a turn for the worse...again

Saturday night, as Brian and I were out to eat with a large group of friends for Valentine's Day, he suddenly started hearing strange noises. He became confused as to where we were and how we had arrived, etc. I calmly had my sister who was with us call my Dad to come pick us up in the van and said good-bye to all our friends. Brian was unable to walk to the car, and thankfully my Dad had his wits about him to bring the wheelchair.

When we got home, he was able to walk into the house with assistance and he and my Dad watched some TV. He had the volume up extremely high because he was unable to hear much.

Brian's confusion continued. He was insistent on going pee, yet could not make it to the bathroom. We got the urinal, but he was unable to go - yet still insistent on the need to go. He was very difficult to discuss with logically due to his confusion. He was in no condition to go up the stairs due to falling, but was insistent and irritated that I wouldn't let him. I called hospice for reinforcement and the nurse came out to help convince Brian to stay put. She took his vitals and his blood pressure has dropped again while his pulse is over 100. This is "part of the process" - a term I am hearing more often.

After she left, we gave Brian a Lorazapen to help him rest as he was so fitful. It did no good and within an hour or so, he continued with his bathroom urges and talking incessantly - nonsense mostly. As he would begin to drift to sleep, his right leg would tremor and he would talk and mumble more. I was afraid that he would fall asleep and not wake, so I called Jan, Brian's mom. She was up with a stomach bug, but came over around 2 am.

Brian was still not sleeping or resting, so we gave him a sleeping pill around 2:30. It did not work. Brian did not sleep at all. We turned on the TV to help him rest, but he just played with the remote. He talked to Jan if she would listen, me if I would listen and himself if no one would listen. He vomited everything he ate over the course of the night, too.

This morning, with the house stirring and everyone waking, he is still confused and talking nonsense. Examples: He thinks he has a cup of coffee when he doesn't. He wants to go outside or across the room and thinks we discussed that we were going to do this. I cut off his water telling him that he keeps vomiting, so he needs to slow down on the water drinking. He told me he was going to get new management.

I told the boys when they woke this morning that Daddy got much sicker last night and he is saying some funny things. Daddy can't walk right now and we have to have a hospital bed come to the house. Gavin explained that it should probably go in the Wii room. I was proud of him for thinking that through and offering up his video games. I told him we could very easily move the Wii to another room.


The strangest part of this whole transpiring of events is the suddenness of it all. Friday night, Brian and I went to a local bar to hear a good friend of mine's band play. We had a fabulous time. He was walking and talking and remembering and totally fine. All day Saturday was the same. He was in a great mood and laughing and being his same witty self. This all happened WHILE we were at Alexander's Steakhouse. I couldn't believe the sudden onset and rapid decline.


So, I pray that Brian can find some peace and that his body can rest. I pray that our time can be blessed. I pray that the children are not alarmed.

I will write more as time allows....

KEEP BELIEVING