Randy
Well-known member
As some of you know, my dad was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis approximately 9 years ago. When we originally got the news, everything we saw and read said that his projected lifespan was 2-5 years. This horrible disease finally took his life yesterday morning at 10 am.
Pulmonary fibrosis is essentially a scarring of the lung walls that inhibits the lungs from transferring oxygen into the bloodstream. The first 7 years were difficult, but, bearable. A year ago September, the disease advanced to the point where he required an occasional dose of supplemental oxygen. By this past April, he required oxygen approximately 80% of the time. 1 month later, he required oxygen full time, but, could still withstand a somewhat normal way of life. By September, the disease kicked the shit out of him and it advanced rapidly. Things we take for granted such as getting up to go get a drink of water turned into a huge ordeal and he couldn't walk from the living room to the kitchen without being completely exhausted and his body couldn't take all of the oxygen the machines would give him.
On Sunday morning, his oxygen saturation level dropped to a dangerous level. My mother called 911 and ,when he got to the hospital, he went into cardiac arrest. They put him on a ventilator and kept him 'alive'. My brother, sister, and I flew to Florida to be at his side and to comfort mom. On Monday, he showed some improvement, but, the outlook wasn't great. He opened his eyes when I got there Monday night and looked at all of us. While the reality is that he probably didn't know what was going on due to the medication and sedation, we're going to believe that he saw us and he knew we were there. Tuesday was a rough day and we knew we were going to be faced with a difficult situation soon. They called us Wednesday am and said his numbers were dropping rapidly and we should get to the hospital. At 10 am, with all of us by his side, he took his last breath and we said our goodbyes.
We knew this disease would take his life, we just didn't know how it would go down. We were relieved that his life didn't end by suffocation or another form of long-term suffering.
He will be missed by so many.
Rest in peace, Dad....my friend, my father, my hero.
Pulmonary fibrosis is essentially a scarring of the lung walls that inhibits the lungs from transferring oxygen into the bloodstream. The first 7 years were difficult, but, bearable. A year ago September, the disease advanced to the point where he required an occasional dose of supplemental oxygen. By this past April, he required oxygen approximately 80% of the time. 1 month later, he required oxygen full time, but, could still withstand a somewhat normal way of life. By September, the disease kicked the shit out of him and it advanced rapidly. Things we take for granted such as getting up to go get a drink of water turned into a huge ordeal and he couldn't walk from the living room to the kitchen without being completely exhausted and his body couldn't take all of the oxygen the machines would give him.
On Sunday morning, his oxygen saturation level dropped to a dangerous level. My mother called 911 and ,when he got to the hospital, he went into cardiac arrest. They put him on a ventilator and kept him 'alive'. My brother, sister, and I flew to Florida to be at his side and to comfort mom. On Monday, he showed some improvement, but, the outlook wasn't great. He opened his eyes when I got there Monday night and looked at all of us. While the reality is that he probably didn't know what was going on due to the medication and sedation, we're going to believe that he saw us and he knew we were there. Tuesday was a rough day and we knew we were going to be faced with a difficult situation soon. They called us Wednesday am and said his numbers were dropping rapidly and we should get to the hospital. At 10 am, with all of us by his side, he took his last breath and we said our goodbyes.
We knew this disease would take his life, we just didn't know how it would go down. We were relieved that his life didn't end by suffocation or another form of long-term suffering.
He will be missed by so many.
Rest in peace, Dad....my friend, my father, my hero.
