So....

I'm going to get caught up with the story and then can move into the "keeping you posted" phase.

So...

The ER team was clear before I even arrived that they were admitting him. (Dan DID tell me that accurately on the phone.) When I got there and started bull-nosing my way to more information - both giving them info on Dan and getting info from them, I learned that he would be in ICU.  The Neuro team came with his x-rays showing brain bleeds in two places on the left side.  They let me know all the worries (stroke, serious brain damage, etc.) but expressed optimism.  I felt fairly good - kept thinking "well - that's for someone else, not Dan."  Sarah & Julia and Aileen were there by this time and we were all trying to register what was happening.

Finally, after 7 freakin' hours, they moved him up to the ICU for what they told me would likely be 3 days.  They made us wait in the waiting room while they worked on him for a little while.  Excruciating wait even though it was only a half hour...

Eventually we realized we were hungry and so the girls went for food and when they got back we ate in the waiting area, taking turns being with Dan.  Joe (our nephew, S&J's cousin) came and hung with us for a while and went back to see Dan but he was not alert at all.

After debating for a while, I went home to sleep - no place to sleep in ICU and the waiting room was too brightly lit and public.  However, the vise-like grip around my heart made sleep hard to come by so I got up, did dishes, packed a bag for the next day, tidied, wrote emails, etc.  Finally hit the wall around 3 and slept until my alarm went off at 5 and Julia and I headed back to the hospital.

It's now really late and I can't write anymore so stay tuned for DAY 2 - ICU.

Love,

Irene, Sarah & Julia