The director of our rescue is in the hospital with a septic knee wound. She’s old and obese. Her husband died 3 years ago and she has said that she is ready to go to heaven so she can be with him.
I’d never bring up the age and weight thing except that I know that she will have a harder time recovering from a weight bearing limb.
I’m really scared for her. Does anyone have some supportive hugs for me?
Whoa - that is pretty rough. I know you don’t know me but on a Saturday night it can be kinda slow around here.
So I hope you don’t mind a hug from a stranger. Hope your boss does OK. You sound like a very kind person to care about her so much.
{{{flatlined}}}
maaaaaan, you know I hate that touchy-feely stuff…
But yer this fucking awesome biker MONSTER animal rescue chick, and this lady is clearly another fucking awesome hardcore MONSTER animal rescue chick, and it’s heartbreaking that the odds seem a bit stacked against her, and you want her to recover and continue her awesome work, but she’s old and tired and ready to maybe not check out of the hospital, just hobble instead over her rainbow bridge, and…
aww, what the hell. C’mere.
xoxoxo
{{{{hugs}}}}
There aren’t enough people who work in animal rescue. We don’t need to lose any.
Can you smuggle in a kitten?
{{{flatlined}}}
Here’s hoping your boss does well with her treatment.
Thanks everyone, and Kinki, you made me laugh 
I do think that my awesome boss is ready to go the Rainbow Bridge. After her husband of a million years died, something went out of her. I understand her depression a little more after talking to M about it. (his wife of 30 years died 11 months ago)
I’ve thought that rescue was the only thing that got her out of bed for the last year. Now that she is in the hospital and knows that we are doing our best to handle things for her, she doesn’t have starving critters to feed.
This really sucks.
Is it selfish of me to be worried about what is going to happen to the rescue group she spent over 20 years building? I can move on to a different one, but dangit, she’s been my boss for about 10 years.
I want her out of the hospital and telling me what to do again. I want her to gently smack me with her cane and tell me that I’m the one holding the leash when dogs walk me into things.
I do not want to see her like I did today. Drugged and in pain and with no earrings.
Well, silly! So bring her a pair of earrings! The ferias kind, let me see if I can find pics…
These are discrete. These are Berry Typical Espanish Y Olé. Does she like bows? I once saw a woman in the train whose earrings were very simple, they were just silver loops, nothing fancy… but they were large enough to have a canary in each one.
I’m sorry to hear this. When I go into the hospital, I take a little toy kitten with me, it’s very realistic looking. Perhaps your boss would enjoy a Beanie Baby or something similar? It would remind her that she does still have something to live for?
{{{flatlined}}}
Nava, Lolli loves her earrings. She doesn’t wear expensive ones, she likes the fun ones she finds at the dollar store. The hospital took them away. I know that I’m focusing on something small, but its always been part of her.
Lynn, I brought her a stuffed kitty yesterday. I stopped at a craft store and bought some furry balls and glued them under its tail. Last week, she would have seen them and laughed. Today, she just looked at the plush and said thank you, then told me that she had been falling before she got the pain in her knee.
She’s swollen, I don’t think she could make a fist now, her hands are so swollen. When I read her whiteboard today, I saw that her diet had changed from “no salt” to “renal”.
The most frustrating part about this is that her only family in this side of the country is her 25 year old son. Who is reacting like a 25 year old person who trusts doctors, but doesn’t understand what is going on and doesn’t know the questions to ask.
Tomorrow, I’ll stop at the health food place and get some no scent, no allergins lotion. Her skin looks like it must hurt from the swelling, so I’ll rub some on her. If she allows, that is.
This keeps getting worse. I love her and I don’t want to lose her. I’ve lost too many friends over the last couple of years.
Helpless and frustrated and crying.
You may want to mention to one of the doctors or the nurses that you’re concerned that she might be depressed. They might want to have one of the social workers or a psychiatrist visit to talk with her and offer some resources.
Thank you. I agree that she probably clinically depressed. The problem is that I’m not family, I have no right to say anything.
Honestly, the main problem we are having. (“We” means all of her friends, not just me) are having is that her son can’t/won’t accept that his Mother is seriously ill and has to be proactive. He won’t give anyone medical power of attorney, so even the retired Practical Nurse can’t have medical questions answered.
I know that HIPPA was meant to protect people’s privacy. I understand. I just don’t think its right that there are well trained people who could step up to help if only they had the information.
I think I’m going to go offline and throw wrenches around. The feeling of throwing something heavy that makes dramatic noises and don’t break will be helpful.
Bumping this because I’m so sad.
My friend is now in full kidney failure. Dialysis twice a day. Last night, she was able to talk somewhat.
She says that everything she eats tastes disgusting now. She said it while trying to force herself to eat some chocolate ice cream. Lolli used to love food. That little container would have been gone in 3 minutes before and she would have asked for more.
She told me that she would really like to have a banana. Of course, I instantly told her that if she was allowed to have a banana, I would procure one for her. If there were no bananas at the hospital, I would go get one for her.
Her nurse said that she was on a low potassium diet so no banana for Lolli. I had to stand outside her room for a minute to try to compose myself for my failure, but Lolli was zoning when I went back in.
This sucks. I’m almost wanting to ask a mod to move this thread to the pit because I have so many bad words to say right now.
{{{{{hugs}}}}} and kitty kisses for you.
There’s not a damned thing I can say that will make this better, and that sucks.