There was apparently some kind of miscommunication stated about their intent. I'll accept that from them because they are normally a very reliable clinic.
J. Glad your mom is doing okay. I hope she has a speedy recovery. Sorry to read about Dallie. I believe all animals go to Heaven and she is up there right now sitting patiently waiting for you to join her. I really believe you will see her again one day.
Fortunately(?) there was quite a few years between the losses. But Sam was the best dog we had--because I trained him to be that way. He was a 50 pound black poodle, with very soft fur. Because he was black and tended to sleep in my parents room, Dad would routinely step on him when getting up. To compensate for that, Sam would sit with his head resting on Dad’s foot while Dad ate, sensing all movement. Dad was known for unintentionally dropping food (a bit clumsy), and it often never hit the floor, Sam was so primed for Dad’s motions. At the table, at least. And very happy for you, John, about the remembrance. My mother-in-law is not doing well and Hubby said that, when her time comes, she wants to be cremated. I asked him if we could have a small container with part of her ashes. Although we rarely speak (her English is a bit better than my non-existent Spanish), she’s been a source of good advice and made Hubby the wonderful man he is. I am indebted to her.
Thanks LGM and propita. I appreciate it, and I agree. Some mom news today; it seems there has been a setback as infection has set in, and the nurse situation isn't getting any better. Today, a new nurse dropped mom's oxygen breather, picked it up, wiped it on the sheet, and tried to put it back on her. Dad caught it in time and said, "Could you please put a new one on her instead of using that one?". This, among other incidents, is what we have to work with.
^ omfg! NO WAY! Is she kidding?? Wiped it on the sheet??? WTF????? Good for your Dad for stopping her!!!!
That situation just cannot go on like this. You have to write a complaint to someone, the Hospital Board or something? Especially if your mother is now in need of more attention and care due to unforeseen problems after the surgery. Just do it. You and your family can't live with the prospect of having to have eyes on the back of your heads just in case a nurse or the other is not in the mood to do her job properly. What a nightmare, I'm sorry this is happening.
I'm going to have to contact someone. I already spoke with the head nurse and this kind of stuff is still going on. This evening, they continued the morphine. This is day 11 that she has been on morphine, and now they've added percoset to the list of painkillers. So she's taking percoset and also the morphine. She was combative this evening, insisting that I don't come up very often or for very long (I've been up there every day anywhere from 9-13 hours each day). I realize this is the medication, but it gets frustrating when she starts arguing nonsense and nothing you say, even very calmly, will get her thinking straight again. Damn nurses. I'm getting tired of it. See, she didn't qualify for rehab (I don't know why), so she'll have to stay in a nursing home for a few weeks so she can be rehabilitated. This was met with great resistance, and even after explaining that no, mom, we're not putting you in a home for good, this is for rehab only, for a few weeks at best, she was upset, and again, it's the combined painkillers causing it. On the other side, I picked up Dallie's ashes from my Aunt today. They're in a very pretty cherry wood box, with her picture on the front. I just held the box for a while, thinking about her and wishing she were still here. So I really don't need anymore stress right now, and what's going on at the hospital is just wearing me out. My poor dad works every day and then has to deal with this. He goes straight up to the hospital around 4 when he gets off work and doesn't leave until 10 at night, and that's only because he has to come home and get sleep for work in the morning. Just too much going on.
See if the hospital has some sort of Patient Advocacy office; maybe you can get some quicker action than waiting for a written complaint to be noticed.
After dealing with the head nurse, her doctor, and a few higher ups, I think we've now got it sorted out. So hopefully that stress is behind us and we can deal with the rest of it that keeps coming our way.
...but only if you can best Heimdall, Guardian of Asgard and Warden of the Bifrost Bridge! All the best, J. Hold tight.
Thank you, ancientone. Thanks, FL. Damn you. First I cry, and then you make me laugh. Anyhoo, so she's been off the morphine for two days, and she's showing withdrawal symptoms. She'll be angry, then sad, then depressed, then okay, then angry, then sad, and all the time always uncomfortable and always in some kind of pain, and I do my best for the 9-13 hours I'm there, every day, but I'm exhausted. What's saddest of all is that only once or twice has any other family (aside from my dad) even visited. I try to get my brother up there to see her (he only lives two blocks away from where we live, so it's essentially the same distance to the hospital), but aside from seeing her the second day she was in (this is day 12 as of this post), he hasn't been back. We all live within a few miles of one another, it's silly that no one has really come to visit, and so I'm there, every day, from morning until late at night, and dad comes in when he's not working, stays late, goes home and goes to work the next morning, and we just can't keep this up. Rehab once again denied her, so we're still trying to find her somewhere where she can get 24 hour care and rehabilitation. The doctor will be away for the week, and so we're on our own until he returns, because the social worker isn't sure what to do next without his approval, since in-hospital rehab turned her down. That's just the hospital stuff. Keeping everything else outside of that from falling apart, along with everything else that's happening, is getting near impossible to handle and is getting beyond my stress level, and with the holidays coming up, more pressure, and above all of that, my mom still doesn't know about Dallie, but I'm tired of lying to her. I know it's vital that she not yet find out because she's still at a critical juncture, but Jesus, when she find out, I don't want to be there, or maybe I do. I don't know. I should start drinking heavily! (I kid, of course). That all aside, once more, thank you all for the good thoughts, because I believe they are keeping me grounded, and I appreciate all the vibes and prayers for mom, because I do believe they help. My blessings, John
What do you mean that in-hospital rehab turned her down? Her doctor recommended rehab and they said no? Why?