Going, Going..
I'm sitting on the train back to Galway right now. I've been in Dublin for the weekend visiting my Father in Law. He's been there since June, initially in for a small operation. While there, they found a lump on his throat.Initially thinking it was as tumor, they found it was actually a fungal infection in his throat. This particular fungus is in the air normally, but because Jim has a bone marrow disease (like a very mild form of leukemia), he couldn't resist it like we do. Because of it, he ended up in Intensive Care. It was horrible to see him there, sedated and riddled with tubes. The fungus was causing a lot of internal fluid in the lungs which had to be pumped out. Eventually they got it under control, but not without weeks of discomfort, pain and heavy sedation. Jim was moved to a normal bed after this. His recovery seemed to be starting then. As it turned out, the infection wasn't gone. Part of why this is so hard on him, is that he requires transfusions 2-3 times a week with the bone marrow disease. Fed up of the constant discomfort and poking and prodding, Jim elected to stop all medication relating to the infection. He's gone from a slightly overweight man to literal skin and bones. Even lifting him up, to let him drink water on his own yesterday, I could feel his bones through muscle and skin. They're not holding out much hope now and it is only a matter of time before he goes. As I travel here now, I would not be surprised to get the phone call telling me that he has passed on. We can but wait.
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