my dad finally hit rock bottom
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: delaware, ohio
Posts: 12
my dad finally hit rock bottom
My 58 yr old father finally hit rock bottom. He had a weeks vacation the first week of January. He was having severe back pain. He does have a regenerative disc in his back. He went to the family doctor to get some pain pills. The pills fir not help. He went to the chiropractor several times over the weekend. Nothing was helping. He went on a whiskey and pill bindge. I went into his room to give him an ice pack for his back and he had horrible bruising all up and down his legs. My mother too him to the ER. The ER doctor treated him like trash and sent him on his way not treating hid pain or bruising.
My father stopped drinking that day. He was scared for his health. Several days later I took him to the family doctor. I went into the room with him to make sure my dad was honest and our questions were answered. My dad told him he had been drinking a gallon of whiskey weekly for the last year and had also been an alcoholic for the last 40 years. I asked the doctor about quitting fold turkey like he was and nothing was mentioned about doing this in a medical setting. He pretty much listed the acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He never told us what we were doing was life threatening.
Long story short, after going home he lost the ability yo walk and suffered severe delirium tremens. I had to look the symptoms up nonlinear and we went back to the ER where my dad was finally treated with care, concern, and respect.
That night he had a heart attack, was restrained with leathers, fully sedated, intubated, and life flighted to a bigger hospital. He has noe been in CCU for 11 days and they are unable to e
My father stopped drinking that day. He was scared for his health. Several days later I took him to the family doctor. I went into the room with him to make sure my dad was honest and our questions were answered. My dad told him he had been drinking a gallon of whiskey weekly for the last year and had also been an alcoholic for the last 40 years. I asked the doctor about quitting fold turkey like he was and nothing was mentioned about doing this in a medical setting. He pretty much listed the acute alcohol withdrawal symptoms. He never told us what we were doing was life threatening.
Long story short, after going home he lost the ability yo walk and suffered severe delirium tremens. I had to look the symptoms up nonlinear and we went back to the ER where my dad was finally treated with care, concern, and respect.
That night he had a heart attack, was restrained with leathers, fully sedated, intubated, and life flighted to a bigger hospital. He has noe been in CCU for 11 days and they are unable to e
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: delaware, ohio
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Unable to extubate him. He has more complications everyday. It is getting very critical. I am just despising how blindsided we were by all of this and feel very desperate. I havewanted my daddy yo get sober my entire life. I just never imagined it would turn out like this.
I am just looking for support and advice at this point. I sm terrified for when he comes home.
I am just looking for support and advice at this point. I sm terrified for when he comes home.
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: South Central USA
Posts: 87
Megan82, I'm so sorry for all you're going through and having to deal with! I can only imagine how terrifying and discouraging this must be for you.
I don't have any great words of wisdom, but my heart goes out to you. Your dad is about the age of my husband. I would just hate for his children (or mine) to have to experience what you are. I hope you don't feel responsible or guilty for your dad's situation or for not knowing the dangers of him going into withdrawal. Apparently even the doctor wasn't fully aware. That is too heavy a burden to carry and it's one I hope you won't even try to lift.
((hugs))
I don't have any great words of wisdom, but my heart goes out to you. Your dad is about the age of my husband. I would just hate for his children (or mine) to have to experience what you are. I hope you don't feel responsible or guilty for your dad's situation or for not knowing the dangers of him going into withdrawal. Apparently even the doctor wasn't fully aware. That is too heavy a burden to carry and it's one I hope you won't even try to lift.
((hugs))
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
I went through a very similar experience with my second husband. He was in a coma for about a week, liver and kidneys shut down. He almost didn't make it.
He did, though, and the upshot of the whole thing was that he had EARLY cirrhosis, and if he quit drinking he would be fine.
Sadly, after all that, he did ultimately return to drinking, and so far as I know he is still drinking himself to death--how he is alive 15 years later I have no idea.
I hope your dad is OK, and is able and willing to make a full recovery.
Hugs,
He did, though, and the upshot of the whole thing was that he had EARLY cirrhosis, and if he quit drinking he would be fine.
Sadly, after all that, he did ultimately return to drinking, and so far as I know he is still drinking himself to death--how he is alive 15 years later I have no idea.
I hope your dad is OK, and is able and willing to make a full recovery.
Hugs,
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Join Date: Jan 2013
Location: Franklin, MA
Posts: 10
I am so sorry that you are going through this. I also just went through something very similar with my husband. He was in the hospital for a whole month. He was a mess. Intubated for 2 weeks. When they removed the vent he was still going through the DT's. It took a couple days and he was moved out of icu and to a regular room. It was very scary. He had some other complications such as internal bleeding and blood clots. He came home just before New Years and is doing good. Getting stronger everyday and not drinking. 60 days today!! He has been very humble and loving. I pray everyday that he continues on this path. He knows his next drink will kill him.
Sending you lots of good thoughts. I hope this is it for your Dad's drinking. Stay strong and take care of yourself too.
Sending you lots of good thoughts. I hope this is it for your Dad's drinking. Stay strong and take care of yourself too.
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Location: delaware, ohio
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My dad was finally extubated after 16 days. He is feeling better but not yet in the clear. He is having the hardest time waking up after being weaned off of pain, sedation, and delirium meds. He also lost the ability to walk and I am very concerned about this.
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
He will be very weak, at least for a while. Use this time to try to get some rest for yourself. It sounds like he will pull through this crisis, and you can wait and see what happens from here on before you worry too much about what MIGHT be.
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Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 50
So sorry you are having to go through this. Similar situation with my 63 year old husband 3 months ago. He fell and injured his back and in hospital full blown DTs, intubation, cardiac arrythmias, ICU, pneumonia. Never woke up and his brothers chose to stop aggressive care as he would never want to be confined to nursing home. We were separated and thankfully his brother was his health care representative so I did not have to make that decision. One thing that a lot of people don't realize is that even with inpatient hospital care the mortality rate for DT's is about 10-15%. My husband did not survive. His bottom was death. Sending healing thoughts your way.
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He was moved out of CCU last night to a step down room on the neuron genteel. They believe he may have some brain damage from thevalcojol. Heaven help me! It seems one good thing is followed by something horrible.
A work in progress
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: South Jersey
Posts: 16,633
Virtually ALL alcoholics have brain damage from drinking. Whether, and to what extent, someone recovers from that is a very individual thing. The brain is amazing, and depending on how widespread the damage is, the brain can often create new pathways to restore almost normal functioning.
Keep breathing. Wait and see. We will keep you and your dad in our prayers.
Keep breathing. Wait and see. We will keep you and your dad in our prayers.
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Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: In Today
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the brain can often create new pathways to restore almost normal functioning.
scans from when I got sober and forward. Today I have built pathways over the years
in areas of my brain where they are not normally seen. And in the area of the brain
where most 'pathways' would be I have nothing, I totally FRIED part of my brain.
It takes time but can be done. I started out doing crossword puzzles. I was 6 months
sober before I could actually read a sentence and be able to tell you what the sentence said. The prior months I could not even read.
It will be up to your dad as all the 'mind games' available to improve the mind won't
work if your father is not ready and willing to try recovery.
Please keep posting and let us know how you are doing as we do care so very much!
Love and hugs,
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Thank you, Lexi and Laurie. Your information is helpful. When I heard brain damage after 21 days of going thrum all of this I had a moment. Thank you again.
Also, I hope all of you can translate typo. Looking at my posts it looks like I am the one with the brain damage! Typing on a tablet is hard!
Also, I hope all of you can translate typo. Looking at my posts it looks like I am the one with the brain damage! Typing on a tablet is hard!
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