Home Alone
Gerry's not home tonight and I miss him.
This is unusual, I'm the traveler - he's the stay at homer (at least he has been the past few years) so it's really odd for the kids and me to be here without him.
He's at the hospital. He went to get a colonoscopy - it's been a rough ride with that, this is try #3 (the first attempt was unsuccessful because he couldn't get the prep stuff down - second attempt failed because he got it down, but it came right back up.)
This time the idea was to pipe it into him. He hadn't realized they meant through a hose in his nose, and it was rough. I dropped him off at 8:00 and then ran Maxie to school.
I was supposed to wait for Gerry to call to have me pick him up, but a little after 11:00 he called to say they hadn't even started the procedure. Later another call - still waiting - the first attempt at the nose was unsuccessful.
At 5:00 I called the hospital because I hadn't heard anything and I was worried. All kinds of things go through the mind - but what I found was that after FOUR attempts they decided to do a special procedure where they scan his throat while they put the tube down (I may have misunderstood that) so they have a little guidance.
This attempt WAS successful, but it was too late to actually do the procedure - and they were loathe to let him go home (worried we'd have a wild fiber-eating orgy with lots of red jello, probably...)
So they admitted him - he's staying there overnight.
The kids and I drove over to visit - he was in bad spirits. He's pissed that they even had to do this - when his mom had a colonoscopy last month they used a pill prep - no awful liquid - and he's a little angry they just couldn't do that. They said the pills can cause complications, but he feels that the tube up his nose could case complications, too.
Poor Gerry - I could tell he felt out of control, angry, just very frustrated. And I was frustrated too. And I felt helpless (the kids were with me, hungry, I had to take them to get dinner)
I feel like I should have been more pro-active this evening at the hospital. I spoke to the nurse about the meds he's on now, what he has to take, and what he has been taking for pain (he has tremendous pain in his bones, especially his hips) And although she took notes, she seemed - vacant - when she was writing down the information. I don't have a lot of faith that it was processed. That's a terrible thing to say, but you KNOW when you've made a connection with someone, and I don't feel as though I made one with this nurse.
So tomorrow as soon as the kids are off to school I'm off to the hospital to be with Gerry and be more pro-active. In a perfect world, if I'd stayed with him today, maybe I could have facilitated the procedure - helped make the whole thing smoother.
While I was home alone today (how odd was THAT!) I did get his closet reorganized (summer clothes in, winter clothes stored) and got 60 press packages for Flip Knits ready to ship out the door. I want to get them mailed before the postage goes up on the 14th.
Thanks so much for all of your marketing suggestions - I've actually implemented many of them (I have a long-term ad at Crazy Aunt Purl's blog - it's been up for a week now)
Tomorrow I also have to ship a big box of the flipbooks to my classroom at TNNA in Columbus so I can hand them out to my students.
I've been at loose ends about the designing lately - which has been a little obvious from some of my earlier posts. I'm expecting too much from myself, and it feels like squeezing that last bit of toothpaste from the tube.
Or maybe like using up all the starter for sourdough bread - I just need to let it rise for a bit so I have a good wad to play around with. There's a deadline I'd like to make in a week, but I am not going to sweat it.
One thing I did today that was NECESSARY was to get passport photos taken. I took them myself, me and the kids (actually, Hannah took mine!) and uploaded them to epassport.
Tomorrow I'll print them out at CVS (I don't have a photo quality printer) and then off to a DIFFERENT post office to turn in our applications - and buy a buttload of priority mail stamps for the shipment I have to send out. Gerry got his passport a few years ago, so he doesn't need new photos - just me and the kids!
I love the fact that I can have the mailman just come by and pick up the shipment at our house - that saves me SO much effort and time!
So tomorrow will be another rich and full day. Much, much better than the alternative.
This is unusual, I'm the traveler - he's the stay at homer (at least he has been the past few years) so it's really odd for the kids and me to be here without him.
He's at the hospital. He went to get a colonoscopy - it's been a rough ride with that, this is try #3 (the first attempt was unsuccessful because he couldn't get the prep stuff down - second attempt failed because he got it down, but it came right back up.)
This time the idea was to pipe it into him. He hadn't realized they meant through a hose in his nose, and it was rough. I dropped him off at 8:00 and then ran Maxie to school.
I was supposed to wait for Gerry to call to have me pick him up, but a little after 11:00 he called to say they hadn't even started the procedure. Later another call - still waiting - the first attempt at the nose was unsuccessful.
At 5:00 I called the hospital because I hadn't heard anything and I was worried. All kinds of things go through the mind - but what I found was that after FOUR attempts they decided to do a special procedure where they scan his throat while they put the tube down (I may have misunderstood that) so they have a little guidance.
This attempt WAS successful, but it was too late to actually do the procedure - and they were loathe to let him go home (worried we'd have a wild fiber-eating orgy with lots of red jello, probably...)
So they admitted him - he's staying there overnight.
The kids and I drove over to visit - he was in bad spirits. He's pissed that they even had to do this - when his mom had a colonoscopy last month they used a pill prep - no awful liquid - and he's a little angry they just couldn't do that. They said the pills can cause complications, but he feels that the tube up his nose could case complications, too.
Poor Gerry - I could tell he felt out of control, angry, just very frustrated. And I was frustrated too. And I felt helpless (the kids were with me, hungry, I had to take them to get dinner)
I feel like I should have been more pro-active this evening at the hospital. I spoke to the nurse about the meds he's on now, what he has to take, and what he has been taking for pain (he has tremendous pain in his bones, especially his hips) And although she took notes, she seemed - vacant - when she was writing down the information. I don't have a lot of faith that it was processed. That's a terrible thing to say, but you KNOW when you've made a connection with someone, and I don't feel as though I made one with this nurse.
