Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wet and Aggressive Corella challenges Magpie

Wednesday 6 February 2013

A Stint with Stents

We went to visit this morning hoping that either the stents had been removed, or that he was off having them removed.

Wrong on both counts.  He had been told (early) that the stents were coming out this morning, but had heard nothing further.  I had some errands to run for him so we left.

And guess what we found when we returned?  Nothing had changed.  He still had the stents.  He had spoken to his nurse about it, and she said she 'knew nothing' but would follow it up and get back to him.  Deathly silence ensued.

So I went to the Nurses Station and spoke to the sister in charge.  Just for a change - she knew nothing and his nurse had just gone off on a break.  She went through his notes and saw that yesterday his stents were marked to come out.  There were no further notifications and nothing had happened.  'I will have to page his doctor.'  'Please do.'  Are you seeing a pattern here?  She promised to get back to me, and I rejoined the smaller portion and his sister.

He has been walking today.  Yay.  His bed is by the window.  Yay.  He feels very, very uncomfortable and cannot sleep.  Quelle surprise.

We waited.  He had been told he could have clear fluids - but had been given nothing but ice.  We topped up his ice supply.

And then a junior doctor from his medical team appeared.  Yay.  And for the first time we got a sensible explanation about why the stents were still in place.  Those of you with delicate stomachs should skip the next paragraph.

The stents are attached to a catheter.  If the stents are removed, so must the catheter and he will be swollen and sore so the catheter could not be re-inserted without causing considerable discomfort.  He is not walking easily or well at the moment, so having the catheter in place is both more comfortable and convenient for him. 

The medical team will review the need for the stents (and catheter) on a day to day basis.  He is improving so rapidly that they think it will be one or two more days at most.  After a little prodding from me (which caused the smaller portion to squirm) he apologised for the poor communication and promised better in the future.  (I will hold them to that.)

I was on a roll then and asked why if the smaller portion had been told he could have clear fluids he had only been given ice.  More apologies and a promise to ensure that it was rectified by dinner.  More squirming from the smaller portion.

The medical team are very, very pleased with his progress after such a major operation.  Yay.  And off he trotted.

And then the nurse re-appeared from her break and told him that she had been unable to find out why the stents were still in place.  How hard had she tried I wondered - but didn't say.  She too promised to ensure that he got a range of clear fluids - soup, jelly, juice.

We went down to the cafeteria and brought him back green tea - which hit the spot.  And we left, happier than I have been.  He is in considerable discomfort, but is improving.  Hopefully he will become more stable on his feet and then the catheter and the stents can be removed.  And, while the smaller portion did not like me prodding the doctor, it achieved results and I feel no guilt.

Thank you all for your support - and a big thank you to those who visited Mistress Snark's parlour.  I had such a good time.

On the silliness front?  Today I saw off one of our neighbour's cats with a pump-action water pistol  The cat views our bird feeder as its personal smorgasbord.  I scored several direct hits and it scarpered home looking like a porcupine.  I smiled broadly. 

Wine o'clock calls...

54 comments:

  1. Three posts in one go. So it took a young Registrar with a brain to actually explain things to you and Skinny P. I am loath to offend any of your readers who are in the medical field but it seems to me that they actually forget that each case is a world unto itself and get so embroiled in fighting other fires that yours is neglected. I wonder whether we are seeing, amongst other things, the effect of government funding cuts. I am pleased though that Skinny P is beginning to recover and there is a glimpse of a day when you wont need all this.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Christine: I am still peeved at the battle for information. Apart from anything else, if it had been given to him/us earlier we would not have bothered the staff and they could have got on with their jobs. Not talking to us was a false economy.

      Delete
  2. I can't believe the circular lack of communication that you have been having to put up with. Here's hoping that the situation improves rapidly, and that the SP's condition improves even more rapidly!

    Hoorah for your sense of humour............

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Alexia: Thank you - my sense of humour does not disappear. Ever. Which has saved me more often than I can remember.

      Delete
  3. Glad you keep prodding as obviously he wont and someone needs to. Enjoy your glass of wine, put your feet up and rest.

