I have some very good friends. Amy K. and Sunny K. were my coworkers in the AR Dept at CRMH. We had an absolute blast in that department. I truly miss them!
Amy had come to see me early in my stay and brought a bag of my favorite snacks along with a gift card for my parents. Sunny finished up her nursing shift one night then came and sat with me a while. The 2nd night Sunny and Eric (her husband also a nurse) came by to visit I was asleep so I awoke to find Kermit and a balloon. Kermit has become a daily part of my life. If you've seen my Facebook page, you've seen it. The balloon became the "blocker" for the unit of blood that I would get on Friday.
The downfall of two major orthopedic surgeries in the span of three weeks plus blood thinners and blood loss in the OR was causing me to become anemic. My H&H (red blood cell count) kept trending downward. As a result I was feeling pretty poorly. Friday morning it was decided that I would get a blood transfusion. Now I hadn't thought twice or never really wondered about any IV fluids flowing into me.. It's clear and you really don't think about it. Well blood is a different beast. Anxiety came back and the saying knowledge is painful kicked in. Of course I started thinking about transfusion reactions, what was it going to feel like, whose blood was it, etc... As is protocol, it takes two to start the blood because they have to verify #s on your armband with #s on the blood then your nurse has to sit with you while it goes in. This day I had a travel nurse. She was nice, from TN and her husband was a cyclist. We chatted a bit while the red tide crept down the IV tubing. She warned I might get cold, smell it or taste it - none of these occurred. It was creepy watching it. It took a while for it to all be in, so instead of looking at the blood bag hanging there, I fixed it so the balloon was blocking my view.
At some point Jennifer F. came around - not exactly sure her title/role, but she was the one who brought my 2nd incentive spirometer and made sure I was using it and she was responsible for taking Kermit to the nurses station where she and an anonymous PA fitted him with a "spica" cast. It was hilarious. I guess they felt he needed to sympathize with his new owner. We had a lot of fun with Kermit after his cast was applied.
Once I got the transfusion, I started feeling better. I was allowed to get up and sit in a chair occasionally, PT came and I was able to walk half of the floor, they would eventually teach me how to go up/down stairs with a walker. I enjoyed working with PT, but it was surely tiring - keep in mind, I couldn't put my left foot down other than to help with balance - my hands were suffering mightily.
On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to get Sarah B. for my nurse. I've also known Sarah B. for a while too, so I was happy to have her. Since I was doing so much better, I wasn't hard to deal with. I sat for hours and just watched people come and go down the hall. I had visitors in and out - I know Graham came, Kim W., Dixie... (I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone). I appreciated everyone's time and for coming and entertaining me. HA!
Sunday, Sarah forgot to come to work. They came and told me, hey your nurse went to church, but she's on her way - if you need anything just let us know. I laughed. Why tell a patient this??? HAHAHA Meanwhile I kept staring at this "No Parking" sign in the hall just outside of my door where an IV pole had been hanging out since Saturday evening. I knew what I'd get Sarah for when she arrived. Once you're used to looking for issues on floors, you never forget them.......that's storage in a hallway - a no-no per JC and fire codes.
Anyway, so this would be my freedom day - my crew helped me get cleaned up, put on fresh gown (maybe real clothes, I don't remember now) plopped me in a wheelchair and told me to go explore the 9th floor. Sarah gave me her cell phone # in case I got stuck somewhere and needed help. I ended up in the ICU waiting room talking to a lonely, old man about his ill wife. It was good for me and for him. I did roll
around a bit checking out signs, looking out the windows. It was great. I don't recall what day Sarah served me the lovely concoction to help my poo problem. I think it was Sunday. Milk of Magnesia chased by warm prune juice. OMG GAG!!!! I will say it worked, but I will probably never eat a raisin or prune ever again. BLECH!
