Posted Sep 14, 2010 6:48pm
5:15 a.m.
"Mom?"
"Phil?" I acknowledge as I reach for my glasses.
"I really gotta go...bad!"
Only five words from bed to bedside...not bad. Haven't been that on the ball since infants. I wake Mark and he cranks to life and we take care of business with Phil. 550 cc later, the plan is briefly discussed: Let's get out for coffee now, take half this stuff down to the van, grab a quick smoke and be back for Orthopedic rounds. Phil WANTS to be repositioned...a huge milestone, actually. We roll him on his side and he's hurting. I find out from the nurse that Hercules here declined his pain meds during the night. Where are the nurses MY age???? So we rotate and medicate and start a new bag of Ensure for breakfast, and he's fast asleep as we step out the door.
6:35 a.m.
Orthopedics comes in. New resident this time that I have not yet met. Nice guy. Asks how Phil is doing, if I have any questions. I think, "Boy, DO I! But none you can answer," and say, "No, I think we're good here." He invites us to stay longer if we feel we need to. That sure was a different tune than we were hearing yesterday, kind of took me aback. I thanked them nonetheless, but said we were ready to leave.
7:26 a.m.
I am amazed at how a warm shower beats hot coffee for tricking your body and brain into thinking that you are awake. Mark showered up and took another load of stuff to the van while I took mine. He arrived back with more Parent Fuel in grande cups. We'll wake this tired butt up one way AND the other! In case it sounds like I'm whining about being so incredibly fatigued, I want to make it clear that at this point it's more like a fascinating study in sleep deprivation, which is not actually altogether unpleasant. I'm finding some strange things humorous, and having what must be some very amusing "deer-in-the-headlights" looks at people who ask me questions.
As I write, Respiratory comes in and offers to do another cough assist treatment for Phil, but we explain that we are good with it. We did it a few times yesterday ourselves when Phil got a little clogged from being tearful. She is happy, and will give the recommendation for discharge. Another check off the list.
8:18 a.m.
Got a good nurse today who just came in to check on Phil. He's Crash Carson right now. We talked about the goals for today, and she seems quite on the ball. The egg-crate mattress will be ordered up. The discharge planner will be in about 9:00. She's going to find all the prescriptions we need so we can get them over to the pharmacy - (can't call in narcotics, you know...). We went over the medications times so that we could "ace" Phil and get him up and in the van and home before he hurts again.
10:12 a.m.
Scripts were delivered promptly, and were dropped off at the pharmacy. While making the trip, we stopped off at the van to clean it up ad pack it tight, and I was quite dismayed that both my coffee and shower had failed to deliver on their promise of wakefulness. I supposed some protein would help, and we stopped at the cafe for an omelet. Not much of an appetite yet, but the cellular structure needed it. Mark took care of the store business for the day. We arrived back at the room to a very sleep Phil, and a nurse telling us that she contacted both the VNA and the discharge planner for us. We are ready for lift off! She ran to get the meds for the road, we are packing up the last of the stuff and getting Phil’s clothes ready to go....all I can manage is a subdued, "Yay..."
11:15 a.m.
With Phil properly medicated, we said good-bye to our nurses and headed down to the pharmacy to pick up his scripts. Mark went ahead and loaded the last of our knapsacks into the van, and was waiting with the camera when we came out of the Clinics building. Phil has gotten so much taller that his hair grazes the top of the van when he's getting in! Highway 45 never looked so good, and I hand Phil a scissors to cut off a wrist band that indicated that he was a "fall risk". I had told them that must be a mistake...he won't fall unless I drop him. The nurse informed me that this was standard for all patients. (Hmm, kind of like "Right turns obey this [stop] sign" ...bit of a "Duh!" situation...). He found he was able to slip if off his wrist without cutting it, but in something of a ribbon cutting ceremony, he snipped it anyway all by himself. He asked if it would be okay if he played his video games when he got home, and I assured him that would be more than fine with me! Not sure he will actually have the stamina, but that would be a great stop toward normalcy. The bumps in the road have him wincing a little, but all in all, I am tearfully happy to be going home.
5:34 p.m.
You know when you have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad and the toilet is in sight? Your body just kind of gets you to hurry up a bit? Well, here we are at home, and everything in my being is fully aware that my bed is in the next room…it’s calling me…
We got home around noon, and said hello to a very happy little Sparky! My house is like something out of better homes and gardens! My mom and sisters REALLY went to town here, and it has made coming home something of a treat! Can’t say I can recall all that I have been doing since then, but there was a small nappish thing before the nurse showed up to help change the bandage. Phil was nothing short of amazing! He sat and played his video games until 2:30 – which was decidedly over his limit, as he got kinda cranky. The kids came home from school, tho, and they all spent time with him in his room, talking and playing show and tell. The nurse came at 4:30 or so, and like I said, Phil hardly uttered a peep! A little fearful and questioning, but it went very smoothly, and his scar looks amazingly good – almost no drainage. Knock on wood!
Now in the 5:00 hour, we are fixing a pizza, and planning on…um….well…hmmm…would sitting and vegging be out of the question?
We are home…we are glad! Phil is actually smiling at the moment, and I THINK (precious little at this time) that I will spend the next day defining a groove to get into to see how we are going to transpose this new situation into our new reality! For now, I will post this, and thank you all once again for following along on Phil’s Journey.
