Mom is home - Yeah!! Yippee!! Woo-hoo

In case you weren't aware my Mom has been sick and in the hospital.  She was rushed in on Wed the 11th and I was finally able to bring her home last night, the 16th.  She was in there longer then what was planned, but anyone that knows my mom knows that is how it works for her.  It seems that if she goes in for overnight observation it turns into a week or longer.  That is why she HATES going to the hospital.  Course then again I am not so sure anyone likes going to the hospital.  Well...I guess there might be someone out there, oh wait...actually there is this one lady who is a friend of my mom's BFF, and she does like going to the hospital now that I think of it.  I know strange but true. 

So mom is home and not yet out of the woods.  I was thinking that I could have gone back and done the "diary" entries for days 3-6, but decided against it.  Truthfully I just don't have the time right now.  I am not saying some "funny" things didn't happen while she was in the hospital because trust me there were a few of those times, that really made me stop and think and , "these are healthcare professionals?".

For instance my mom needed to have a new IV as the first one was done by the paramedics and no one really likes those.  In case you didn't know.  Here goes:

Nurse: Oh geesh, we are going to have to take this IV out and do a new one.  I am not going to have time, my shift is ending.  I will tell my charge nurse and make sure either she does this or the next shift does it.

The charge nurse arrives and immediately asks if she can put it in the  hand.  Anyone that has been around this kind of stuff knows that is one of the most painful places to put an IV.  Mom actually spoke up and told her no. I was so shocked, if I would have been standing I know I would have fallen over.  Mom does not speak up for herself.  The saying in the family goes, she taught me to do that because she couldn't. 

Charge nurse:  So can I put the IV in your hand?
Mom: No

Charge nurse:  I don't see any good veins and if I dont' see any I don't want to poke you. (At this time she is poking and fishing 2 times on mom's left arm(gee that doesn't seem to bother her))

The charge nurse leaves and tells the nurse that she is unable to get an IV in and that they should take her off of all of the IV's. The nurse tells her that she was not going to do that because she could lose her license and that is not what the doctor wanted.  They were outside of my mom's room and speaking in a regular tone, so it wasn't like I was listening in on a private conversation or anything.  The charge nurse throws her hands up and says well you figure something out, I don't know what to do with her.  My thought process is, That was the freaking CHARGE NURSE?  Excuse me, but how do you get to be a CHARGE NURSE??  Obviously it doesn't take much!!  I mean I am just saying.

Nurse#2: Hi! Can I try and put an IV in you?
Mom: Yes
Nurse#2:  If I can't find a vein in your arm, can I use your hand?
Mom: No
Nurse#2:  Why won't you let us use the hand?
Mom:  It hurts and as it is, as I am sure you can see, I am pretty well bruised up on both of my arms, so if you could please try your best to find a spot on either arm I would appreciate it.

What a surprise...nurse #2 found a spot on her right arm, not on the hand.  Imagine that??? I would just like to note...did anyone notice that I did NOT say a word during that??? I know it is not often, but it does happen. 

I could also tell you about the time that I was there and I asked for a clean gown and towels and for her bed to be changed.  The nurse(different nurse) brought me the linens and told me to go ahead and change them.  WRONG!!!  Let me just say I set his little ass straight quicker than he ever imagined, I am positive of that.  I reminded him that I am a visitor and that while I am taking care of my mother and doing part of his job, I am not there to do the beddings.  Whether it was his job or a CNA's job he better figure out who's job  it was and get it taken care of by the time I was done bathing my mom.  I reminded him that I was helping him out by doing what I was doing, had he forgotten?  Had he forgotten that he was at work? OMG!! I could not believe when he brought the beddings and told me here you go you can change the beddings.  He is lucky my mom was there because I did not want to upset her. Can you believe that?  UGH!!!

Anyway mom is home.  She is still weak so that is good for me.  She is someone who doesn't like to sit around so normally this is something hard for her to do.  Normally I would have to practically chain her down to make her sit/lay down.  Right now she doesn't really have the energy to do much of anything.  It will come back to her soon enough.  She lost over 15 lbs.  yeah!!   It is always a good feeling when you lose weight. 

So for now, I am the full-time caregiver.  She hates it but oh well live with it for now.  I haven't really cooked cooked, ya know what I mean?  I have cooked for us, but like really quick and easy meals nothing big.  Well that has been since Dad passed (5/11/08).  Yesterday and today I cooked and baked.  It was so nice.  I forgot how much I enjoyed cooking and baking.  On top of that I didn't kill either one of us with my cooking either! 
Made chicken soft tacos yesterday (nothing extravagent about that), and tonight I made chicken and mashed potatoes, rolls and brownies and ice cream for dessert.  Not too bad...we both enjoyed it.  Guess that is all that counts, right?  

I should probably be doing a million other things, at least that is the way I feel...but she has dozed off and I have slipped away to check email and read some blogs and write one too.  Truthfully, I have missed writing for the last couple of days. 

Comments

  1. Stopping by from SITS.

    I wish your mom a quick and full recovery.

    Cooking and baking brings me so much joy lately as well. It's so relaxing.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Hope your mom is doing well now that she is home. I can't believe the craziness that goes on in hospitals. She is lucky she has you taking such good care of her:)

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment