life.

He went to a ward.

That night was sleepless and painful; it’s 25 years too soon.

Who is going to give me away at my wedding?
Who is going to help me fix things at home?
Who is going to drink wine with me, no matter how dreadful and say it is nice?
Who is going to fight me for the last pineapple tart?
Who is going to do the wiring in the extension?
Who is going to come with me to the market and then drag me around all the trash and treasure stalls looking at tools?
Who will I argue with over who gets to drive the car?
Who will I ask building questions to over the phone?
Who will laugh at farts and then deny it were them?
Who will fart silently and slip away to leave you gagging, and blame the dog?
Who will give me big bear hugs?
Who will sharpen my saw in the shed?
Who will buy me little trinkets and tools at the same time?
Who will steal the remote control and change channel to SBS while you are not looking?
Who will change the radio station to god awful music and say it’s great?
Who will I buy a lot of fruit for?
Who will I buy sparkling mineral water for, because they hate Adelaide water?
Who will talk to me about relationships and life?
Who will tell me that he’s excited about his new potential “son-in-law”?
Who will snore so loud you can hear it throughout the house?


So we wait ….

Now he bleeds, from the stomach, we don’t know why. They don’t know why. They have stopped his medication; this puts him at higher risk of another stroke, more paralysis and worse days ahead.

I don’t want him to give up, he is not scared of hard work, and he is stubborn.

I want my dad back how he was.

It was his birthday today, He is 63 now. I am 33. We are all too young to not have him around.

Who will fix my dad???