Current mood:
Hospital Blogging. Hm, what is that you ask? Pretty simple answer... it's what you do when you are sitting in the hospital for hours, even days on end and you are bored but don't really have anything to blog about so you give it some sort of funky name so you can start your blog off by describing what it means and as a result create an entirely new sentence for that contest wherein contestants try to create a long sentence as the opening sentence of a novel, however, in retrospect this won't qualify due to the fact that it is actually the third sentence of this blog and not the first. Oh well. Point of View - The Long Sentence
Harriett is doing better today. She's still very tired and has pain but with meds she's been "sort of sleeping" all day so far. The oncologist came in at Oh-dark thirty this morning and said she would stay another day. All the test results didn't show anything abnormal but she is severely dehydrated and it will take that long to get as much fluid in her as she needs. My past experience with dehydration would seem to indicate that this should make a significant difference.
I am not happy with Harriett's oncologist here. She lacks experience which I was disinclined to hold against her originally, but now I think it's a bigger deal than I anticipated. It's definitely becoming a lesson in taking charge of your own health care. Our oncologist in Utah would never have let this happen. She was on top of things like the need for fluids and food and blood. Since we've been here I have wondered if Harriett should have received some fluids along with her chemo at least occasionally, but thought the doctor must know what she is doing. That attitude will change as of now! My husband even made the comment yesterday that he should have left us in Utah for Harriett's treatments, that we probably could have arranged a small apartment or something. I don't think it could ever have worked out that way, but it was fun to think about for a few minutes.
And Connie, this is for you... When the on-call oncologist arrived at that god-awful hour this morning I could not open my eyes!! Honestly, it physically hurt to try to do so!! I wanted to be awake, alert, and totally aware of what he was saying to us but I was struggling so hard to open my eyes against the pain... You would have thought that sleeping in a hospital chair all night would have made waking up easy, just because. But no, my body knows it's not time to be awake and it will not cooperate under any circumstance. There truly are people who just cannot do morning and I am the living proof!
On to another topic... I am experiencing my first snow in Kentucky. It's that kind of snow that you don't really realize that it's snowing. Then suddently you think to yourself, "that was a snowflake!" There is no evidence of them on the ground and they don't fall from the sky, they float. They float up to the windshield and then at the last moment whip away out of sight like a carnival ride. The flakes are getting a little bigger now and a bit more "flurrious." There is no question that it's cold outside. However, there are two men on the hospital roof that I can see from this room. Fools!! Get inside!!
When I drove my husband home from the hospital yesterday afternoon we passed a grove of trees standing naked in the winter afternoon. I thought nothing of it, probably didn't even see them, until my husband mentioned the beautiful orange carpet at their feet. It was absolutely stunning. I've been loving the fall colors as the leaves turned orange and red and crimson and so many different shades in between. But I'd never stopped to notice that the beauty wasn't only in the leaves remaining on the trees, they painted other venues as well. The autumn here is magnificent! I hope next year we can drive up to the New England states at this time.
Harriett continues to 'sort o sleep' beside me. This room is so full of noise. The air system is a constant loud hum. So loud I put a movie in my computer and plugged in my headphones to fall asleep last night. Now, every few seconds another sound of rushing air fills the room and Harriett's mattress inflates just a little and the slowly deflates, just a little. I want to sleep in that bed (except for the noise). It reminds me of a water bed, gently moving and rocking her. I wonder if a sleep number bed can do that?
I am missing my babies and can't even imagine what Thanksgiving is going to be like with both of them gone. They call and text me daily - Krissy even tells me every day how many days until I get to see her. They are so special and I miss them so much!! I thought by the time they got to be this age I was supposed to be ready for them to leave... as in don't let the door hit you on the way out!! LOL
I'm out of chit chat now. I brought along enough movies for a Tom Hanks marathon so I think I'll get started with that. This is the end of Hospital Blogging for now... tune in again....
- Connie2 years ago
"Oh-dark thirty" HA! I am TOTALLY stealing that!!! I love it! Well, except when I have to be awake during it.... :oP
Your description of the hospital bed made me think of the circulation "boots" (pulsating wraps that cover the leg from knee to ankle) that I had to wear when I was in the hospital for my gallbladder operation. I hated being in the hospital, but those constant leg massages were quite lovely! - Corinne Spranger2 years ago
I agree with Kari, only mine reads "I want a hospital med..." :)
Yeah, Turkey day is gonna suck. I have absolutely NO plans, unless Greg gets invited somewhere and then Luke made me promise to come and help cook for the "Land of Misfit Toys" Thanksgiving he is hosting. Maybe.
Hope Harriet continues to improve, she is so lucky to have you and your honey on her team.
Love, Corinne- Betsy Gully2 years ago
Where are your beautiful children? I am sure you will do something fun and entertaining.
Thanks for Harriett Thoughts.
The nurses here are wonderful. They come by and ask if we need anything. I thought they were only asking Harriett at first but then I realized they were asking me, too. I never thought to ask for Hospital Meds, tho.... I'll give that one a try next time!!
Hugs
- Kari Fisher Williams
Thank heavens for laptops and Wi-Fi....LOL
I want a hospital bed. I think that is the best I EVER slept... even when interrupted by nurses every couple of hours.
LOL
