DECEMBER 26th (continued):
- I had a gruff man (Ralph) come in who identified himself as the assistant. This was the only staffer I saw that was not very professional in his behavior. I kinda made a smart remark that may have ticked him off a bit more, too: he replaced a woman named Lolita, yet he didn't change the erase board to put his name down, so I called him Lolita. The nurse laughed, you can guess he didn't. "You gotta get on the ball!", they were telling him. He didn't make very many appearances afterward, and gee I wonder why.
Lunch and dinner, unfortunately, did not go down that well. One-third pound swiss chicken with spice sauce? I was tempted to send the whole damn thing back. I thought you got to order what you wanted off a menu. They still came a long way from my 1994 Oakwood visit, where I had to eat thru cellophane to get at a cold turkey sandwich. At least they have actual working kitchens now.
Laura finally came by around 7 pm and stayed for about 45 minutes. She sat on the bed with me, which surprised me; I thought she would sit in the chair. She's nearly seven months into her second pregnancy, and she can't afford to get sick. I was grateful for her company and I let her do most of the talking, I still couldn't do more than two sentences at a time without a coughing fit. I was still uncomfortable because of my limited mobility, the IV cord in my left arm, and that damn back pain.
After Laura left, they finally gave me three pills for the back pain and re-did the sheets on the bed, plus repositioned it. From then on, lying in the bed was much more tolerable, and with more comfort, some range of motion began to come back.
Once again, after Ralph clocked out, everyone they sent me was very caring and concerned. I only wish they treated Irene like this. For whatever reason, they didn't, and it feels a bit discouraging.
DECEMBER 27th:
- Encouraging signs: I finally fell asleep about 8AM after a good French Toast breakfast. I only slept for about 20 minutes at a time, but it was progress. I watched CNN all morning for its coverage of the Bhutto (Pakistan) assassination. It seems like the Middle East doesn't want peace at all. I think our troops are stationed there for life, sadly. President Bush wants World War III; he even mentioned the term "World War III" a few months ago. Is this all he really wants?
The lady representing Medicaid came in and interviewed me. She said there's not a very good chance Medicaid can cover me, because I've not been disabled for too long. Um, ask the airport, ask Concentra, ask me, read this blog's archives... how many months was I down with that bad back, needing a cane to walk around in September / October? Hope she doesn't ask that bonehead from the IME who said I majored in theatrics. One look at how many pain pills I've been given for my back since last night ought to tell her more about my harrowing 2007 with my back.
Aunt Lori came by about midway through the interview and she had to wait outside another 20 minutes. She's doing well, although a week after getting her new car, she got into an accident with it. She brought some newspapers for me, thank goodness, and that carried me through the afternoon. One item I read was that Comcast is closing down ALL their public access studios in Michigan. So now the roots of my TV beginnings are completely gone. This decision is going down to a fight, as Congressman Dingell is threatning some legal action. The basis of his opinion is right on the money, and I hope he carries it through.
Lunch was fantastic, and about two hours later, the doctor came back and said I was good to go. They were waiting for my white blood cell count to go down to an acceptable level. Blood pressure was still very low, but everything else was good: the lungs were beginning to clear out. My range of motion was back. The songs became stuck in my head again. Very good signs.
I got a wheelchair ride all the way to the main entrance. Now I know why those people with Hoverounds like them so much. Everyone waved good-bye, and I told them all how much they helped me through this. These are very giving people, and I'm shocked they don't get recognition from more patients. They seemed genuinely accepting of the praise.
All in all... not an experience I want to go through again medically. But if I'm being treated that well at that facility, then it's not a bad thing. In this war-torn world, it's nice to see human compassion that's not being driven by money. They don't make much for what they do.
I drove home slowly, but very alertly. Came home to a messy kitchen (thanks Steve), and when George came home, he broke the news that my cab was totalled on the I-75 Rouge River Bridge, only an hour after they replaced the radiator I wrecked. That's the bridge I always fear plunging off of. It ended up getting smacked by a semi skidding sideways. So work honored the doctor's request for an additional week off, obviously because now, there's no car to put me into.
I'm not even worried. I'm just glad I'm home!! Now Dustea's reading me the riot act about her food dish. How quickly things get back to normal.
It's been a Christmas to remember.
