Okay, I wasn’t really dead. Nowhere near, though for a few hours it didn’t seem like such a bad idea.
Eight days ago, I went into the hospital for an abdominal hysterectomy/bi-lateral oopherectomy. That means, for those of you who may not know, they took my cervix, uterus, and both ovaries. Through a cut in my tummy. Ouch.
I had to be at the hospital at 6AM, and while I normally don’t like having to be places so early, I like it for surgeries. Get it over with. Plus, less chance of the OR getting backed up, and your surgery is hours late!
Everything went quite smoothly, but right out of surgery, I was in a lot of pain. They gave me a monster dose of Toradol, and I had a morphine PCA which I could utilize every 10 minutes. The Toradol was IV, every 8 hours. I got my first dose at 1PM, and pressed that morphine button every time I could (when I wasn’t randomly dropping off to sleep), but it wasn’t until my next dose of Toradol at 9PM that I got anywhere near comfortable.
Friday morning, my IV, PCA and catheter were taken away, and I was put on Percoset tablets. I still had a hep lock in my arm (the IV needle itself was still there, just no tubing). I assumed it was so they could hook me back up quickly should it become necessary. Little did I know that my doc had continued my Toradol until early Saturday morning.
Now, at my pre-op appt the previous Tuesday, my doc had given my 'scripts for Percoset liquid, 10mg every 4 hours, and naproxen sodium, 550mg, twice a day. So, Friday night, my nurse, Katie, comes in and introduces herself and takes my vitals. So I ask her if I’m supposed to be getting naproxen sodium with my Percoset. She said (quite rudely, imho), “I don’t think you can take those drugs together”. I said “I’m sure you can, because it’s what my doctor prescribed for me at home”, and she said “I don’t think you need that many drugs”, and I said “Well, maybe I will and maybe I won’t, but I was just wondering if my doctor had ordered the naproxen for the hospital” and she said “Well, I haven’t had a chance to look at your chart yet. Maybe I’ll have time later”. Maybe?? Maybe?? WTF is that? She’s the only person on staff I have any complaints with, but I felt that whole exchange was quite unprofessional on her part.
About an hour later, my hubby called to see how I was doing and wanting to know if I was up to seeing the kids. I told him about my “conversation” with Katie, and when he got to the hospital, he had a little conversation of his own with her. I don’t know what he said to her, but she was sweet as sugar the rest of the night! Came in and explained about the Toradol the rest of the night, and how I did have orders to start the naproxen on Saturday morning. Hah!
So as of today, I’m off the Percoset and onto Darvocet. Still on the naproxen. I have to say, while I’m sore and weak and eternally tired, it’s not as bad as I thought it would be.
I’m not comfortable sitting at the computer for more than maybe 20 minutes at a time, so I’ve missed the Dope a lot! However, yesterday, my hubby drove our middle daughter to the mall for a hair cut, and while he was there, he got me a little get-well gift: the new Stephen King book! So I’ve got plenty to keep me occupied while I’m not really allowed to do much.
OK, I’m going to take these one at a time. Nothing pisses me off more than crap nursing of post-op pts. :mad:
Your PCA pump was explained to you incorrectly. You could have “pushed that button” more frequently than every 10 minutes. I don’t know what dose etc yours was programmed for, but there is also a “lock-out” mechanism which insures you don’t get too much medication. Also, it should have been explained to you that IF the PCA is not controlling your pain (no amount of safe drug administration will take away every last bit of pain usually), you should have had the option of calling the RN for meds for breakthrough pain. (that’s what pain uncontrolled by PCA is called). IF the doc didn’t tell you this, or the anesthesiologist, the nurses should have.
This is fast, but within reason. I am assuming you were up and about to the toilet and in a chair, yes? Were you offered the Toradol IV on Friday? Toradol is great because it’s non-narcotic and does relieve pain for most people --given that you got relief from it earlier, it would have been the drug of choice, especially since you were now up and about (it doesn’t cause sleepiness etc).
oh, oh,oh. Where to start? 1. Doc is thinking and covering two different kinds of pain–good on him (not all docs do). 2. Nurse is an idiot and you can tell her that from me. Ok, pissed off rant ahead: WHO THE HELL IS SHE TO DECIDE HOW MANY AND WHAT KIND OF DRUGS YOU NEED? Jesus Christ. I thought this 'tude had died a long time ago. IIWY, I would write to her nurse manager–praise the care you received and then say (civilly) that you are concerned regarding the approach X nurse had to your pain management. This is not to be a bitch to the nurse–this is to let the NM know that she needs to have some remedial staff education occur on her unit! Pain is the 5th vital sign–there is NO excuse or reason (medical) for this nurse’s treatment of your pain.