Soon my 9W stay would end, I got to go home on Monday 6/11 - I don't think my doctor was in any rush to discharge me and I could have stayed longer; but I was ready to go. After almost 10 days in two hospitals in 3 weeks, I just wanted to be at home. But that was not going to be easy either. We were still screwed with steps. The thought was that I might go to inpatient rehab. The PA even came to see me twice, but with my non-weight bearing status I would not be able to do the 4 hours of PT required each day for that. The second option was going to a nursing home/rehab where 1 hour of PT per day is required. My doctor was really opposed to that idea as was I due to infection risk. In fact, I told him I'd sit in my backyard before I'd go to a nursing home. He was like you have to solve the step problem - you can not continue to do the TRX-rigged up entrance and exit. He also put a stop to any lateral movement for me - in other words, I was now also not allowed to side step - (Um I can't get to the toilet, now - along came the potty chair).
Fortunately another friend stepped up and helped solve this dilemma. It was totally unexpected what transpired over the course of the next few months that allowed a
EZ Ramp to be installed at my house. It was giant, but OMG did it make the world of difference. I could roll/walk myself from my front door to my driveway and I could also sit outside in the sun when the weather allowed. I've never named this person on social media and still won't. I don't know what I did to deserve his kindness and compassion; but I will never forget it. I paid him back monetarily, but I don't know that I will ever be able to repay to gesture.
Getting out of the hospital on Monday was a trip in itself. Of course IT RAINED!!! Mom was able to get to the car and pull up to the discharge area out front. My aunt was waiting to help as well because well I had collected a bag of stuff to take home, plus my walker had joined me at the hospital. The angel of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is named Douglas Martin. This gentleman celebrated his 61st anniversary there just yesterday. I was wheeled to the door where he works. He looked down, "well oh my, hello." I said "Mr Martin, I want to go home." He said, "I wish I had known you were here, I would have come and sat with you for a bit. Don't you worry, I will get you in that car. Trust me, I'll take care of you." As we wheeled to the driver's side (recall I had to get in on that side and slide across the backseat), "he said I know you're a smart lady and good at what you do, but this is what I do. Now listen to me and this will be easy." He was so right. I love you Mr. Martin. Another person I miss seeing everyday - just a lovely human being. He literally is the only employee with a reserved parking space at CRMH and no one utters a bad word about the man.
This concludes my hospital stay at CRMH - people can say what they want, and yes I'm slightly biased having worked there for 10 years; but this is truly the best facility we have locally. I will never hesitate to go back. In the time since my discharge, I've had a bunch of MD appointments and PT appointments. There have been some silly times and some more hard times. I won't bore you with all, but will ponder up some new posts soon; but for now thanks for reading.
Thanks pre-op, OR, post-op, 9West, PT/OT, dietary (the kind folks who brought my food, not the judgemental Debbie) and thanks to all of my friends who took time to visit and support my inpatient adventure.
Amy had come to see me early in my stay and brought a bag of my favorite snacks along with a gift card for my parents. Sunny finished up her nursing shift one night then came and sat with me a while. The 2nd night Sunny and Eric (her husband also a nurse) came by to visit I was asleep so I awoke to find Kermit and a balloon. Kermit has become a daily part of my life. If you've seen my Facebook page, you've seen it. The balloon became the "blocker" for the unit of blood that I would get on Friday.
The downfall of two major orthopedic surgeries in the span of three weeks plus blood thinners and blood loss in the OR was causing me to become anemic. My H&H (red blood cell count) kept trending downward. As a result I was feeling pretty poorly. Friday morning it was decided that I would get a blood transfusion. Now I hadn't thought twice or never really wondered about any IV fluids flowing into me.. It's clear and you really don't think about it. Well blood is a different beast. Anxiety came back and the saying knowledge is painful kicked in. Of course I started thinking about transfusion reactions, what was it going to feel like, whose blood was it, etc... As is protocol, it takes two to start the blood because they have to verify #s on your armband with #s on the blood then your nurse has to sit with you while it goes in. This day I had a travel nurse. She was nice, from TN and her husband was a cyclist. We chatted a bit while the red tide crept down the IV tubing. She warned I might get cold, smell it or taste it - none of these occurred. It was creepy watching it. It took a while for it to all be in, so instead of looking at the blood bag hanging there, I fixed it so the balloon was blocking my view.
