So in the Weekly wrap up, I said it might be cathartic to express yourself in a blog.

As some of you know, on Friday a week and half ago, my dad was taken to the hospital in delirium, but something wrong in his chest too. They put him in immediate isolation and did a COVID19 test and checked him for a Urinary Tract Infection (UTI).

I should insert here, that Dad was supposed to be put on a list to moved from a assisted living facility to a supportive living facility. Before the above happened, I put in the top 3 facilities that my sisters and Dad and me toured. Unfortunately we only saw one, another we saw the lobby and dining area and the 3rd we didn't see at all. This was due to COVID19

So the COVID19 test came back negative, I think Monday or Tuesday last week . They said something still wasn't a 100% right with his lungs and were treating the UTI and they were waiting for a complete Viral Panel to come back. The next day, they said his UTI was still there and he was really in bad delirium and thought they were trying to poison him, and was trying to kick and punch the nurses, so they had to take immediate precautions and stuck him with a sedative and knocked him out. When he work up later, he was in restraints but was much more calmer. My older sister was allowed to stop by the hospital and visit him.

The next day went better, as my older sisters night visit she convinced him the more water he drank, the more he would pee and with the antibiotics, would clear up his UTI and he would get out of there sooner. My older sister visited again.

We got a call on Wednesday and we were told a bed was found and that my dad had to take it or he would lose his top 3 and would have to take the next room anywhere in the city. Calgary is a city of 1.4 million and laid out over a large geographical area. So we brought up that he was in the hospital, and we were told by the transition nurse at the hospital when they released him, it would be to the Supportive Living Care facility only. So I did 3 hours of paperwork (I'm his enduring power of attorney), signed a cheque for a deposit and my sister dropped off the next day as she lives fairly close.

Well the weekend wasn't great. He was convinced everyday the nurses were telling him he was getting out the next day, and when that day came, he wasn't let out, he would get mad and angry. Saturday my older sister woke up with an ear infection and thus stopped visiting. We all knew Monday was the supposed release date, they don't release on weekends. Meanwhile, we could not get hold of anyone on the weekend at the new place so we could move stuff over. I bought him a new bed from Sleep Country. Shameless plug, but they were exceptional. All their stores are closed but when I called customer service and explained we needed a bed pronto, they got hold of a regional manager who called me right back. He was able to find out what type of bed he bought from them a couple of years ago (we needed to go down to a twin size) He knew the comfort level he had bought and found a mix and match set, mattress cover, a frame for me and keyed in the order and took my card number and it was ready for me to pick up in a 1/2 hour

On Monday we called the new place and still no answer from the intake manager, then the hospital called and said that they wouldn't be able to take Dad in on Monday, as we hadn't brought a bed over and other necessary living items . Now we had been trying to get stuff over for 3 days and nobody would let us. So the hospital said they would keep Dad to Wednesday but he would have to leave then, no matter what. Meanwhile Dad is belligerent and going into delirium again. Was convinced they were turning everyone in the hospital was trying to turn everyone into zombies (In my 52 years, I've never heard my dad mention zombies before). Add onto it, my older sister now has a fever of 38.4C and aches and chills all over. So my little sister is the one on visiting as the hospital won't let me visit as I"ve been a type 1 diabetic since I was 4.

All day today, my sisters and I have been trying to get hold of someone at the supported level centre so we could start moving, but no one answering the phone. My little sister visited again and talked him down with the assurance that she would get him out of the hospital tomorrow come hell or high water. So I got hold of someone in reception that I said basically we needed to come by tonight with a bed and some basic personal items, possibly his TV and one power recliner. She felt we could if we came at 7:00 PM tonight. So I went over to dad's place after stopping to get more packing boxes.

Then at six, we get an email from the new place, they have had a staff member test positive with COVID19 today. She has been self isolating for 8 days already, but they are shut down basically. Still didn't know if Dad was moving in or not. Next the hospital called and said that the centre had called them and said they have suspended all intakes indefinitely. This meaning dad has no where really to go tomorrow.

Well I talked tonight to my sisters and even if the hospital says they are keeping him, for his sanity and ours, we are taking him out tomorrow morning. I spoke with his current assisted living centre and they agreed to take him back there since he was negative on his test, as long as one of our family members visit with him once every day, to help keep his agitation down and we start looking after his laundry instead of him.

Great! Sounds like a plan!!! One last thing to do, Dad is an outside seniors support group called C3 (Compassionate Community Care). He goes in twice a week and they look after all his medical needs, they have him do physio, he can join in on group activities (bah ha ha ) but he sits around and will converse with the other old men that come out to talk to him  

So call the 24 hour nurse on duty to arrange for Homecare to start back up and arrive in the morning and evening to ensure he has taken his meds.

Now the wheels fall of the bus again. She is very sympathetic, but they have tomorrow as the termination date for him as he is supposed to be going into supportive care, which makes him ineligible for the C3 program anymore. I explained he is not going to the supportive care facility, so they can't terminate. She agreed but said the high ups would make a decision tomorrow. She also said she is unsure that they will be able to start Homecare to come by morning and evening or have the pharmacy do another refill for him .

So let me say, I do honestly believe that our nurses and facility workers are angels during this time of need. Just Dad is a victim of the circumstances and the system is letting him down in a major way. There has been any real communication between all the involved parties, but mostly with my sisters and me

I shall leave it at that and say stay tuned to this blog for future good, or bad news regarding my dad.

Stay safe and wash your hands!