MAYBE SHE’LL HAVE TIME LATER? Maybe I’m the King of Spain! WTF? I have NO problem with nurses telling family/pts that they have another priority–such is the nature of our jobs. I have a HUGE problem with them telling pts/family shit like this. If she didn’t know and didn’t have time to address it now, she should have said she would double check the orders and get back to you by X time. I am so pissed as I type this! Unbelievable. Inexcusable.
That’s all well and good, but her NM needs to know, so that others are not subjected to the same treatment. Just the fact that she stated her opinion re the amount of pain meds you “should” need–HUGE red flag there. Pain is subjective --someone else with the same surgery may have needed a morphine PCA for several days; someone else may have jumped off the table and been fine (well, that’s an exaggeration). She has no way of knowing what your pain is–it also sounds like she didn’t do an assessment of your pain (on a scale of 1-10 etc). Now, I have issues with pain scales, since many, many people don’t understand them (they think they have to say 10/10 in order to get any relief for one exampe. Another is sadly, the abusers and users who know how to game the system). But, and here is a salient point: it wouldn’t matter if you were a street person heroin addict–you are a post-op pt. We do not deny users and abusers pain meds. (of course you are neither of those, I’m just saying). Katie was putting her value system onto you–big NO NO in nursing.
And just FYI, unless your doctor has instructed you otherwise–if you upon occasion have severe pain and the naproxene isn’t holding you, you can still take the Darvocet. Check with your doc, but he prescribed it to be used. Warning: Darvocet/percocet etc are narcotics. You should not drive while taking them. No alcohol, either. Narcs can (and are) constipating–you made need some prune juice or even an over the counter stool softener. Be sure to keep yourself hydrated–lots of water and juice (stay away from caffeine–it’s a mild diuretic and just dehydrates you more). Combine mild activity with times of rest, but don’t lay in bed–it’s demoralizing and terrible for healing. Use a small throw pillow to brace your abdomen when you cough or sneeze or walk up and down stairs–the counterpressure helps relieve the pulling pain most people feel after abdominal surgery.
Sorry to sound like such a… nurse, but it sounds like you didn’t get much nursing care. Grrrr. Also, one last thing–call your doc if you have any questions or concerns about your post-op progress. And keep your follow up appointment!
It ain’t rocket science, Katie–but it’s still very important. Gah.
I hope the rest of your recovery is noneventful. Rigby RN, for 20+ years.
Wow Norine. Hope you feel better soon. My sister just had the whole hysterectomy/oopheretcomy Wednesday. A robot operated on her–cool! She stayed overnight and went home yesterday morning. No real pain, fortunately. Today she’s nauseated and tired. My little sister had an oopherectomy last week. So far, I’ve dodged the bullet, but I’ve got a big cyst on my right ovary, so who knows.
My sisters’ surgeries were for cancer avoidance. My younger sister had bilateral breast cancer. My youngest sister is positive for BRAC2, which increases her chances of getting both breast and ovarian cancer. My mom had metastatic breast cancer too. I was negative for the gene, so no one’s recommending surgery for me yet. If it’s not too personal, why did you have the surgery? Of course, if it’s too personal, feel free to tell me to mind my own business.
Yah know, rigs, if I ever have to have surgery, I swear I’m going to find out what hospital you serve in and make sure I get admitted there with orders to have you as my RN. Even if I have to move to do it. You’re an example of what a good nurse should be.
I have a “thing” for post-ops. It’s my favorite kind of nursing, where even small things can make a huge difference. I’d be honored to be your nurse.
This happens sometimes, usually a result of the anesthesia. It’s no big deal (although it is when it happens to you!)–what I mean is that it doesn’t have any future implications (you might want to mention it next time you have surgery but as an FYI thing only).
I couldn’t pee after the birth (vaginal) of my first child. Actually, I wasn’t given much time or chance. I had an old time OB (senior partner who happened to be on call) who is (hopefully) dead now. They straight-cathed me right on the delivery table–no warning; didn’t even ask. That hurt like hell–a straight cath is not the pliable latex or silicone catheter (usually called a Foley)–the straight cath made of a firmer polymer and is removed as soon as the bladder is empty. Ouch!
