Be Like a Duck, Dick!

American Black Duck carving.... calmly waiting completion.

"Be like a duck. Calm on the surface, but always paddling like the dickens underneath." 

~Michael Cain

When we called to check on Dad this morning, he answered his phone, "There goes that damn duck again!" 

(Yes, his ring tone sounds like Quack Quack!)

Laughing, Mom asked, "Is this Dick or a duck?" 

In his best Donald Duck voice, Dad replied, "Well, I don't know." 

Duck jokes are good. :-)

The day is promising. 

After 9 days at Pineville Hospital followed by 8 days at HealthSouth Rehab, unexpectedly leading to the past 13 days in Piedmont Medical Center, nearly everything is in order for Dad to be released to yet another Rehab facility today! His blood counts, oxygen levels and overall capacity for continued improvement have been deemed by his team of doctors stable enough to get the heck outta that hospital! God willing, we will get to drive him to the Regional Rehabilitation unit on the 7th floor of  Springs Memorial Hospital this afternoon. 

Mom and I toured the Transitional Care Unit at Springs last week and came away with a positive feeling about the space, the care as well as the location. It is a straightforward commute for Mom from their home in Sun City. We certainly hope and pray that there are no further medical complications, but it is reassuring to know that if there are, the hospital ER is a simple, direct trip down the elevator. 

Please say prayers for a safe, smooth transition. I caught a cold and had to stay away all day yesterday as, obviously, the last thing Dad's immune system needs to deal with is a bug. 

Thankfully, today I'm less messy, so Dad and I can both sport those trendy blue masks as I drive and he sits in the back seat - an amusing visual and not one any of us would have predicted, eh? Maybe we'll make a video of blue masked quacking in the car!! (Yes, I make myself laugh!)

At this point, we are not sure of the anticipated length of his stay, but Dad will receive ongoing healthcare + monitoring as well as appropriate levels of Physical and Occupational Therapy.  The goal will be to bring him home, where he can finish carving that stunning American Black Duck. 

Quack quack!