I need a pick me up.

If you have been following me you read a few posts back about my dad having surgery to remove colon cancer. I kept strong and always said "aw Dad you are going to be ok." I really did think he was going to be ok. He had his surgery on September 2nd the surgery was a success but he was in a lot of pain. I saw him last Monday he looked strong but, they had to put a tube in his nose- down to his stomach to pump the bile out since his bowels were "asleep"- but he still looked good, alert, strong. Now flashforward this past Thursday he is still in the hospital has 102 fever has an infection that they can't figure out where it is coming from. The tube they had to pump his stomach slipped into his intestines and made him severly dehyrated to where his kidneys were starting to fail.
This is all so unbelieveable. I spent last night with him but, he is just so out of it. He has a lot of pain he looked older than his 53 years. It is so hard to see someone you love suffering and the helpless feeling I have that I can't help him.
He hasn't been able to eat and drink since the surgery and he is so thirsty (they have him on electrolytes through his I.V.) today he wanted me to give him ice chips. So I asked the nurse and she says he isn't allowed. I felt so bad to walk back in his room and say "sorry Dad the nurse says you can't have anything." Then with it being September 11 and watching (ok I know I shouldn't be watching it) the History channel with their documentaries of September 11. I just have this overall sadness and for me the "strong" one it is hard to stay strong.