One of the times I had surgery (forget which one it was) all of the nurses save one were wonderful. That one was a horror. The pain meds I’d been getting weren’t working well, so I told the doctor and he said he’d order something different. Nurse Nincompoop came in later, with the OLD med. I told her the orders had been changed. She basically said, “Oh, I didn’t see that. Well, take this one anyway and I’ll come back later with whatever the new one is.” No, I don’t think so. How do you know the two meds play nice together? The doctor changed them for a reason. Don’t you think you should go by what was prescribed? I had to argue with her and outright refuse the med. Good thing I was awake and aware enough to do so; later when I was home I checked and found through ordinary web searching that the two drugs were not good to take in combination. Yes, I did write a letter outlining that (and her other idiocies) to the supervisor, the patient representative and the hospital chief medical officer.
I have to second that opinion. You are the kind of nurse we love to see. With all the surgeries my wife has gone through I know which surgical floor to avoid, which nurses are the laziest and who to complain to about poor service. I sleep in my wife’s room because we have had too many times where nurses weren’t answering call lights, were rude or were screwing up her orders. My wife is allergic to penicillin, flagyl and cephlasporin and I’ve seen them try to hang bags of those drugs for IVs before I call them on it.
One night I couldn’t stay. My wife was on IV vancomycin and around 2 AM she felt her arm getting hot. She rang for the nurse, waited 15 minutes tehn rang again. Nurse came in and my wife told her about her arm getting hot. Nurse left and came back with an ice pack. 20 minutes later my wife saw her arm was swelling. She rang for the nurse and waited another 15 minutes. She showed the nurse who told her that she’d see what she could do. 20 minutes later my wife rang again because her arm was swollen and hot. Nurse didn’t come after 30 minutes. My wife said fuck it. She unplugged the IV from the outlet, got on her shoes, put her coat over her shoulders and walked out of the room. The Nurse Manager saw her walking towards the elevator and asked where she was going. My wife told her, “I’m going to the Emergency Room since I obviously can’t get any help here.” The NM looked at my wife’s arm, went :eek: and immediately disconnected the IV. She then called the doctor and told him what was happening with her arm. It turns out the vanco was infusing into her arm and wasn’t going into her veins. I guess the stuff is toxic and she could have lost her arm.
I always tell the NM about the f-ups and I praise the good nurses. What blows my mind is that this isn’t some small town hospital or a county hospital where there is limited staff, lower level trauma abilities or over-worked and underpaid county workers. This is a major teaching hospital on the south side of Chicago.
Stories like that make me ill. I’m sorry your wife had that experience, slypork.
That said, often and often it is not solely the RN, but the system that is at fault. Yes, the nurse has a responsibility to her own license (to practice-reasonably and prudently- within the scope of her Nurse Practice Act), but most acute care is set up to almost ensure failure on the part of the nurses.
Hospitals (no matter what the brochure or the administrators say) are staffed abysmally. Nurses are stretched way too thin and important stuff (like the early signs of IV vanco infiltration) are missed or minimized to “save time” so that all the other hundred tasks can be done. That nurse should have stopped the infusion as soon as your wife c/o "heat:, but my point is there is a context here and we don’t know what that was for that nurse. We don’t know what else was happening in her other rooms. That does not excuse her lack of attention, but it may help explain it.
I went from working the floors into ICU solely because I didn’t care how sick the ICU pts were, there were only 2 of them (for me)–instead of 18 pts like when I first started in nursing. Med/surg nurses typically have 8-9 pts now, despite research that shows that every additional patient over 4 per nurse increases error rates (and leads to corner cutting).
Case in point: I (until recently) worked in a stepdown unit with 18 pts. Most stepdowns have a nurse: pt ratio of 1:3, with ancillary support (aka aides). This one had 1:4-5. I was in charge every day (“charge” means you are the go-to person for that shift. Believe me, the staff come to you for everything. It sucks); I usually had 1-2 agency (think Kelly girl, but nurses) nurses unfamiliar with the unit, the docs etc. So, I need to make sure they’re doing their job. I have my own assignment of 4 pts. Because I am an old ICU nurse (and a good one), I was usually assigned the sickest pts (ventilators, drips, new MIs, new post-ops). In case you’re thinking she should have just delegated or changed the assignment, it is easier to actually do the work, then to clean up and clear up the mess left by others. That sounds harsh, but the working environment in the hospital is harsh. Nursing has a hostile culture (I’m generalizing here)–we are not one another’s advocates, sad to say. I know what was done to me when I was fresh out of school and I swore I’d never do it to anyone else. I haven’t (AFAIK), but it was easier and simpler to go with the tougher assignment.
