Yesterday at suppertime, I got a call from the nursing home. Dad had come back from dialysis with very low blood pressure (70 over 30). So they just sent him on to the emergency room. (He's transported to and from dialysis by ambulance, so the ambulance was already handy.)
Next was the joy of trying to get any information out of the hospital. They literally put me on hold for 19 minutes. When I hung up and tried again, I got more cooperation, but not much. "He's seen a doctor, but nothing has been ordered," was about the best I got, but they did take my number at least.
Eventually, a doctor called back to say that Dad is fine. They gave him some sandwiches and his blood pressure came back no problem. The problem was getting him back to Rice Home, or getting someone to answer the phone there so it could be arranged. I told her just to keep trying and felt awful giving such lame advice. Then I looked in my package from Rice Home and found that though I didn't have a number for any of the nursing stations, I did have one for the director. Tried it and got him, too. And he said the same thing I did: sometimes the nurses are busy with residents; you just have to keep trying.
I would have liked to go over and keep Dad company, but I had given out both my cell phone and land line numbers and I was also trying to get in touch with Margaret and my siblings. So I figured I'd be more use here. I couldn't get Margaret, as she was out visiting. By the time she got back to me, everything was better. And a minute later, Rice Home called to say that Dad was on his way back. Color us relieved.
It's a question I can't answer whether the nurse at Rice just overreacted and was over cautious in sending him to the ER. Or for that matter whether the dialysis clinic drew off too much fluid. I just hope this never happens again, but am happy for the happy ending.
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