You all probably know I am a non practicing R.N. What this means is I, at one time, worked in a hospital. Some of you also may remember I was in sort of a nasty car accident in 1984. What this means is, I was a patient in a hospital. Now, those two things plus having family and friends hospitalized from time to time means I have been a visitor in a hospital. None of this prepared me for the realization that hospital time is just about the same as basketball time. I always said I would like to live the last five minutes of my life like the last five minutes of a basketball game. I could get an extra hour that way. It looks like the only thing that moves slower than this place is the turtle in that kids story or maybe molasses in February.
So far we have accomplished two things. They got Fred sitting up in the bedside chair and discontinued his IV pain medication. The nurse came in to clean him up and I took off, went down to the "Food Court" and hit the Starbucks. I have been here too long. I got up to the counter and the cashier said, "Grande, non fat latte." and it was a statement like, not a question. I have had a bartender or two remember my drink but never a Barista. As soon as I got back Fred asked me to get his nurse and put him back in bed. So, I left the room, went to the visitors lounge and took a 45 minute nap. He needed to sit up a while.
Things have a way of moving around here that I think is directly related to what kind of insurance the patient has. The crappier (is that a word?) the policy the faster one gets better, whether they like it or not. I'm not going to push them today. After getting that pain medication he'll probably feel lousy today and part of tomorrow. When we get synthetic pain medication our pain fighting endorphins go on vacation for a few days. He will be OK soon and he has pills ordered if he needs them. Until he starts eating they'll crush them, and put them in the NG tube.
A few minutes ago he asked me if Nancy was here? I did find out the car takes regular gas. Honestly, they really try to keep things down here but the room is directly across from the nurses station. There are times it gets a little loud, the phones ring, or they need to call someone on the overhead PA. I have traveled with Fred in the past. When checking in to a hotel he needs to know the following: the room is where in relation to; the elevator, the ice machine and/or any vending machine. any employee passageway or stairway, any and all air conditioning shafts and/or compressors plus, is it within two thousand feet of any children. You can imagine how he is dealing with this place.
He asked me if I would stay here for another hour or so about thirty minutes ago. Maybe at 3:45 I'll see if there is any change, if not I will probably take off. If things change while I am here I'll let you all know, if not, I'll leave and update you all in the morning.
love, Chuck
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