kirkcudbright | my dad - doing pretty well, actually

Recall that my dad was rushed to the emergency room on Father's Day, with a septic infection (Fournier's Gangrene - google it if you really want to know). When we saw him the next day in intensive care, he had 3 very full IV trees feeding two central lines, and a very poor prognosis. The first time we met with the intensivist and the palliative care doc, they weren't sure he'd regain consciousness, and if he did, they predicted he'd need a tracheostomy, a diverting colostomy, and probably a lifetime of nursing home care. We said we'd cross that bridge when we got to it, and in the meantime, let's continue the current course of care, and see where that takes us.

He finally woke up after 2 weeks (he said he was "on the other side of the solar system"), and immediately took charge. He's a doctor, so he wanted to know everything he was being given, side effects and interactions, etc. Great, he's completely there, and we no longer have to make decisions for him

Dad was discharged from the rehab hospital last Tuesday, and was back to seeing patients by Friday. He never did need the tracheostomy or the diverting colostomy, and the wound care team is happy with how that's healing, without skin grafts.

We went out to visit on Saturday, to celebrate his homecoming - and my parents' 51st anniversary. He has a bit of trouble standing up, and he walks with a cane, but he can still get around the block, and crack jokes about it too - like the guy who used to walk all the way around the block, but now has to stop halfway and go back. So let's hear it for a tough old bird.