    Hurray for such great progress, sending continued healing thoughts and wishes to keep this on track.

    xxx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kakka: Thank you. Next step might have been bringing the pump action water pistol in with me...
      I hope your recovery is continuing well - in fact better than well.

      Delete
  4. Sadly, I'm not surprised by the ludicrously incommunicative "care." It's the same here in the US where we don't have a national health system. Frightening, truly. It's appalling that without family to be at the bedside every moment fighting for the patient's survival... God help you. And it's very, very grueling for the family having to oversee these... (in a family rated forum, I think I'll leave it at calling them) medical "professionals."

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Paper Chipmunk (aka Ellen): Yes, the medical 'professionals'. The vile communication was making me increasingly angry, which brings out the sabre tooth in me. And, as you say, what happens to those without determined advocates...

      Delete
  5. Bully for you! I am just so sorry for people who have no family qho care enough to look into things. All the best for SP's speedy recovery.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Arija: Thank you - and yes those without family/advocates/feistiness of their own are in a very bad position.

      Delete
  6. (Fist pump) Yay for you for insisting on being given some real information and better treatment for the smaller half!

    And yay again for the water pistol action - how cathartic that must have felt !

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kath Lockett: The water pistol was soooo much fun. I found myself almost hoping the cat would come back. It didn't.

      And I am very pleased to finally have some information and for him to start to get more than ice.

      Delete
  7. I say keep prodding the doctors whenever you feel the need. You have questions and they need answers. Don't be fobbed off with maybes and tomorrows.
    Good on you for insisting that more than ice be supplied.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. River: I will see today what they are giving him to drink. Heads will roll if he has still only received ice.

      Delete
  8. I think wine o'clock is definitely called for. :) There's some poor communication going on at that hospital and good for you that you dug in.

    How funny about the cat - there's some frustration release. :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Lynn: I am a bit bothered at how much I am looking forward to wine o'clock each night...

      Delete
  9. Everyone needs an advocate, and SP has you, even if it makes it squirm a bit. Yay for you, and it's good to hear the reason for the stent removal delay. Poor SP, he's bearing up well in a very difficult situation. And I'm rooting for the continued recovery, a day at a time, until he can go home with you. Wine o'clock is a definite plus to every day! :-)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. DJan: He does indeed have an advocate - even if it embarrasses him.

      Delete
  10. When dealing with the medical world, we have to become advocates for ourselves and our loved ones. Either that, or we can get lost in the system.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Starting Over, Accepting Changes - Maybe: You are very right - which is frustrating. I flatly refuse to let him be lost.

      Delete
  11. I have always found it shameful that when a loved one is in hospital recovering, that instead of being able to love & encourage them, we are forced to spend our visits advocating for proper care. That being said, I feel really bad for the patients who have no visitors, no one to advocate their care.

    I love wine o'clock!

    ReplyDelete
  12. A pump-action water pistol...I love it!
    I'm so glad you finally got some answers. It's too bad you have to work so hard to get them! At least they make sense. Despite the discomfort and pain, it sounds like SP is getting stronger each day. He's lucky to have you fighting by his side.
    Remember to eat and rest yourself, and enjoy a nice wine o'clock each day. You deserve it. Hugs to you!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Laura Eno: Thank you. I have bought the water pistol since he went into hospital. He did smile when I told him of the wet cat running home - so it did double duty.

      Delete
  13. Very good that you pressed the doctor for answers, and will hold him accountable. My mother also gets very uncomfortable when i confront doctors with such issues - but we are HIRING them to perform a service. They are not gods, and we need to make sure they are doing things to our specifications. We would never let a plumber or electrician get away with such things...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. daisyfae: Sadly I think there are people (too often women) who DO let plumbers and electricians get away with these things. Hiss and spit.

      Delete
  14. You have to keep bugging them..the squeaky wheel gets the grease you know...oh and, uh, good shot.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. mybabyjohn/Delores: I was surprised at how good my aim is.

