Ok, I’m seriously worried

[crimgoddess]

Right now my dad is in the bathroom. He is coughing, and can't catch his breath to the point that it is making him vomit. I don't know if it is allergies (he is allergic to cats like I am- but since I got here there has been an extra longhaired cat in the house), he is having some sort of asthma attack (he used to use an inhalor, but hasn't for a few years)- or it's something else. It's not even the vomit part that is freaking me out (although it will later when I go to use the bathroom)- his face and eyes are completely red, and he can't catch his breathe.


I don't know if it's bad enough for me to convince mom to take him to the hospital- or it can wait for the clinic tomorrow.


and xmas was going so well.....


*amber*

[lilyann]

That sounds scary--How is he doing now? If he still can't catch his breath, he probably should go to the hospital.

[crimgoddess]

He is trying to lie down now....I'll hear the occasional hacking cough from his bedroom, but he is managing to catch his breath.


My mom was in the bathroom with him, and apparently he threw up his entire dinner and lunch. She said that this isn't the first time it has happened- and she is blaming it on eating too much and not being able to digest his food- Hello! He was coughing and couldn't breath- what the hell does that have to do with eating too much? If it was just indigestion, would he have not just vomitted without the coughing, not breathing, and looking as though he were choking to death?


I have a sneaking suspicion that either his asthma is returning- or his allergies are getting bad enough that he needs more than off the shelf meds. It can't be good for someone with bloodpressure as high as his (the dentist refused to give him a root canal a few months ago because his blood pressure was too high) to be coughing so hard he can't catch his breath. Unfortunately, getting my dad into the doctor's is like pulling teeth, and they will probably tell him the same thing- cut down on stress, eat better, etc- unlikely to happen.


God....you would think after my father saw his father die from something that could have been prevented had he done what the doctor recommended he would use that as a reality check.


*amber*

[lilyann]

That's good that he seems to be getting better. I wonder what came first though, was it the coughing that made him vomit or was it the vomitting that made him cough? Maybe the coughing caused him to vomit because he was too full.


I know what you mean about pulling teeth though. My dad is the same way and has to be on his death bed before he will see a doctor. Luckily my Mom is on top of his health problems and when she speaks he listens[img]smileys/smilies_01.gif[/img].


Well, I hope your dad continues to feel better and hopefully if there is some underlying cause, he will do something about it.

[liriodendron]

Call an ambulance. They will be able to determine if he needs to go to
the hospital. And it will keep the neighbors all excited for a
while.

[HDogg]

It could be asthma that caused the v*. I remember watching the tv show Paramedics on Discovery Health Channel, and there was a woman having an asthma attack and she v* from it. I really hope your dad is all right! Let us know.

[kel12347]

Asthma along with heavy coughing can cause v*. My dad has had terrible asthma since he was a kid, and occasionally he will cough until he v*s. It happened a lot in the morning when I was a kid....what a scary thing to wake up to.

[crimgoddess]

thanks guys....


Lily- he was red in the face and coughing for about 45 minutes...then the vomitting happened. It was about an hour and a half after he ate.


I got the full story from mom and now she is saying that dad went to the doctor last week, and they did a bunch of tests. The doctor said that this is happening because he has too much weight in his middle section, and he has too much stress in his life. He's 6'1, and 205 lbs- he does have a bit of a paunch, but I don't think it can really be significant enough to cause digestive problems. He has a big frame- but he is definitely not what you would consider overweight.


I asked mom if they did and asthma test and she said yes- but I think she is lying to me, because I know that she wouldn't have been there when dad went in ( it would have been during the day on dad's day off- she would have been at work). She's probably trying to tell me what I want to hear so I wont worry- but I'm going to try and get the real story out of dad tonight- because he is a horrible liar and usually doesn't bother anymore.


I seriously think it is his asthma returning. Him, my brother and I used to all be like that...my brother and I grew out of it, and I think my dad just ditched his inhalor after he went a year without any symptoms.


Arg.....I can hear him now. Once in awhile he'll let out another hacking cough. Going to have to interrogate him later and guilt trip him into going back to the doctor if necessary


*amber*

[crimgoddess]

Just great- got a phonecall from my mom- Dad is in the hospital. She was calling from her cell, and it kept cutting out. The jist of it is that dad had another episode like the one described above, and this time mom's friend was over (she used to be a nurse) and made him go to the ER. Apparently his blood pressure is now extremely low, and they are admitting him....or at least that's what I heard before her phone cut out.


I've tried calling her back, but keep getting no answer (her stupid blackberry probably died). ARG! He has been sick this whole time- but no one believed that it was serious.....and now he's in the hospital.What if all this time not going in was causing more damage? His family doesn't exactly have the best health record (and neither does he)


And I don't even know what the deal is- and if I should start checking flight info to get home (my parents live 6+ hours away). I HATE THIS!


*amber*

[lilyann]

Amber--Is there any way you can call the hospital and have your mom paged so you can speak with her and get all of the information? At least there was someone there who was able to make your dad go to the hospital since he is so adamantly against it. Everything will be okay. Hang in there!!

[jenny.preston]

Amber,


If you need anything, let me know, I'm sure everythign will be okay. Where do your parents live? Get all the info before you check on a flight and talk to your moma nd see what she wants you to do.


You're still in classes right? If she doesn't think it to be of an emergency nature, she'd probably want you to stay at school. Just talk to your mom.


Are you getting a ton of snow today like me? Peterborough is just crazy!!


Jenny

[suze]

Thinking of you Amber, if you want to chat, you know how to get me. Have e-mailed you to check things are going ok.

[crimgoddess]

Thanks guys......These messages really calmed me down.


I didnt call the hospital, because I figured that they may not have had all the information I wanted yet (test results, etc.) and that my mom wasn't calling back for a reason- and there was one. She was in with my dad while they were running tests. The main story is that even though his heart rate plunged, they can't figure out why as of yet because he was better by the time he was seen at the hospital, and it didnt happen again while he was there. He was discharged, and is being sent back for more tests. They are going to make him wear a heart monitor for a day (or longer) to see if they can pinpoint where and why his heart-rate is dropping.


Thank god my boyfriend was here- not only did he calm me down (was starting to pack to go home), but he explained the medical aspect to me (he's a nurse). He mentioned this long word that apparently means my dad may need a pacemaker. Funny, here I was thinking all this time that my dad was having asthma attacks, or allergies....but it was really his heart! Never saw that one coming. Hopefully this scare means that he will do EXACTLY what the doctor tells him.


He called me as soon as he was discharged, and you know what the first thing he said was? "I talked to your grandmother, she wants to give you spending money for your trip" (I'm going to Australia/Tasmania in less than 2 weeks). Hello! You just get sent to the hospital because you couldn't breathe and your heart rate was almost non-existant, and all you have to talk about is my trip? Typical dad, haha.


Lilyann- thank GOD someone forced him to go in! If it would have happened when he was home, chances are he would just have sat in the bathroom and waited for it to pass. Jenny- I'm in Ottawa, which is currently being dumped on (YAY!)- my parents are in Sudbury...they probably wouldnt have wanted me to go home, but I don't have any classes (I have finished my course component- only have my TA class to go to). I can be just as stubborn as dad is if the case warrants it


Suze- thanks for the message and email - I appreciate it. I will drop you a line tonight if you are around.


serenity NOW!


(Once again thanks for the support....even when I sound crazy, haha)


*amber*