Not out of the woods yet

The EFG and I had a good hour with my Dad this afternoon, although the YFG had to spend the time patiently in the relatives' room as she has developed a cold.  When we arrived, Dad was asleep, but soon perked up when he realised we were there.

He looks tired, and I guess that it isn't the best place for a restful night's sleep, so I can understand that, and he seems to grab what sleep he can get!

Remembering that he went in because his heart rate had plummeted last Wednesday, we have looked at the monitor each time we visit, and it has shown anything from 40 - 60 bpm, still a little low, but they seemed to have it under control.  Today when we walked in, it showed 113, and it varied over the hour, setting off the alarm three times by spiking over 200 and reaching 227 at the highest I saw it.  Two doctors and two nurses came over each time, and they had a discussion about medication, and said that he will be resuming a pill that they had stopped!  His pacemaker insertion is now booked for Friday, so we have to hope and pray that he stays stable enough to have it done this time.

The FH's son has been invited over for the holiday but he isn't coming.  I hoped that he had other invitations, but today I heard from him again and he says that he hopes to work, to keep his mind occupied.  I'm upset that that means he will be alone in a chilly carpenter's workshop, building sheds, but I can see what he means, I think.  We have some gifts for him, so we will arrange to see him another time, soon.  He's in our thoughts a lot at the moment - he works until he is exhausted and then he sleeps, and then he works.  It is very hard.

As far as Christmas goes, we are as ready as we will be this year, and I still haven't got the marzipan and icing on the cakes....they may not get them this year!  People who like fruit cake like fruit cake, surely!

We have had a lovely meal together here tonight, I have watched Last Tango in Halifax, and the rest of the gang are watching something else now, and I am going to potter in the kitchen for a while before heading off to bed with a book.  Chapel is not until 10.30am in the morning, so I can have a short lie in before I get up to see to the chooks.

Merry Christmas, everybody - love and best wishes for a peaceful Christmas!