Retro-Blog 2010, January-August: Some of The Final Days of James Milton Wood Sr. (my Father)

[Editor's note: Much that was excessively technical or otherwise irrelevant has be excised from this series of online posts. And obviously, this was not originally a Blog entry.]

January 4, 2010:

Wondering what is going on with Dad.  No word from my sisters.  Must take a break for kitty searching and check on Dad.

January 10, 2010:

Dad back in the hospital, Jen leaving again for CO on Tuesday. Hopefully both turn out better than last time.

January 19, 2010:

I'm going to attempt an extended break from sharing family and personal drama on Facebook.

August 3, 2010:

Dad is back in the ICU at the horrorshow Willamette Falls Hospital. Stomach bleed and Pneumonia. Most vitals are trending positive, except for lung function, which is pretty bad.  Barely keeping acceptable blood oxygen levels with a positive pressure mask delivery of over %80 oxygen, and hoping they don't have to go for full artificial respiration.

August 4, 2010:

Dad's lung function greatly improved, transitioned from the positive pressure face mask to a simple nose tube.  Should be moved out of ICU any time now.

August 6, 2010:

I hate the night nurse.  First she calls my sister and says Dad won't make it through the night.  Then she gets all pissy about so many people showing up and kicks us all out until morning.  He's still alive, but worse again.

August 9, 2010:

The health-care roller-coaster was extra wild today.  It started with a "family meeting" where the staff tried to talk us into pulling the plug, and ended with my dad waking up, and talking to my sister. The difference: less morphine, more music.  I set him up with an mp3 player with many hours of his favorite country and gospel music, as well as old family recordings.

August 11, 2010:

There is another "family meeting" today. I lack the objectivity to know who is more irrational, myself or my older sister, but a determination on this point does not alter the inevitable conclusion.  I am sufficiently agitated that I must exclude myself from this process.

August 11, 2010:

Score another win for evil.  A medical professional violated her Hippocratic oath and state law by murdering my father at 5:15PM Pacific time today.

August 20, 2010:

Skipped my Dad's funeral. Too much bad blood between me and all other survivors, and selfishly, I really hate funerals.

August 23, 2010:

My father's third wife, Shirley, died today, on his Birthday and one day short of a week since his funeral. Her cancer was only at stage 2, so I'm not sure what happened.