Going Away in a Hurry

Dad is unwell. At 82, his (transplanted) heart valve is failing, some 7 years (if that, I'll have to ask my sister to remind me) after his operation. He is now in Meir Hospital, readmitted after having been discharged - a decision strongly contested by the house doctor in the sheltered residence where they moved exactly 6 months ago. He was taken to "internal" ward, because the immediate problem seemed to be blood cell defficiency, but on the day I arrived he was moved to cardiac ward for (hopefully) better assessment. The prognosis is not good: he needs another operation. At his age, and with 2 open-heart ops behind him, the doctors are reluctant to operate again, as the chances of survival are not high. Without an operation he can go on living out his days but totally dependent on care. He can't walk, stand, even sit upright on his own. His mind his (almost) as lucid as ever, and even through all the discomfort and little indignities a hospital stay affords him, he still manages to crack jokes with the nurses.
I was at work, on the 3 pm to 11 pm shift, when I got a call from Lea, my baby sister (well, she's 8 years younger than me). We agreed that I should make it a priority to come over from London, in a matter of a few days, not immediately, but it couldn't wait until my booked holiday, which would see me there on the 23rd of September. I am needed not only to be with my father but to help my mother (who is in a f*****g state (so what's new?). Lea has been doing evetything for them so far: Driving my mother to and from the hospital, helping her at home, helping my dad, really running their lives for them, tirelessly. My brother Benny does visit, I'll give him that, but that's about the extent of his involvement (more bitching to follw). My mother is totally helpless, and clueless. Years of (voluntary) submission robbed her of independence - she has never entered a bank branch on her own, written a cheque, paid with any method other than cash, dealt with the phone company, used a computer, listened to messages on her landline phone, let alone her cellular phone, and most sadly of all, never sought counselling!
Need to get ready to go to the hospital... Will scribble more later.