"Mom?"
"Phil?" I acknowledge as I reach for my glasses.
"I really gotta go...bad!"
Only five words from bed to bedside...not bad. Haven't been that on the ball since infants. I wake Mark and he cranks to life and we take care of business with Phil. 550 cc later, the plan is briefly discussed: Let's get out for coffee now, take half this stuff down to the van, grab a quick smoke and be back for Orthopedic rounds. Phil WANTS to be repositioned...a huge milestone, actually. We roll him on his side and he's hurting. I find out from the nurse that Hercules here declined his pain meds during the night. Where are the nurses MY age???? So we rotate and medicate and start a new bag of Ensure for breakfast, and he's fast asleep as we step out the door.
6:35 a.m.
Orthopedics comes in. New resident this time that I have not yet met. Nice guy. Asks how Phil is doing, if I have any questions. I think, "Boy, DO I! But none you can answer," and say, "No, I think we're good here." He invites us to stay longer if we feel we need to. That sure was a different tune than we were hearing yesterday, kind of took me aback. I thanked them nonetheless, but said we were ready to leave.
7:26 a.m.
I am amazed at how a warm shower beats hot coffee for tricking your body and brain into thinking that you are awake. Mark showered up and took another load of stuff to the van while I took mine. He arrived back with more Parent Fuel in grande cups. We'll wake this tired butt up one way AND the other! In case it sounds like I'm whining about being so incredibly fatigued, I want to make it clear that at this point it's more like a fascinating study in sleep deprivation, which is not actually altogether unpleasant. I'm finding some strange things humorous, and having what must be some very amusing "deer-in-the-headlights" looks at people who ask me questions.
As I write, Respiratory comes in and offers to do another cough assist treatment for Phil, but we explain that we are good with it. We did it a few times yesterday ourselves when Phil got a little clogged from being tearful. She is happy, and will give the recommendation for discharge. Another check off the list.
8:18 a.m.
Got a good nurse today who just came in to check on Phil. He's Crash Carson right now. We talked about the goals for today, and she seems quite on the ball. The egg-crate mattress will be ordered up. The discharge planner will be in about 9:00. She's going to find all the prescriptions we need so we can get them over to the pharmacy - (can't call in narcotics, you know...). We went over the medications times so that we could "ace" Phil and get him up and in the van and home before he hurts again.
10:12 a.m.
Scripts were delivered promptly, and were dropped off at the pharmacy. While making the trip, we stopped off at the van to clean it up ad pack it tight, and I was quite dismayed that both my coffee and shower had failed to deliver on their promise of wakefulness. I supposed some protein would help, and we stopped at the cafe for an omelet. Not much of an appetite yet, but the cellular structure needed it. Mark took care of the store business for the day. We arrived back at the room to a very sleep Phil, and a nurse telling us that she contacted both the VNA and the discharge planner for us. We are ready for lift off! She ran to get the meds for the road, we are packing up the last of the stuff and getting Phil’s clothes ready to go....all I can manage is a subdued, "Yay..."
11:15 a.m.
With Phil properly medicated, we said good-bye to our nurses and headed down to the pharmacy to pick up his scripts. Mark went ahead and loaded the last of our knapsacks into the van, and was waiting with the camera when we came out of the Clinics building. Phil has gotten so much taller that his hair grazes the top of the van when he's getting in! Highway 45 never looked so good, and I hand Phil a scissors to cut off a wrist band that indicated that he was a "fall risk". I had told them that must be a mistake...he won't fall unless I drop him. The nurse informed me that this was standard for all patients. (Hmm, kind of like "Right turns obey this [stop] sign" ...bit of a "Duh!" situation...). He found he was able to slip if off his wrist without cutting it, but in something of a ribbon cutting ceremony, he snipped it anyway all by himself. He asked if it would be okay if he played his video games when he got home, and I assured him that would be more than fine with me! Not sure he will actually have the stamina, but that would be a great stop toward normalcy. The bumps in the road have him wincing a little, but all in all, I am tearfully happy to be going home.
5:34 p.m.
You know when you have to go to the bathroom REALLY bad and the toilet is in sight? Your body just kind of gets you to hurry up a bit? Well, here we are at home, and everything in my being is fully aware that my bed is in the next room…it’s calling me…
We got home around noon, and said hello to a very happy little Sparky! My house is like something out of better homes and gardens! My mom and sisters REALLY went to town here, and it has made coming home something of a treat! Can’t say I can recall all that I have been doing since then, but there was a small nappish thing before the nurse showed up to help change the bandage. Phil was nothing short of amazing! He sat and played his video games until 2:30 – which was decidedly over his limit, as he got kinda cranky. The kids came home from school, tho, and they all spent time with him in his room, talking and playing show and tell. The nurse came at 4:30 or so, and like I said, Phil hardly uttered a peep! A little fearful and questioning, but it went very smoothly, and his scar looks amazingly good – almost no drainage. Knock on wood!
Now in the 5:00 hour, we are fixing a pizza, and planning on…um….well…hmmm…would sitting and vegging be out of the question?
We are home…we are glad! Phil is actually smiling at the moment, and I THINK (precious little at this time) that I will spend the next day defining a groove to get into to see how we are going to transpose this new situation into our new reality! For now, I will post this, and thank you all once again for following along on Phil’s Journey.
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