Numb

Sometimes when you blog about having nothing to blog about, fate's fickle hand curls itself into a fist and handballs you.

I Don't Want To Think About It - Wild Strawberries
On Friday night, as we were cleaning up after dinner, MTM said, "You should call your parents and see how your mom is feeling."

"OK." A minute later, the phone rang. The caller ID said it was my parents. Well, that's convenient, I thought.

"Hello?"

"Hey SciFi." It was my younger sister (the one who lives a few blocks from my parents). "Dad said he wanted me to call you."

"Why?"

"Well, I just got here, but he called me in a panic because he was standing up when all of a sudden his right leg went numb and he couldn't stand on it."

Fuck. "What?"

"He was standing at the counter. Apparently he was able to lower himself safely and drag himself to his chair."

"And how is he now?"

"Oh he's got feeling back. He can feel me touch his feet and everything."

"And it was just his leg?"

"Well, and his arm a little. But he was totally coherent. Mom thinks it was a TIA."

"OK. So are you guys going to the hospital?"

"No, he doesn't want to."

"OK. Can I talk to Dad?"

"Sure. Hang on."

"Allo."

"Hey Pop."

"Hi. I'm OK."

"You're not OK. Your leg went numb."

"But it's OK now."

"You think you should go to the hospital?"

"No. It's OK now."

"What happened?"

"I was in the kitchen, getting a beer," Of course you were "when I feel it go."

"That doesn't sound good."

"Meh, it's OK now."

*    *    *
"What's up?" MTM asked when I hung up. I filled her in.

"So is he going to Emerg?"

"Nope."

"Why not?"

"He doesn't want to."

"Do you think he should go?"

"Yeah, but I'm not going to start a fight when there's nothing I can do here except piss him off."

*    *    *
Sunday afternoon, I was watching some football when the phone rang.

"It's [my older sister]," MTM said as she picked up. "Hello? Again? They called the ambulance? So now what?"

"Uh, can I talk?" I interrupted.

"I think your brother wants to talk to you."

"Hey."

"Hey. So [younger sister] didn't call you?"

"No, not yet. What happened?"

"His leg went numb again. They called an ambulance."

"And?"

"And that's all I know."

"OK."

*    *    *
The phone rang during dinner that night. I jumped to get it. It was my older sister's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey. So he's in an ambulance. He walked to the stretcher himself. Mom and [younger sister] are waiting for a cab."

"OK."

"It was both legs this time, and he wet himself. Mom is in hysterics."

"Jeez."

"When I talked to his surgeon before his surgery, he said if Dad didn't have the surgery that one morning in the next six to 12 months he'd wake up paralyzed from the waist down and have wet himself."

"Huh. So maybe the surgery bought him 18 months."

"I don't know."

"Me neither."

*    *    *
The phone rang as we were putting the kids to bed. Again, it was my older sister.

"Hey."

"Hey. [younger sister] went home because they only let one person in the room and Mom's there."

"OK."

"The doctors think it was a TIA. They're waiting for blood results, but unless that turns up something, they're sending him home tonight with a referral to a TIA clinic."

"So wait, he's had two in three days, and they're going to send him home knowing he's likely to be back the day after tomorrow?"

"Yep."

Fuck.

*    *    *
I got two emails from my younger sister later last night. The first one was sent at 12.07am and said that he had gone for a CAT scan and they did not think he would come home that night. The next one was sent at 1.00am, and said he was home and that the ER doctor thought it was a mild stroke, and he needed to see a specialist ASAP.

*    *    *
And that's where we stand as of now. I feel scared and nervous and uneasy. It's hard for anyone to think about their parents getting sick or weak, but (at least I think) it's harder for a man to see his dad like this. It's probably some stupid macho guy thing, but it is what it is.

So, if you're so inclined, have a good thought for my dad today (or, if your faith suggests prayer, that's good too). He could use it.

And in the comments, tell me things about your weekend to distract me, OK? OK.

---

In less depressing news, Munchkin has selected the beautiful Miss L. of Dads Who Mock The World fame, as the winner of her first contest. Miss L.'s ballerina costume, combined with her wonderful pose, won Munchkin's affection. Thanks to everyone who entered. We all enjoyed seeing your costumes.