Sharing my stress...

[Guest guest]

Hi all,

Just as my work schedule started becoming manageable, and I was able to

start to return to my normal workout routine, I found myself meeting my next

level of stress and anxiety. Please, let me share...

Right after we came back from my dad's doctor visit this past Friday

morning, where the doctor had praised my dad for his weight loss and admired

his new found flexibility and continued movement, my dad had something

happen to him.

We had an early doctor visit and they wanted a fasting blood sugar test, so

we did not eat, yet, that morning. On the way back from the doctor, I

treated him to Mc's pancakes and sausage (to go). .My dad likes McD's

pancakes, and with sour cream, it's an okay meal for a diabetic. I made the

coffee and left him having his breakfast to go take a business conference

call at 10:30 Friday AM.

Sometime very shortly after my call ended (<11:30 AM - I still had my

headset on) I heard my door handle turning and thought it was my dad. It

turned out to be an 8 year old neighbor friend of my 7 year old son. I

mentioned that was not home and asked why he was not in school today.

He was all upset and tried to explain that 's grand-pop had fallen

outside and could not get up. YIKES!

My dad continually wrapped and tended our household trash (although, for his

wellbeing and safety, we asked him NOT to do this). Friday, after the trash

was picked up, my dad went out and started to bring in the trash cans.

Somewhere in that process, he went dizzy and fell face down into the river

jack stones and Belgian block surrounding our side deck.

My oldest son, last saw my dad finishing his breakfast when heading up for a

nap between his college class and work, about 10:50. He remembers being

waken by Angelo (our neighbor boy) at 11:20. My son went to help while he

sent Angelo over to my office. It was in the 40's Friday morning, so it was

quite chilly. When I saw my dad he was very blue / purple from both the

cold and the inclined angle that he was laying. My older son could not lift

him so he was still in the same position as his fall when I found him.

Together, we slowly and gently turned him around and sat him up. A few

moments more and he was not feeling so dizzy, so we helped him up and walked

him inside the house. He claimed to be fine, but had one heck of a bruise

on his head and a split above his eyebrow that made me nervous, so I called

his doctor. The doctor suggested I take him to the hospital. He seemed to

be still fine while we were waiting to be seen, but, was a bit confused.

This confusion seemed to get worse and worse while we waited for tests to be

done.

The doctors felt that it was something that took place inside his brain that

caused his fall and not the other way around. It has now been several days,

and they are still fishing for the reason. In the meantime, my dad, who was

100% cognitively there, started eating make believe cake and was picking

make believe white potatoes to share with my 13 year old son who was

visiting with me at the hospital. In flash moments, he recognized us (my

wife and visiting children), but it was only to say our names for a moment,

then return to his make believe world.

I thank God for Angelo's persistence in finding help for my dad. This

little guy had tried the front door, but with my son sleeping and me on the

conference call with the headset, no one heard him. He searched each door

in our home until he found the one door my dad went out and left open, then

searched the home, looking for anyone to help until he found my 21 year old

son sleeping in his bedroom. What a great little child! We know my dad

could not have been there for more than maybe 20 minutes, but, without

Angelo's intervention, my dad may have been in much worse shape from the

cold, the angle and the injuries.

There is not much than any of us can do for my dad right now, but wait and

see if the doctors can find and maybe fix the problem. Since I look to all

of you as my extended BFL family, I just ask for your prayers for us to

accept God's will and to comfort my dad and my family as we work through

this medical mystery.

Thanks for listening,

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Holowko, CPA, CCP

PO Box 444

Lafayette Hill, PA 19444-0444

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Telephone:

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E-mailto:gholowko@...

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Remember... Progress, NOT perfection!

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