Yesterday Dad didn’t want to wake up when I visited him. I had arrived somewhat earlier than usual because I needed to get back home for Kate and me to get something to eat before attending a concert by a local choral group.
I took him several bananas thinking he might like/need the nourishment because he sometimes doesn’t eat much of what eats gets in the dining room. He didn’t hesitate to want to move from his reclined position to sitting up. We got into the wheel chair with minimal difficulty. He did seem somewhat more lethargic. We got to the library where I read him his mail. He made virtually no comment throughout. I finally decided to call my brother, Glen, thinking that this would arouse him. However, he continued to sleep in his wheel chair. I had a 7-8 minute conversation with Glen, and Dad never said anything.
Finally, I took him to the dining room. By this time he accepted a banana, and he indicated he would like a cup of coffee. I left him at the dining table before he finished. He had eaten his dessert and a few other things. He still was relatively uncommunicative. This is the first time I have observed this since the first week after he returned from his last visit to the hospital a few weeks ago. I have also observed more confusion since his return. In addition, he has had cold hands a number of times and the edema in his left arm and hands has continued without improvement. I have mentioned this to the doctor, but he has been unable to identify a specific cause. Somewhere along the way, I have heard that congestive heart failure can be correlated with swelling. I am beginning to think this may be the case.
Dad has also had more trouble with his telephone than in the past. I bought him a new one last week. Two nights ago, he called me 10 times and Glen 4 times. Most of those times he didn’t say a word.
