Thursday, March 30, 2017

An overdue update

To say an update is overdue, would be an understatement. So much has happened, this post would be too long if I went into detail, so I will condense a bit.

But before that, a little disclaimer. For privacy reasons, I will change the names of people involved from here on out.

Soon after the previous post which was back in December of 2016, Summer's husband had a heart attack. David had trouble breathing at home and she called 911. Had she not make that call, he certainly wouldn't be with us today.

Twice his heart stopped in the hospital and twice the good people there brought him back to life. Summer was devastated. I tried to be there for her as much as I could. She is a strong woman, always was, but she would cry often. David's wasn't the only heart which had broken.

His heart was badly damaged and went through surgeries for doctors to repair as much as possible. Weeks went by before he was allowed to come home. I wish I could say "and then everything was fine"... I wish.

Due to the remaining damage to his heart, he has to wear (still to this day) a vest that is a portable defibrillator 24/7. It will sound a loud alarm if anything goes wrong and if it detects that his heart has stopped it will shock him.

Both myself and Summer feared leaving him alone, wherever he went, one of us would be with him. Always concerned for his health. This kind man who had agreed to take me in, had returned to his home, weakened and stuck with a device strapped to his chest that he could not live without.

Many nights both of us would check on him while he was sleeping, to make sure he was alright. I helped as much as I could to help care for him. Between the medication, the strict diet that Summer put him on and the combined efforts of the entire family David slowly began to recover.

He went from being easily tired at the time he returned home, to now being able to drive on his own (but still wearing the vest). I try to go with him whenever possible without being intrusive. I know he wants to feel normal again, independent and able to do normal things. Who wants a passenger to just to get a gallon of milk?

I know sometimes he feels annoyed, but his heart is still damaged and I wouldn't want him to be alone if something happens while he out of the house, among a bunch of strangers if he is out driving or shopping.

And that is just a glance at what happened between December and now at the place I now call home. Well... there is more, much more. I worked at an Italian Festival, I'm on Fiverr and... well, I'll try to post again sometime this week with more details.

May you walk in the light of God.

Sincerely.

Luis

No comments:

Post a Comment