Friday August 6^th, Dad falls in the bathroom and hurts his foot.  Saturday, August 7th, he fell in the garage, and it took 2 neighbors to help Mom get him up. They bowed out of Romans 2-year-old birthday party scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Since I was leaving on a weeklong Alaskan cruise, we stopped by to check on him that evening. His stability is just not there, he says sometimes his old legs just give away. Since the falls Daddy has had a fever, headache, distended stomach and generally just felt crummy. Susan went by for a visit after she dropped us off at the airport on Sunday. When his condition was not improving Mom called the doctor’s office, they were not too responsive. Two weekends ago on August 14th she texted the doctor directly and after listening to the symptoms he prescribed an antibiotic. It was getting more and more difficult to help Dad navigate around the house and so Sandy came to help Mom get Dad to the doctor’s office on Tuesday, August 17th. Because Dad had a fever, the doctor’s office told them to go wait in the car. Mom asked them to get the doctor, who preceded to exam Dad out in the corridor outside the waiting room. After pushing on Dad’s stomach and looking at his foot, the doctor ordered 2 more antibiotics and an ultrasound of his swollen foot.

Nikki and I stopped by for a visit that afternoon. Dad was exhausted from the outings.

The doctor said to give the antibiotics some time and if Dad was still not better on Friday to call back for another round. I went back to visit Thursday night August 19th; I was experiencing allergy symptoms and a sinus headache but wanted to spend time with Mom and Dad. The doctor called back on Friday August 20th, he ordered a cat scan of the abdomen and for Dad to get tested for COVID.

Friday, August 20^th, my symptoms of no fever, headache, snotty nose and cough still felt like my normal sinus infection, but I decided to do a Covid self-test from a kit Lonny got at Walgreens just to be safe.  Imagine my shock and horror to discover I was positive for the virus! Meanwhile Mom took Dad to urgent care to be tested and the cat scan was scheduled for 8am on Sunday.

Saturday, August 21^st, we had planned a get together for Markus’ 19^th birthday and going off to college celebration. Mom cancelled due to Dad feeling so poorly. Dad’s Covid test came back negative on Saturday. We are still thinking some infection in Dad’s colon is causing all these problems. My positive test means no more visits and I am on lockdown quarantine for 10 days.

Sunday, August 22^nd, Dad gets the CT test on at 8am, but is not getting any better. Ron and Markus go visit Mom and Dad.

Monday night I go to the same urgent care to get the PCR test where Dad was originally tested, just to confirm I really do have the virus. We wait all day Monday and finally at 6pm on Tuesday, the doctor calls with the results from the CT.

Mom reports that Dad has a large cyst in his colon that is infected. Dad’s physician is referring him to a GI doctor, and he also said a surgeon. He doesn’t think it is cancerous but won’t know for sure. Doctor orders blood work.

Wednesday August 25, I get the results back from my PCR test and it is confirmed I have Covid. Mom and Sandy take Dad to the North Cypress ER on Barker Cypress. Mom reports, “Paul is getting attention. They said he tested positive for Covid. He was negative on Saturday. Anyway, we are here and waiting for a bed in the hospital.”

Dad is transferred to North Cypress hospital and admitted as a Covid patient. They do allow Mom to be with him but not Sandy. Hospital sends Mom home at 6pm and Dad’s bed is set with an alarm due to his fall risk. They are treating his symptoms.

On Thursday August 26th, I get the monoclonal antibodies infusion at North Cypress and Mom reports when she gets to the hospital that Paul seems somewhat more oriented, has a good appetite, and wants to go home.  Yes, they are concerned about him having Covid and the doctor thinks this is causing most of his problems. They are not addressing the cyst until he is free of Covid. The cyst will need to be drained at some point. Oxygen, heart, and orientation are priority.  He is being treated by 3 doctors.

And here we are, Friday August 27, Dad’s 82nd birthday and we can’t see him. Sandy, Susan, and John Paul were all ready to go visit Dad yesterday when we got told by the hospital “sorry policy is just 1 visitor per day for Covid patients “, so our big celebration is delayed, and we are hopeful Dad gets better soon!