Where's the Silver Lining?

Another massive storm

For some time I've noticed Robert having problems focusing at time, becoming extremely irritable at times, and just not being himself. But the past week, everything intensified. He would just zone out, stare into space or at the ground, fall asleep. He couldn't find the words to talk. He would be asked a question and not respond.

Then Saturday morning, I saw his bare foot. It was nasty, swollen, red on top, dead white with some black spots on the the bottem and between his last three toes. I wanted to take him to the ER. He refused, but at least he did agree to soak his foot. As he dried the foot afterwards, he discovered a thin metal wire that came out of the foot that now oozed stuff. He still wouldn't go to the ER.

We went over to Randy's and Janelle's for hamburgers to celebrate Randy's and Ryan's birthdays. Janelle noticed how unlike himself Robert was. She said he had been acting unlike himself for about three weeks that she knew, and she told me about an incident when he was hateful about Colby in front of Colby. That is so unlike Robert. He loves his grandchildren more than his own life. I said something about it today, and he doesn't remember it.

When we got home, it took Robert about twenty minutes to make it from the car to the house. He kept dozing off.

Bob called and talked to his dad, got him to take a look at the foot. When Robert took off his sock, it was full of blood. He agreed to go to the ER. I called the doctor's answering service. The doctor on call told me to take him immediately to the hospital and be prepared for him to stay.

In the emergency room, four huge hypos of antibiotics were given to him. He was admitted, and we were told that he would not leave as long as his foot was an open wound.

Cultures showed that he has a staph infection. An orthopedic surgeon is being called in. They hope they can save his foot and get the infection that invaded his whole system under control.

I think I'm tired.