In my 12 hour shift, I usually could only manage about a 15 minute lunch–and that is because I insisted on stopping for lunch. I could not in good conscience leave the unit (it was just so much harder to come back into the insanity if I did so), so I would eat in the lounge, where the support staff would come in to complain about so and so or tell me the supervisor/bed control/NM/pissed off doc is on the phone. Hardly relaxing. And then there were the nurse’s aides who needed constant supervision (some of the aides are phenomenal, though). Occasionally, another nurse would come in with a nice word or a shared laugh.
I did it. And I did it well for 6 years. I quit last May and promptly got pnuemonia in June. I now work in Same Day Surgery. The pay is lower, the hours more iffy (a low surgical schedule means I am called off from work), but I have peace of mind. I KNOW each of my pts is going home from their OR with clear, simple instructions and reassurance.
Now that stepdown unit has been changed. The ratio is now 1:3, in line with the rest of the nation. But here’s the catch: administration took away all but 6 beds. There are now 2 nurses up there–no aides. Sure, they took care of the utter chaos and confusion that unit suffered from, but the ratio is still not the most advantageous for proper pt care. If they would add just one aide, it would be great. If 5 out of 6 pts are “feeders”, how long do you think lunch lasts? And where is lunch for the nurses? :rolleyes: Think about this: how are breaks covered? One RN leaves the unit, leaving the other RN with (now) 6 pts. Hardly ideal.
What to do? No idea–but I know that change must come from the patient population. It was pt demand that changed Labor and Delivery from stark, closetlike rooms to birthing suites. Nurses have amazingly little power political or otherwise (sadly enough, given we are the largest segment of health care workers). It’s not the docs (it partially was a very long time ago), mostly it’s the administration and insurance companies, and trying to run health care like a combination manufacturing plant and luxury hotel. People are neither widgets or customers–they are patients. As such, they have rights, but also responsibilities. There is no shame in being a patient (much like it irks me to be called a “guest” at Target–I’m a customer. Guests are not customers), but it is a unique position.
Sorry, this got kind of long, but it felt good!
MLS I have no reason for the idiocy re the “just take the old med”–that’s ridiculous, and if the med had been discontinued, illegal. That’s a careless nurse–scary.
Actually, I was not expressing myself well. I know the button can be pushed at any time. What I really meant was that morphine would only be dispensed as often as every 10 minutes. There were times that first afternoon when I lost track of time, and would push the button just to see if it was time to do so yet. Sometimes it was (yay for morphine) sometimes it wasn’t. I agree with you on the meds for breakthrough pain, though. I don’t feel my pain was adequately managed that first 8 hours, and I could have benefited from maybe a little Dilaudid on the side.
[quote]
I am assuming you were up and about to the toilet and in a chair, yes? Were you offered the Toradol IV on Friday? Toradol is great because it’s non-narcotic and does relieve pain for most people --given that you got relief from it earlier, it would have been the drug of choice, especially since you were now up and about (it doesn’t cause sleepiness etc).
Yes, they had me up and in the chair Thursday night after my second dose of Toradol. I hadn’t been to the bathroom yet because I was still cathed. I agree that Toradol is great. I often request it when I have to go to the ER for kidney stones. Some docs don’t like to give it to me, because it’s hard on the kidneys and my right one is already very compromised, but that’s why my GYN wrote it for every 8 hours instead of every 4 or 6 hours.
Well, I came home on Saturday, and my doc’s office called Monday wanting to know how I was getting along, and if I’d had any issues at the hospital. I told them about my encounter with Katie. It was noted. Do you still think I should report it to the NM? I had thought not, since I reported it to my doc, but if you think so, I will. And no, at first Katie did not ask me to rate my pain. After my hubby gave her an attitude adjustment she did, though.
Yep, still using the Darvocet. For one thing, because of the weight loss surgery I had, nothing stays in my gut for 12 hours, so by 8 hours post-naproxen, I’m needing something. For another thing, I know from hard experience that it’s easier to stay on top of the pain than get on top of the pain! And yes, I’m eating a special “recipe” for constipation (mix equal parts all-bran, prune juice and apple sauce, take 2TBSP at bed time, your bowels will love you in the morning!), getting plenty of fluids (sorry, but I still have my coffee in the mornings), and moderate activity. And this was my 6th abdominal surgery, so I’m a pro with the ol’ pillow! I also keep one in my lap when I’m in the recliner, in case one of the kitterz decides he needs to snuggle, and jumps on me!
