Life in the Bristolwood

If you have read my blog for the past year or so, you are aware that my father had a device installed to keep his “ticker ticking”!  It was one of the units that not only acts as a pacemaker, but also can shock the heart back to beating in the event that it stops.

 This summer, my father experienced a most unfortunate and painful situation when the implanted device shocked him not once or twice, but several times! My poor mother must have been terrified as Dad yelled with each jolt.

Upon examination by the doctor, it was decided to disconnect the “shocker” as Dad’s heart actually showed some inprovement since the said device was installed.  I must interject that he is closely monitered with this device and has been since its installation. Every time he walks past a moniter installed by the telephone, information is transmitted to a center that records all activity of the device.  ( it was discovered in the past few months that his unit was one of several models that has failed….)

A couple of times, Dad has experienced “claminess and light-headedness” while at church.  I always think that in the rush to get to church on time,  it  creates a bit of anxiety in many people.  Considering my father’s history, it seems that the stress of getting up, getting ready, grabbing a bite to eat and rushing out the door might trigger some unpleasant reactions.

Move ahead to last Sunday. (one week before the party!)  As Mom and Dad were at church,  they were standing and singing. Dad suddenly felt the need to sit, and told Mom. As he sat down, he  “went out”! He was lying on the pew and the church service stopped!

Mom is a retired Registered Nurse so she isn’t inclined to hysteria and the like. She said that Dad was only out for a split second.  When he came around,  the pastor was standing over him asking if he was all right. My father responded by asking what happened!

Well, after all of this activity one week before the party, I was wondering if everything was going to be okay. In the course of the week, Dad had a nuclear stress test and was told no phone call would mean everything was good.  No call came, so that was a relief.

Then Dad got a miserable cold. And it moved on as colds are so likely to do, to Mom!  Mom said that she almost called on Saturday night to cancel as she and Dad were both feeling just terrible!

Fortunately, all of these little hindrances worked out and everything went off rather well. I am still in awe of the fantastic job Maurice Brown did, keeping everyone’s feet tapping and putting wide smiles on the faces of all in attendance!

Ah, can you see why I was mute for a few days?