To the Hospital Once More

I went to California last week to do some consulting work, and as I was waiting for the plane, my mother called me to let me know that my dad was back in the hospital.

He had gone in for his chemo treatment, and he complained of chests pains. This set the hematology team in motion, and he ended up getting admitted for observation. They kept him from Thursday to Sunday.

During that time, the attending looked at my dad once and said, "You are not using oxygen anymore." While it was somewhat upsetting to hear that my dad was being removed from having the assistance of oxygen to breathe, the doctor's assessment was definitely right.

When my dad arrived to the hospital, he was depending on the oxygen for just about everything he did. By the time he left, he was able to talk without much coughing and shortness of breath. Walking still leaves him out of breath, and sitting up can also be troublesome, but he has improved.

The hope is that by the time that chemo ends, he will be completely off oxygen, or very close to being completely independent. Hope springs eternal.