• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Partner
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Southern Hospitality

Adventures in Decorating, Thrifting, Cooking, Fashion & Gardening

  • My Home
  • Categories
    • A+ Blogs
    • My Blog Story
    • Decorating
    • DIY/How-To
    • Family
    • Gardening
    • In the Kitchen
    • My Home Tours
    • Thrifting
    • Travel
  • DIY Gallery
  • Fashion
  • Feature Friday
  • Shop My Home
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Happy 4th of July and Dad Update

July 4, 2017 By Rhoda 108 Comments

0 shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

Hello friends!  Today is our country’s 4th of July celebration and I hope you all are kicking off summer with a bang and enjoying it with family and friends.  It’s been long week for my family with dad being sick and everyone off schedule.  I’m feeling really off schedule myself in posting this week and so you’ll just have to bear with me as we get through this holiday week and I try to stay caught up on the blog.

It’s going to be a slow week and I’m skipping Fashion over 50 this week, but hope to get back to normal next week.  Needless to say, fashion hasn’t been at the forefront of my world right now!  We are just trying to support dad and get him back to normal the best we can.

(via BHG.com)

This is such a fun time of the year, so even though we aren’t much in a party mood right  now, I can’t help but share some pretty pics for the season.  Enjoy your day!

(via BHG.com)

Now, for an update on Dad.  For those of you who may have missed this, our situation started Father’s Day weekend, so this has been a couple of weeks in the making.  Dad was prescribed antibiotics (Amox-Clav in case you are wondering) from his primary care doctor for cough/cold symptoms before Father’s Day. He took them the prescribed time period and finished them all.  About 6 days later, he began a vicious bout with diarrhea, which continued for a few days.  Two days after Father’s Day, he was in the kitchen, got dizzy probably from dyhdration and being weak from the diarrhea, and basically fainted in the kitchen and hit his head.

He was taken to the ER where they did scans and tests to find out what was going on.  He had some brain bleeding going on and the head injury wasn’t serious (it did cause 2 black eyes, which is better now), but he was sore and not feeling well.  He stayed overnight one night and was released the next day (Wednesday) to come home and rest.  He was given an IV in the hospital to rehydrate him and get those much needed liquids in him.  He was walking by himself after getting out of the hospital, very slow, but still able to walk.  During that week, he got progressively worse day by day, to the point that he couldn’t get out of bed by that weekend and the diarrhea had not stopped completely.  We knew he had to go back to the hospital, so Monday morning we had him transported back to the ER, where he was seen again and readmitted to the hospital once again. This time he stayed in there 4 nights. During that first day back in the ER, testing was finally done and they found out he has the bacteria c diff.  We don’t know how long he had it or if he got it from being in the hospital that first night, but whatever the case, he has it and it’s a nasty bug to get rid of.

We know it all started with the antibiotics he was on, because mom read the side effects after he finished taking them and the diarrhea warning was on there. The antibiotics kill the good bacteria in the gut, leaving room for the c diff “superbug” to take over, creating havoc with one’s whole body.  We found out too late he should have been taking probiotics with those antibiotics and by the time we found this out, it was too late. Many people chimed in on my Facebook page and here on my blog talking about their experience with c diff too, so I know it’s happening all over the country and with the number of people who read my blog that have been touched by c diff, that tells me that it’s rampant in hospitals.  So bottom line that we learned…..it’s imperative to take probiotics when you are taking an antibiotic to keep this from happening and to keep c diff at bay, in case you’ve ever been exposed to it and then it rears its ugly head when your body is weak.  It’s highly contagious from what we’ve heard too.  So far, so good with the rest of us.

After all the diarrhea and getting c diff, he was completely wiped out physically.  Spending 4 days in the hospital with iv’s and fluids going, as well as antibiotics and probiotics given daily, he was slowly perking up slightly and getting a bit better, but still couldn’t get up and walk.  So, we made arrangements to get him admitted to a rehab center, where he’ll get more specialized care on getting him mobile again.  He’s been in there since last Friday night, so we are hopeful the progress will be made there and he will be up and going again soon.  It’s going to be a slow process to get him well, he’s not bouncing back fast. He’s still so weak and tired, with hardly enough energy to sit in a wheel chair and go down to eat his meals.  We all took turns staying with him at night when he was in the hospital, but we can’t stay overnight at the rehab center, so we are stopping by and staying with him during the day to keep him company and try to get him better.  We are trying to get him to eat more as that is so important to him getting well and strong again.  He has NO appetite.

Lauren came home over the long weekend and spent lots of time with him.  Needless to say, he was happy to see his girl!

I can’t imagine how he is feeling after going through all this mess!  He’s said a couple of times that this is absolutely the worst he’s ever felt in his life and I can imagine it is. We’ve never seen him this weak and fragile before and it breaks our hearts! We just want him to get better and back home and no one wishes that more than he does.  He loves his home and garden and he cannot wait to get back there again.  We hope it’s sooner rather than later, but it’s a day by day situation.

I just wanted to let you all know what’s going on this week. I’ll do updates every week to give you progress on his state of being.  I’m so hoping he’ll be home for his 90th birthday on July 14th, but if not, I’ll take them to the rehab center and read all your cards to  him.  Y’all have been so sweet and supportive to send him cards! I know they will cheer him up in a big way, so thank you all so much.  I truly have the best readers out there!

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

SaveSave

Related


Don't Miss a Post, join my list!