The first couple of times were hard, only dribbles. After that, it was fine. I really pushed the fluids, too. I really, really didn’t want to be re-catheterized if I could help it! (although my 8YO daughter thought the cath was fascinating).
Well, I have to keep my follow-up appt. or else have my husband take out the staples himself! Ouch.
I’ve heard of the DaVinci robot for surgery assistance. Kids, we are living in the future.
I had my surgery for uncontrolled bleeding (until my doc started me on massive doses of progesterone to stop it, I was bleeding 45-50 out of every 60 days) and cramps from hell, plus I had numerous fibroids that were causing all sorts of back pain, stomach pain, constipation, and all kinds of mean, nasty, ugly stuff.
Slypork, that sucks! I’ve been hospitalized lots of times (more than a dozen, I’m guessing), and it never fails, no matter how wonderful the nursing care is, there’s one nurse who seems almost determined to bring the whole profession down a notch! I hope that bitch who did that to your wife go what was coming to her!
To everyone else, thanks for the well wishes and vibes. I’m doing lots of resting, but I’m fitting in a little walking and activity, too.
Glad to hear you’re doing well, and I too would be extremely peeved about that nurse. I have seen some awesome nurses in action so it really angers me when one like that comes along. I honestly don’t know how any of you do the job, I know I couldn’t, but I’m grateful that you do it!
Yes, you still need to tell her NM. Doctors have (almost) no control or power when it comes to nursing staffing and the disciplining of. Also, the doctor’s office and the hospital do not speak to one another (seriously. When I did home health, upon occasion I would go to the house only to find that my pt had been admitted–the hospital did not call the agency to let them know, so if the family didn’t, we had no idea–very odd, no?)
So, letting the doc know is nice, but it would be far more effective to write a note to the NM of the unit. I didn’t realize you were a 6 time veteran. You could do the teaching! Glad to hear you’re still taking what you need for the pain.
Did they give you the okay for a warm pad on your belly? I recommend a water bottle or rice pack, not a cat. Cats are often over the weight limit for lifting and don’t get up when you yell at them.
Hoo boy, I can vouch for this. But first, norinew, I hope you get to feeling better real soon and that your recovery continues to go well, with plenty o’ happy juice for the pain.
I’ve just had my first real hospital experiences within the last six weeks. I’m one of those incredibly lucky people who is generally very healthy, and so are my family members - until just recently. My mother was hospitalized with pneumonia in late January, and we (my siblings and I) stayed with her. I was . . . staggered by the crappy processes and massive inefficiencies. The nurses (most of them) were just excellent, but they were swimming upstream with the craziness in that hospital. Even such a small thing as “which arm to take BP from” was completely hoogly moogly - there were, by my actual count, FIVE different ways of notifying the nursing staff of which arm to use. Sometimes it was a laminated hot pink card on the patient’s room door saying “Right arm only”, sometimes it was a handwritten note pasted above the patient’s bed saying “no left arm BP or BD”, sometimes it was a xeroxed sign next to the vitals chart. WTF? I’m a bleeping IT geek and even I can figure out they need to at least standardize the method of communicating such a basic concept. In my mother’s room, the sign was a bright orange laminated sign duct taped to the wall over her head and another on her door. That’s because WE - the patient’s family - went home, fired up a laptop and Word and cranked out a couple of signs, went to Kinko’s to have them laminated, and put the damn things up.
We also stayed with her 24 hours. We brought pillows and blankets from home because when we’d ask the staff for them, they’d respond that they’d “see if they can find one”. Christ. A pillow? You’ll see if you can find one? Whatever. We brought socks for Mom, and lotion for her skin and lip balm and stuff to wet her very dry mouth and food (jello and such), all of which I later found are pretty much standard issue to patients.
I could go on for hours on this - I’m so frustrated and angry with the way my mother was treated and I have no one to blame but a stupid faceless hospital. The doctors and nurses were almost all great, but the system and processes suck balls. Once I recover from the experience a bit more I’m going to write a big nasty letter to that hospital. Right now I just want to call in an air strike on them.
eleanorigby, you’re the kind of nurse that made me want to go into nursing. I wish you’d been at my mom’s hospital.
When pts used to ask me for pillows, I’d tell them they were like cigarettes in prison. I’d do my damnedest, but if they asked after the laundry dept closed (that’s 2pm, folks, at my hospital)–I was out of luck.
