My father has fallen and can't get up

[BackRoad]

Mr. FatJay, you've done a lot of work in a fairly tight period.

Hope your Dad is recovering well.

 

[hcallaway]

Thanks for all the updates. First class job!!!

 

[fatjay]

He fell again this morning, going from the walker to the chair. Looks like it wasn't a bad fall, just some bruising. He is doing much better compared to two weeks ago. Thank you for all the well wishes.

Painted, siding, electrical, trim work, rubber roof and anchors, soffit. Hopefully he can come home soon, but I'm not quite ready. As always, more work than I thought it was going to be.

Didn't like the floor heating system I got, so that's going back and going with another system that was recommended by a friend.

And my mothers fridge failed. So she bought a new one, but the shortest one she could get was 68.625", and she has cabinets under the fridge and only 66" clearance. new fridge will be here tomorrow, so I had to take down the cabinets today. Just one more thing on the list.

 

[Sigarms]

He fell again this morning, going from the walker to the chair. Looks like it wasn't a bad fall, just some bruising. He is doing much better compared to two weeks ago. Thank you for all the well wishes.

I wish you and your parents nothing but the best.

However, and I don't mean to be a downer, but I've been in your shoes with my own father (who lived with us for 4 years). I don't mean to sound pessimistic, but from what I've read of your father, at this point, there is no disgrace in actually planning for the worst.

I sincerely hope your father gets to use the remarkable bathroom you've built for him, but you also have to understand that there could be a chance he will never use it.

I always plan for worst case, my nature, so forgive me...

If your father never gets to use his house (or perhaps for a short time), for the time effort and money put into the bathroom, how long will your mother be able to use the house?

My own mom died in 2002. My dad didn't move into with us until 16 years later, and the only reason he did was because he fractured his back and he came to the understanding that he couldn't function by himself anymore in a house that only he lived in.

With your skill set (far better than mine), I'd look to adding onto your own home and have your parents live with you, so your family can help them.

Fatjay, and I mean this with all sincerity, you're a better son than I, so take my honest opinion with a grain of salt.

 

[fatjay]

Here's the interesting part. My parents live the next street over from me and my wife. It's 30 second drive. I could run across the street, through the guys yard, and be in their back yard.

My mother is still in quite good health at 73, and her mother lived to 92. So she will likely be able to get good use of this for quite some time.

My father may not be able to come home to use this bathroom. But without this bathroom, he has no chance of coming home. So at least this makes it possible. Even if he's wheelchair bound, he can eat, sleep, ****, and shower on the first floor when this is done.

Now with 2 kids in college, my wife and I have decided to have 2 more children. My wife is due on the 4th of july. 3 month wait, and boom, she'll be pregnant again. This means I'm gonna need more than the 3 bedroom house we have (i already built the massive 2 story garage that I plan to be able to live on the 2nd floor). I've already drawn up plans to put a 2 story addition on, just make more house. The first level will be 25x25 den, then on top of that I'm extending the 2nd floor hallway to be a new master bedroom and new master bath. So look forward to that in the next 2 years.

I'm doing complete block construction for that one, but instead of wood joists, I'm using the Clark Dietrich TradeReady Floor Joists, which I used for the garage. When I built the garage, the cost of the 35 joists was $3600. My buddy just bought 9 of them for another project, and it cost him $4k. So I need to figure out what I'm going to do about that.

 

[two_bit_score]

fat jay, Congratulations on the upcoming birth of your child!

Prayers for your Dad!

 

[Sigarms]

Here's the interesting part. My parents live the next street over from me and my wife. It's 30 second drive. I could run across the street, through the guys yard, and be in their back yard.

Not that it matters or you owed it to me, but that makes all the sense in the world now.

My wife never met my mother, but we bought our house with the clear intent to move my dad in with us when he was ready (he was about 75 when we married). He didn't move in with us until about 15 years later, but we were about an 8 hour drive away.

Now were on hold for my wife's mother who is about 76 now.

Wishing your father well and prayers.

 

[fatjay]

Heated floor in. Plenty of trial and error regarding the spacing, I thought I was going to have to much, so I started tight. But then I hit the half way marker on the wire way to early. So rip it up and start again. Overall I think it came out alright.

Did my best to match the stain on the new wall where the windows were. Original was done 30 years ago. It's a little darker, and the grain is a little different, but I think it's close.

 

[dodge man]

You do nice work, it looks good.

 

[mike0000]

Great work being done by a great son!

Mike

 

[BackRoad]

When I read your continuing updates, I can't help but visualize you as the Energizer Bunny!

It is the pursuit of Dreams which keeps us most alive...

 

[fatjay]

My father came home friday, so big push to get it finished. Plumbing done, 2 days doing tile, a day for grout, toilet in, sealer down. The hot water heater was dead, so had to replace the elements and take about 2 gallons of lime shavings out of the bottom. Then it was still only getting luke warm. Well, that was my oops. Instead of capping the lines in the bathroom i looped them across each other. Well, then any time you used the hot water, it pulled from the cool water system for the most of it. So I had to shut down the manifold.

Toilet isn't level, ground isn't level, need to put some shims in to try and bring it up. Still need to finish the tile in the shower. Want to get the vanity and washer/dryer in next week.

 

[dodge man]

Getting close. Glad to here your dad is home.

 

[dstig1]

What is that on the walls? Looks kinda like lap siding?

 

[3Ts]

I'm curious too about the siding on the walls also, is it painted wood or a vinyl coating? I don't know what your plans are for the vent pipe next to the toilet, but it seems to be a good candidate for a free standing "table" - something with 2 sides an a flat top to hide the pipe, but easily removable and with the flat top providing a place to put stuff like an extra roll of TP or something hanging from a belt, etc.

Looks good, i'm sure he'll be pleased.

 

[fatjay]

It's shiplap wood paneling. My mother saw it and wanted it. It was kind of a pain to do but I think it came out nice.

https://www.lowes.com/pd/PFJ-Shiplap-1x8x12/5002482539

I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the basement exhaust pipe from the dryer. Maybe i'll box it in with spare stuff from the shiplap.

 

[dstig1]

Make a ship lap cap to top the gap

 

[fatjay]

My father was unresponsive this morning. Taken by ambulance to the ER. He's septic and has pneumonia. Ventilation and lifesaving measures. He was home for a total of 5 days after coming home from the rehab facility last friday. He initially went to the hospital for a stent on Dec 11, which turned into a double bypass and heart valve, then after a month of complications in the ICU, went to rehab in early January.

This has been exhausting.

 

[K5lwq]

We will be praying!

 

[sd455dan]

Broke my femur in 1978.

I fell on the Ice and broke mine on the Jan 12th, convinced myself, it was a REALLY bad sprain and held off calling 911 14 hours by then any movement was excruciating. That was a Bad decision.
In ER on Friday the 13th and they did surgery the next morning.

My best wishes for the OPs Father and his recuperation. fatjay You are a Great son to do all this for him.
I came home on day 5 but thought I could do exercises and not need PT.
Wife doctors and TBN members have convinced me otherwise.
I don't have range of motion in more than one direction so we are setting up at home Physical therapy hopefully beginning soon.
All the Best wishes for any family that goes through this.

Had not finished reading the Whole thread.

fatjay my prayers are with you your Father and the family.