Filed Under: 4th of July, Family Friends and Me 108 Comments

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Diane says

    July 5, 2017 at 11:44 am

    Hey, I learned the hard way, also, about AB burnout, when I was a young woman. Not so young now. Some are more susceptible to AB burnout than others. Sometimes, it’s the duration of taking AB. Anyway it’s important to take probiotics and eat yogurts, while taking ABs. I was in a rehab after surgery. It wasn’t the horror story I read and heard so much about. The people were great. Never saw harder working and overworked people in my life. And I’ve worked in a hospital. Those folks, Nurses, Nurses aids, PT techs, Dietary and Social Worker had me up and out in 3 weeks. I thought I was going to be in there for months. As long as a patient is cooperative, they can do wonders.

    Reply
  2. Patti Osmus says

    July 5, 2017 at 12:25 pm

    So sad to see that worn out look on your Dad’s face. Hope he’s up and better very soon. I’m sure all that loving from “his girl” was just the kick start he needed.

    Reply
  3. Kelly Davis says

    July 5, 2017 at 1:44 pm

    I am so sorry for your precious daddy. I love that when I am writing this, the number of comments was “90”- his soon to be celebrated birthday! I am praying for his recovery right now, and pray you soon see his usual spunk and energy restored.

    Reply
  4. Melesa Garrison says

    July 5, 2017 at 2:19 pm

    Prayers for strength and comfort right now, for your sweet Daddy. I’m glad he is in rehab getting good care, and he is so blessed to have you all in his life. Blessings to you all!

    Reply
  5. Genah says

    July 5, 2017 at 2:53 pm

    How do I send a card to your Daddy for his birthday?

    Reply
    • Rhoda says

      July 5, 2017 at 6:29 pm

      Hi, Genah, please email me and I’ll share with you. [email protected]

    • nancy says

      July 5, 2017 at 6:30 pm

      for Rhoda’s address ” please email me at [email protected] and I’ll give it to you. Thanks!”

  6. [email protected] says

    July 5, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    Awwwwww so very sorry 🙁 Hang in there!!!

    Reply
  7. Sally says

    July 5, 2017 at 9:31 pm

    A family member had repeated bouts of c-diff…..don’t immediately stop the antibiotic treatment of it. Instead, be sure to taper the dosage so it doesn’t come back. Prayers for your sweet dad.

    Reply
  8. Linda says

    July 5, 2017 at 10:29 pm

    I am so sorry to hear that your Dad is ill and I send prayers that he will start recovering quickly. That is a beautiful picture of him and Lauren. I very much hope he will get home soon & most importantly feel good again. Best Wishes!

    Reply
  9. Stacy says

    July 6, 2017 at 12:41 pm

    A nurse once told us that for every day our beloved seniors are under the weather, they will need 3 days to return to where they were.
    Hang in there.

    Reply
  10. Eva Beaule says

    July 7, 2017 at 1:53 am

    Rhoda,

    I am praying for your precious dad. We feel that we know him. Eva

    Reply
  11. Sarah says

    July 7, 2017 at 11:59 am

    Prayers your dad heals quickly and is home for his birthday. I think you told us to ask for your mailing address so please send.

    Reply
    • Rhoda says

      July 7, 2017 at 1:59 pm

      HI, Sarah, please email me and I’ll give it to you: [email protected]

  12. leigh says

    July 9, 2017 at 5:31 pm

    I am so hoping that your dad is doing better and continues to recover well….I sent him a Birthday card, and hope he has a nice celebration on the 14th! Hoping he gets lots of cards! He reminds me so of my dad in so many ways…He is turning 91 in this year! Tell your dad we are all rooting for him and wishing him the very best!

    Reply
  13. Jason says

    July 11, 2017 at 3:18 pm

    Rhoda,

    Continued prayers for your Dad! I hope he is feeling better and back at home and in the garden soon!

    Reply
  14. susan says

    July 12, 2017 at 7:43 am

    I am so sorry to read this about your dad. I can so relate. My mom has been in and out of the hospital over the past eight months, and she is only 75. It’s hard to see our once active parents so weak, frail, and without appetite. I will pray for your daddy right along with my mama.

    Reply
  15. Betsy Kim says

    July 27, 2017 at 9:12 am

    So sorry to hear about your dad, I hope he is on the mend and back home with family soon. Prayers to your family.

    Reply
« Older Comments

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Thanks for stopping by! I’m Rhoda, from Atlanta, GA and I love decorating and DIY projects. Decorating a home doesn’t have to cost a fortune and I’ve spent years thrifting at antiques markets and yard sales, finding those treasures that make a home unique. I’m here to inspire and encourage other women to find their own inner creativity. Won’t you join me?

Click Here

Click Here

Email Series
How to Decorate in
Classic Timeless Style
.....without breaking the bank!

House Renovation Journey!

Our Paint Colors

Archives

Categories

Footer Widget Header2

Featured here:

Better Homes and Gardens
Atlanta Magazine
Better Homes and Gardens

Footer

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • Contact
  • Partner

Copyright © 2023 · Southern Hospitality · Blog Design by Little Blue Deer
Privacy Policy

Get my FREE Email Series How to Decorate in Classic Timeless Style....without breaking the bank!
After years of decorating my own homes, I've learned a few tricks on how to create a classic home on a budget. Hope you'll join me!
Your information will *never* be shared or sold to a 3rd party.