A chronic shortage of pillows does make sense in a way. Nurses use pillows as positioning aides. It is not uncommon to have ONE pt use 5 pillows, just to position them correctly and in proper alignment*. Housekeeping seems to have never cottoned on to the fact that one pillow per bed is not enough. I have no idea who should solve this problem–it has gotten bounced around from housekeeping to “environmental services/laundry” to purchasing to nursing and back.
*Let’s say a pt needs to be turned (minimum is every 2 hours; ideal is every hour except when sleeping–that’s a nurse joke. No one in the hospital sleeps). Turn Mrs Smith onto her right side. Mrs Smith is in for toe surgery, complicated by CHF. She needs:
1 pillow under her head
2 pillows, placed one after another lengthwise behind her back to keep her on her side.
1 pillow between her legs (knees) to help prevent skin breakdown.
1 pillow (could be 2) under her elevated foot (especially important if this is her surgical foot)
If she had had abdominal or chest surgery, she’d need another pillow to hold when coughing etc.
I’m up to 6 pillows. Her room-mate who has several bedsores, may need more pillows to properly position her limbs to prevent further damage.
I will say this (and it hurts to say it, but it needs to be said): no one should stay in the hospital overnight alone if they are in any kind of vulnerable state such as post-op, post stroke, acute MI, pneumonia,–in fact, I don’t need to qualify this at all because only the vulnerable stay overnight in hospitals anymore. You may have the best staff in the world, but even they can be overwhelmed by a mix of acute pts or emergencies on the floor. You need someone to advocate for you or just make sure you get to the toilet in one piece. Time was when this was not necessary, but I wouldn’t leave a family member alone–not even at John Hopkins or at Mayo or Princeton Plaisnsboro (joke).
But pts can do more–educate yourselves re your illness or condition. Ask questions in a courteous way. Don’t just take the pills the RN brings you. Ask her or him their name and title (lots of aides like to have you assume they’re nurses. More than lots of pts think the aides are nurses. They are not. They are valuable members of the team, but they are not nurses.) Ask if Dr Welby did indeed order that diet change/new med/physical therapy treatment. Hey, they forget to sometimes.
If you are DNR or have a Living Will or a Durable Power of Attorney for Healthcare (not estate planning), bring the paperwork in with you–the nurses will make a copy of it for your chart. Make sure (by asking) that each new shift is aware–same with allergies or any other medical or other condition that might impact on your current needs (example: please tell us if you’re prone to nightmares or panic attacks or if you would prefer the chaplain not stop by or if you just will not take that stool softener). Mostly, don’t just lay back and let it happen (kind of unrealistic I know, given that you’re sick and all! that’s why an advocate is important).
Sorry to have hijacked this thread. Glad that norinew is doing well.
What my doc suggested is putting a damp washcloth in a ziploc baggie and microwaving it for 20 seconds; apply to incision site for 15 minutes or so, 3 times a day. Very soothing.
Our cat who is most likely to want to be in my lap is above my weight lifting limit, but he will get down off my lap if I push on his rump!
Dr. Woo, I have to say that my local hospitals are consistent in their communications. I even had a separate bracelet that listed what meds I was allergic to, and it was bright green! I’m sorry your mom was stuck in such a crappy hospital! I will also say that this is the first time I’ve been hospitalized that I’ve had enough pillows. I took one from home with me, and the nurses who first took me from recovery to my room gave me one pillow under my head, and one under each arm (so it was kinda like being kicked back in an easy chair).
eleanorigby, at first, my hubby was going to stay with me overnight Thursday, and 16YO EtherealFreakOfPinkness was going to stay Friday night. However, hubby hadn’t slept well Wednesday night and had a lot of driving to do Friday. So, since I was able to get myself out of bed, I told him to go home to sleep, but keep the phone by the bed. It’s a five minute drive from our house to the hospital I was in, and he could (and would) have been there in a flash! Likewise, I let EFOP off the hook Friday night, once the Friday night nurse cleaned up her act. I will, however, write a letter to the NM about the good and the bad!
Glad to have you back with us. Just a suggestion so you can get your Dope fix more easily: have the computer moved to your bed. Ask hubby to get one of those tables where one part slides under the bed and the other goes over it.
Well, the whole family shares a computer, and I’ve a feeling the rest of the family wouldn’t be crazy about the idea of me having proprietorship over the 'puter for a while. 'Sides, being uncomfortable sitting here after a while is a nice reminder to go and rest, which is really what my doctor wants me doing most of all! Thanks for the warm welcome, though.
