Poor Ol' Dad

My dad was fighting a cold most of the week, until my mom convinced him to go to the doctor on Thursday. Of course, the doctor prescribed an antibiotic.

Now, my dad has the hiccups.

It's kind of a weird side effect, if that indeed is what's causing it. And it's almost like a trade-off. He's still dragging himself around (although it's debatable how much of that is just my dad's tendency to reinforce that "men are such babies when they get sick" stereotype), although he seems a little more ambulatory than before, but he's shaking with hiccups. Almost nonstop.

Remedies tried:

1. holding his breath

2. back massage from Mom

3. foot massage/reflexology from me (note: I have cured a baby's hiccups that way in the past)

4. Tums

5. drink equal parts baking soda and sugar in water.


Nothing seems to interrupt the hiccups!

Poor ol' Mom, too. I don't think either of them got any sleep last night because the hiccups were making Dad antsy. And in the middle of this, Mom gets an e-mail request from a frequently imposing relative for a last minute, week-long commitment from my parents to do something. I had to convince my mom it was O.K. to say no, because they say yes and drop everything for that person 99.9% of the time. And I'm sure she still felt guilty. The extra stress is not appreciated right now.

I suggested some non-dairy probiotics, so maybe they'll try that tomorrow. My mom wants to try homeopathic medicine, but that's a trip to the store, too. If Monday rolls around and the hiccups are still going, I guess it'll be another call to the doctor.

Crazy times up at my folks' home.


Comments

ccr in MA said…
Your poor dad (and mom)!

I don't have a sure-fire hiccup-curing remedy, unfortunately. I can usually chase them off by holding my breath and then breathing slowly and evenly for a few minutes after, but I've never had the unending ones, so that's probably not enough. Good luck to them!

WVW: conela. Whatever it is, I bet it cures hiccups!
Annie Coe said…
Sounds awful. I don't have the answer either, but I am wishing them good luck. xoxo
Kate P said…
CCR--yeah, Dad tried holding his breath, and I'm not even sure if he's all stuffed up, anyway, so that didn't work. A "conela" sounds like what pets come home wearing from the vet! Maybe we should stick one on him!

Annie--thank you! They are hanging in there the best they can.
Dave E. said…
I hope the hiccups have resolved themselves by now. I wish I had a cure to give, but I get them so rarely that I have never really figured out what makes them come and go. The last couple of times, years ago, I think I walked them off. I'm not sure if the walking did it or if the walk just outlasted them.
Kate P said…
Dave--Maybe "walk it off" does work for a lot of things. Hmmm. Well, he finally did get rid of them; I think he kind of outlasted them or something.

Popular Posts