At some point Jennifer F. came around - not exactly sure her title/role, but she was the one who brought my 2nd incentive spirometer and made sure I was using it and she was responsible for taking Kermit to the nurses station where she and an anonymous PA fitted him with a "spica" cast. It was hilarious. I guess they felt he needed to sympathize with his new owner. We had a lot of fun with Kermit after his cast was applied.Once I got the transfusion, I started feeling better. I was allowed to get up and sit in a chair occasionally, PT came and I was able to walk half of the floor, they would eventually teach me how to go up/down stairs with a walker. I enjoyed working with PT, but it was surely tiring - keep in mind, I couldn't put my left foot down other than to help with balance - my hands were suffering mightily.
On Saturday, I was fortunate enough to get Sarah B. for my nurse. I've also known Sarah B. for a while too, so I was happy to have her. Since I was doing so much better, I wasn't hard to deal with. I sat for hours and just watched people come and go down the hall. I had visitors in and out - I know Graham came, Kim W., Dixie... (I'm sorry if I've forgotten anyone). I appreciated everyone's time and for coming and entertaining me. HA!
Sunday, Sarah forgot to come to work. They came and told me, hey your nurse went to church, but she's on her way - if you need anything just let us know. I laughed. Why tell a patient this??? HAHAHA Meanwhile I kept staring at this "No Parking" sign in the hall just outside of my door where an IV pole had been hanging out since Saturday evening. I knew what I'd get Sarah for when she arrived. Once you're used to looking for issues on floors, you never forget them.......that's storage in a hallway - a no-no per JC and fire codes.
Anyway, so this would be my freedom day - my crew helped me get cleaned up, put on fresh gown (maybe real clothes, I don't remember now) plopped me in a wheelchair and told me to go explore the 9th floor. Sarah gave me her cell phone # in case I got stuck somewhere and needed help. I ended up in the ICU waiting room talking to a lonely, old man about his ill wife. It was good for me and for him. I did roll
Soon my 9W stay would end, I got to go home on Monday 6/11 - I don't think my doctor was in any rush to discharge me and I could have stayed longer; but I was ready to go. After almost 10 days in two hospitals in 3 weeks, I just wanted to be at home. But that was not going to be easy either. We were still screwed with steps. The thought was that I might go to inpatient rehab. The PA even came to see me twice, but with my non-weight bearing status I would not be able to do the 4 hours of PT required each day for that. The second option was going to a nursing home/rehab where 1 hour of PT per day is required. My doctor was really opposed to that idea as was I due to infection risk. In fact, I told him I'd sit in my backyard before I'd go to a nursing home. He was like you have to solve the step problem - you can not continue to do the TRX-rigged up entrance and exit. He also put a stop to any lateral movement for me - in other words, I was now also not allowed to side step - (Um I can't get to the toilet, now - along came the potty chair).
Fortunately another friend stepped up and helped solve this dilemma. It was totally unexpected what transpired over the course of the next few months that allowed a
Getting out of the hospital on Monday was a trip in itself. Of course IT RAINED!!! Mom was able to get to the car and pull up to the discharge area out front. My aunt was waiting to help as well because well I had collected a bag of stuff to take home, plus my walker had joined me at the hospital. The angel of Carilion Roanoke Memorial Hospital is named Douglas Martin. This gentleman celebrated his 61st anniversary there just yesterday. I was wheeled to the door where he works. He looked down, "well oh my, hello." I said "Mr Martin, I want to go home." He said, "I wish I had known you were here, I would have come and sat with you for a bit. Don't you worry, I will get you in that car. Trust me, I'll take care of you." As we wheeled to the driver's side (recall I had to get in on that side and slide across the backseat), "he said I know you're a smart lady and good at what you do, but this is what I do. Now listen to me and this will be easy." He was so right. I love you Mr. Martin. Another person I miss seeing everyday - just a lovely human being. He literally is the only employee with a reserved parking space at CRMH and no one utters a bad word about the man.
This concludes my hospital stay at CRMH - people can say what they want, and yes I'm slightly biased having worked there for 10 years; but this is truly the best facility we have locally. I will never hesitate to go back. In the time since my discharge, I've had a bunch of MD appointments and PT appointments. There have been some silly times and some more hard times. I won't bore you with all, but will ponder up some new posts soon; but for now thanks for reading.
Thanks pre-op, OR, post-op, 9West, PT/OT, dietary (the kind folks who brought my food, not the judgemental Debbie) and thanks to all of my friends who took time to visit and support my inpatient adventure.
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