Sunday, February 01, 2009

Sunday



This is Nadia, a Nurse Tech. As I understand the progression, when you're in nursing school you work first as a Patient Care Tech, then as a Nurse Tech, and then you get your LPN. Don't hold me to that because I'm a person who's still drugged!



Nadia came to nursing by way of math. She really likes math and started studying to do something in that field. Then, after looking at a couple of possible career paths, discovered while taking her pre-requisite classes that she really liked biology. That led to micro-biology, which she enjoyed even more. There were a lot of nursing students in that class, and it seems Nadia found her calling there. She is definitely well suited to her job. She's ultra efficient, very caring, and kind.



Jessica was my nurse last night. Unfortunately, it was a busy night and I didn't get a chance to grill her - I'm mean talk to her - about how she became a nurse.



This is Courtney. Isn't she adorable? She has been my nurse a couple of times. I was afraid we had missed getting a photo of her to share - as I know we have with some folks - but we caught her today just as she was leaving after a 10 hour shift. I know, we have no mercy to impose on someone at such a time. But she was still looking wonderful, as you can see.



Today she was paired with Hemma and they were both so concerned when I slept through a pain medication dose and was in tears when I woke up hurting. I made a spectacle of myself. I'm not good with pain. No matter how much I tell myself to be reasonable and not embarrass myself, when it comes to pain I'm a complete and total wimp. But, their quick action, combined with a meditation about pain control, had me feeling better in just a little bit.


This is proof I can actually stay still for 10 seconds. On one of our many walks, Greg and I noticed a window by the elevator where you can see my room window. We thought it would be fun to take a picture of me that way and here's the result. It was weird because I couldn't see Greg at all, and didn't know when he was taking a photo. But, it's cool.

You can see some of the flowers Mark sent in the photo, but other things are lost in the details.


Note from Greg: A special thanks to the women of CHICKS - that Woodstock you sent makes a great shadow on the ceiling.

Thankful

Patsy here - I'm going home tomorrow. Today I've had some a fib but a new cardiologist called in says its probably related to the overall trauma of the body going thru surgery and will go back to normal. He also said the new med will do a better job of controlling it.

So they will change my meds a bit but it seems there's no long term problem although I do obviously need a cardiologist. maybe this guy is it.

They disconnected my iv pole today and started giving me percoset by mouth. It makes me tired but does kill the pain.

Overall I feel ready to go home tomorrow and get settled in there. I'm up most of the day every day and feeling decent but of course not doing much. But I will be able to take care of basic things which is good.

The incision is from my pubic bone up to my belly button and makes a question mark loop around my belly button. The sorest part is the belly button where they fixed the hernia.

This surgery to remove a tumor ended upbeing four surgeries in one. Tumor out, hysterectomy, hernia fixed, and appendectomy. Wow. I'm feeling very fortunate.

Now I'm hopefully getting a better answer to the a fib as well. I'm so thankful for all the care I've received up to this point. So very thankful.
Patsy
www.patsyterrell.com
(sent from mobile device so please forgive brevity and typos)

Saturday


Greg here. Patsy was quite touched that Mark (left) and Carl and Kris from the Kansas City area drove down Saturday. They not only visited Patsy in the hospital, but made a stop in Hutchinson first to stock her refrigerator with home made meal portions that they, and Mark's mom, had made.



Another random act of kindness was a visit by Nichole, who had been Patsy's patient care tech earlier in the week. Nichole wasn't working Patsy's section but wanted to stop by and check on her anyway.

Overall, Saturday was a pretty quiet day with emphasis on the monitoring of Patsy's reaction to the betapace medication for heart arrhythmia. This is being done through daily EKGs and telemetry constantly broadcast from a portable unit she wears.

Funny to think that with units like these, we are literally broadcasting heartbeats as electronic signals all over the place. Kind of nice and primal, I think, when you consider all the other stuff with which we clutter the airwaves.



You know you're in Patsy's room when the IV drip units are plugged into a green Christmas power bar.