The Continuing Adventures of Mr. Mr. Smith

My father is continuing to recover from his heart attack (now officially labeled arrhythmia), although there was another scare last Sunday night. He started to feel dizzy again and experienced tightness in his chest, so he returned to the hospital. The ambulance crew recognized him from the last trip they took together, although Dad, understandably, did not remember them. The hospital ran some more tests, kept him overnight, and then decided it was probably a side effect of his medication and changed his timing so two pills wouldn’t interact.

So the week began on a roller coaster note. It continued in large part as a long wait for the cardiologist appointment on Friday. Mom stayed home from school again on Monday, and called her own mother to help. Grandmother lives just over an hour away, and my aunt, who happened to be visiting at the time, brought her to my parents’ house.

Grandmother stayed the course of the week and helped Mom with a variety of tasks around the house and kept Dad company. He’s had good days and not-so-good days. He’s not really the sort to watch movies all day long and was, I think, starting to get bored. Fortunately, my grandmother is crazy (it runs in the family). I’m pretty sure they kept each other well entertained. Also, she cooked. Dad is allowed to have peanut butter cookies, so she made plenty of those, among other things. I’m sort of jealous.

Dad’s doctor appointment on Friday went well. He confirmed what the hospital suggested earlier, that one of Dad’s medications was causing problems. He went a step further and decided that, ultimately, it was not necessary. So Dad’s off that one. All else is well. There was no permanent damage to the heart, and Dad is healthy enough that the doctor is dropping the recommended rehab time from three months down to one. They are getting a twenty-four hour heart monitor just to double-check, but the doctor believes Dad is in good shape.

Dad himself feels much better. That comes partly from being off the medication, and also partly just from getting the doctor’s reassurances. He’s moving around more (still not so much with carrying laundry, but Mom’s got him folding it at least) and his bruises from the surgery are going away. He needs to avoid excessive stairs and sitting up quickly. Also, breakdancing is probably out. He’s spending most of his time reading, eating, and watching movies, but is also beginning to get back into his workshop and generally beginning his return to normal activity.

Next week he comes here to visit me (the doctor has no problem with that) and he will return to work in March. If all goes well with the heart monitor and rehab, he’ll return to the doctor in May for a follow up. Then all should be back to normal (with the exception of those diet arguments he’s going to lose, but I’m of the opinion that’s an acceptable compromise).