So tomorrow as soon as the kids are off to school I'm off to the hospital to be with Gerry and be more pro-active. In a perfect world, if I'd stayed with him today, maybe I could have facilitated the procedure - helped make the whole thing smoother.
While I was home alone today (how odd was THAT!) I did get his closet reorganized (summer clothes in, winter clothes stored) and got 60 press packages for Flip Knits ready to ship out the door. I want to get them mailed before the postage goes up on the 14th. Thanks so much for all of your marketing suggestions - I've actually implemented many of them (I have a long-term ad at Crazy Aunt Purl's blog - it's been up for a week now)
Tomorrow I also have to ship a big box of the flipbooks to my classroom at TNNA in Columbus so I can hand them out to my students.
I've been at loose ends about the designing lately - which has been a little obvious from some of my earlier posts. I'm expecting too much from myself, and it feels like squeezing that last bit of toothpaste from the tube.Or maybe like using up all the starter for sourdough bread - I just need to let it rise for a bit so I have a good wad to play around with. There's a deadline I'd like to make in a week, but I am not going to sweat it.
One thing I did today that was NECESSARY was to get passport photos taken. I took them myself, me and the kids (actually, Hannah took mine!) and uploaded them to epassport.
Tomorrow I'll print them out at CVS (I don't have a photo quality printer) and then off to a DIFFERENT post office to turn in our applications - and buy a buttload of priority mail stamps for the shipment I have to send out. Gerry got his passport a few years ago, so he doesn't need new photos - just me and the kids!I love the fact that I can have the mailman just come by and pick up the shipment at our house - that saves me SO much effort and time!
So tomorrow will be another rich and full day. Much, much better than the alternative.
15 Comments:
NG tubes (the tube in his nose) are difficult at best. Putting the tube in with the guidance was floroscopy.
The up side to the tube is the contrast will be easier to get down. Really.
I hope the tests go well today.
I don't know if your system is the same, but here in Canada they don't allow passport photos if the subject is smiling -- you might have trouble with Hannah's.
I know so well the helpless feeling of having a loved one hospitalized...and I am a nurse. I can't imagine how horrid it must be if the entire thing is foreign to you. My best wishes to you and your husband.
Hannah's smile shouldn't be a problem for a US passport. You can check out all the rules here, though, just to be sure before you send in the applications: http://travel.state.gov/passport/guide/guide_2081.html
I keep sending healing thoughts Gerry's way.
{{HUGS}}
Since my father died from colon cancer, I have regular make it a point to have my scheduled colonoscopy. When I had my last one I took the pills instead of the "beverage." The pills are much easier, and I will insist on these in the future. My dr. seemed to be in his 40's, and maybe the younger ones are more hip to the pills. Hope all went well with Gerry's procedure.
I hope this time they can actually do the procedure. I hate feeling out of control too.
And I can't beleive how alike Max and Hannah look!
Sending ~~easy procedure~~ vibes Gerry's way.
Make sure you pay the extra $$ and request priority if you need these passports in the next 6 months. The average wait time is now over 3 months for a passport
So sorry to hear about the rough time Gerry is having with the colonoscopy. Hopefully things will go so much smoother today and Gerry will be home tonight. I know from very personal experience that its hard not blame yourself if you were unable to be there during the day and it all went phlooey. Sounds like you realize that he needs someone to be his advocate (I think if possible, everyone who has a chronic illness needs someone who can speak up for them) and that you are going to be a good and strong one. But please cut yourself some slack too, sometimes things just go a little haywire and you might not have been able to change a thing.
Its a long and winding road you have both started down. Just around the corner on the road is a small little cottage open for travelers that has a beautiful flower garden, some nice cool water and comfy chairs you can sink your weary bones in. Rest for awhile before you start down the path again.
Before you take those passport apps for the kids to the post office, make sure you get that affidavit that Gerry needs to sign that says he knows that you are applying for passports for the kids and you have his permission. This form needs to be signed in front of a NOTARY. If both parents are not there at the time of application (WITH the kids, BTW, you need this form. We have to go through this with our nine-year-old, just so we can visit Canada! The form can be found on the passport website with the applications.
Just thinking of you and hoping it went well and Gerry is home again. p.s. I love the pictures! Gosh Hannah is getting so grown up!
Your kids are so cute!
Try not to stress about the designing. Take care of your family and yourself and the design will come. Easier said than done I know!
Take good care!
Ask to speak with a hospital chaplain, and tell him/her about your experience with the vacant nurse. At the very least, the chaplain can check and make sure all the information has been passed along correctly. Chaplains are great listeners, and can be helpful as patient advocates in any hospital experience.
What an awful day for Gerry with the col. prep! My last prep was with pills AND liquid, just less of each one than otherwise.
Having an advocate for a hospital procedure seems more and more necessary now. The bureaucracy and frustration is awful to deal with, at all levels.
And it's true for passport pics, too! Some countries don't allow any smiles, however slight, but because Hannah's mouth is closed, it might pass. Show a tooth and you're out!
Did I mention frustrating!?
I don't comment often but wanted to de-lurk long enough for some tea and sympathy. Whoa - what an ordeal for Gerry (and, by proxy, for you). It truly can be a dehumanizing experience to be treated like a meat-based problem rather than an actual human being with fears, pains, and dignity. That's why good nursing care is so important -- and so lacking in too many of today's understaffed hospitals. (Can you tell I'm the daughter of a retired nurse.) I hope the rest of his nurses rose to the occasion; perhaps she was just distracted temporarily.
The passport photos are beautiful -- wish mine was that nice!
I also wanted to mention that I added a link here to the sidebar blogroll of my knitblog, LoopyKnits.com, which I recently started posting to again. (Long neglected.) Hope you don't mind!
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