It has been 10 nights since Jerry's heart attack. Last night was our 9th night here at the Veteran's Hospital. Before surgery I just slept in his room, since surgery, they haven't let me stay with him all night, I've been staying in guest quarters that the military provides. I am lucky they have had a bed for me available each night (the veteran's come first) and it has saved us plenty and allows me to be close.
Jerry has had the urinary catheter removed and the chest drainage tubes were removed yesterday. The tube removal was planned for noon yesterday, and the plan was to give him pain meds about an hour before. At 10 am, one of the doctors came in, announced she had time to remove it, had a nurse help and yanked the thing out. It caused him MUCH pain for about 2 hours. I was furious! The nurse warned us that he would need pain meds for the procedure and warned us about some doctors that didn't seem to care. We thought we were a step ahead. I lose all respect for a doctor who doesn't care about patients any further than the procedure at hand. That actually was the first negative experience we've had here.
Jerry is doing well. Good appetite. Blood work coming back in acceptable ranges. Doing plenty of walking. Bored and wanting to go home. We are hoping he will be discharged tomorrow.
I spend most of the day in the room with him. Neither of us are TV watchers, there's not much else to do here, so we flick through the channels making negative comments and wondering how TV programming got so bad. Discovery channel has some good stuff. Animal planet is sometimes OK, the rest... 'thumbs down'.
Remember as kids in 4-H or scouts, we went to 'old folks' homes for Christmas programs? Well let me tell you those programs are valued! Last night I was on the receiving end. The hospital had its' annual Christmas Craft Fair for the veterans and dependents here. WOW. Jerry is a prisoner of the ICU but encouraged me to get out. They had very nice box dinners to hand out, I ate. The large hospital auditorium was filled with tables for various groups and their craft projects. There were lots of patients in wheel chairs having a great time and a few of us wives too. What an appreciated break and it was most fun being entertained by the enthusiastic kids helping. There were scouts, Church groups, civic groups, ladies clubs, etc. I made a small Christmas tree, an ornament, leather worked a key ring, wood burned a picture frame, and decorated a Christmas stocking. Tooked them all up to the room and gave Jerry an early Christmas. He almost cried, I just love that man, he didn't even make fun of the elementary-age-art appearance of the stocking, just insisted I hang it on his wall. We have not been together long enough for him to know that I lack artistic abilities, but I don't think he cares....
Time now for me to get a cup of coffee and go up to ICU and ask Jerry what he has planned for the day....
My love to you all.
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7 comments:
Oh, poor Jerry! How absolutely thoughtless of that doctor. Maybe they just do it so often they lose their "compassion" for the pain aspect? I think if that happens it's time to start thinking about a different career.
Mom, you know how much you loved our "elementary school art" crafts we gave you as kids. Because we made them for you, with love. It didn't matter if the craft was sucktactular, you cherished it anyway. It's probably the same for Jerry.
It would be nice if Kayleigh's Brownie troop would do something like that at a nursing home or something, but I don't know. So far its been all about sell, sell, sell.
Jenn, 20+ years later I still have the coupon books.... can I still redeem them? I am on a lunch break. Jerry has been moved to the regular ward now. Crossing our fingers for a Friday discharge!
my fingers are crossed with yours too! All my best!
You May be home, when you read this. I sure hope you both ARE at home now. "HOME SWEET HOME"
The best artist pictures, gifts, wouldn't mean as much of a gift, to a husband or anyone, as one hand made by their wife or anyone. I still have things made by my children, now many years old.(the gifts and pictures are old)
Thoughts and prays still with you Jerry. A good and fast recovery.
Sounds like fun, art is the best if you forget about "being good at it" and just enjoy it. But hey, I am a little biased I guess :)
Glad to hear Jerry's doing well and you guys might get to go home soon.
Me and Tristan think about you a lot and are praying for Jerry!
Love ya!
(Coupon books? What coupon books? No idea what you could possibly be talking about :) )
OH, those coupon books? Didn't we include expiration dates? Uh oh.
I am so hoping that your crossed fingers worked and you are both at home...where you belong. I am so sorry that Jerry had to go through that kind of pain. Thank you so much for taking the time to stop by and say hi. I am so glad that your sweetheart is on the mend and that you both are together.
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