      Delete
  15. Good on all counts, but especially for getting answers from the medical portion. The Dead Eye Dick episode read well, too.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Joanne Noragon: The day didn't begin well, but ended that way which is what matters. Small victories, but victories just the same.

      Delete
  16. How infuriating! But I'm so glad the squirm-inducing querying on your part was successful. Also glad the smaller portion is doing well.

    Good job on the cat! I love cats...indoors, where they aren't, you know, killing birds at my feeders!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Ms CrankPants: He is still very uncomfortable and probably doesn't believe he is doing well - but it is wonderful.
      I also love cats, but I don't feed the birds to give them a free meal (the cats that is).

      Delete
  17. Oh gosh, your medical system sounds so similiar to ours. My FIL is in hospital, and none of the staff seems to know what is going on. Like you, we have become his advocate. I hope SP continues to improve, and is soon back home.

    What a great solution for shooing cats from the feeders. I might just try that on the squirrels!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Karen: He won't be home before the end of next week at the earliest - it really was major surgery, but he is improving. Fist pump.
      Let us know how water-pistoling the squirrels works.

      Delete
  18. I have dealt with the hospital system on behalf of my father a few times, and sometimes I second-guess my criticisms of their apparent nonchalance about patient pain and discomfort - and then I come across a truly compassionate nurse or doctor, and I think - yes, why can't they all be like this? It's a mystery to me.

    Continued good wishes for you and your SP, EC.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. jenny_o: The good ones remind us of what we hope they all could be. And sadly they seem to be few and far between.

      Delete
  19. Big victories and small victories are victories all the same! Huzzah! Thanks for the posts!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Susan Kane: Thank you. I hope to get away from boring people with medical misfortunes soon.

      Delete
  20. Dear god ... I think I'd be pulling out my hair, strand by strand. Nevertheless, things appear to be looking up. Very glad for you all.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Wendy aka Quilfeather: Hair tearing out is certainly a happening thing.

      Delete
  21. Hooray! It's about time you got an explanation. Why do men get all weird when we have to press for answers? Ach! Thankfully you know what's going on (more than can be said for most of his caretakers)and things will move forward as he heals up. Yay! Now have some wine and relax. Let those shoulders drop. And soak that cat! :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Austan: It was past time for an explanation. I am sure that their work would be easier if they provided information up front instead of making patients/crabby relatives chase it up.
      Wine o'clock is WONDERFUL.

      Delete
  22. Hard to believe that nurse!!! Glad you are getting some answers at last and will continue to do so. I must admit thinking back over the years that I've never had these problems with medicos but perhaps have just been very lucky.
    Once again all the best to the smaller portion and hopefully he is now enjoying fluids and far less pain.
    Re the water pistol. We have various cats that continually visit our yard and frighten Precious so may be the way to go to discourage them. Thanks for the tip.
    Happy wine o'clock to you. xo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mimsie: Not only does the water pistol work, it doesn't hurt the cat and is fun. I paid less than $7 at Big W. Money well spent.

      Delete
  23. Good for you! Sad to say, you really have to argue sometimes to get your family taken care of...he is lucky to have you.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Riot Kitty: Hiss and spit. It really shouldn't be necessary. Growl as well.

      Delete
  24. .。ﻬ⌄*❈;⌄.     
    ⋱჻*✿❃჻❁*⋰  
    *❁჻✽❀✾჻✿      
     ╰╮╭╯     
      ✓â„‘╲

    Here are some flowers for you.

    And spray that damn cat! Total fun. I just poked my cat but he ignored me and kept sleeping.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Birdie: I loved the flowers - how clever. Thank you.

      Spraying the cat was fun. And it hasn't been back.

      Delete
  25. Sounds like things are going very well. Good on you for prodding! Medical people need to be reminded that their patients are people, not just science experiments....Hope the wine was wonderful!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Molly: I think you are right - they lose touch with the humanity of their experiments. Sad and bad.

      Delete
  26. Somehow or other I have missed your posts and have just now caught up. So sorry. What an anxious time you have both had, not to mention all the pain, discomfort and consequences. I hope your smaller portion's recovery proceeds apace and without complications or pain. And wine is just what the doctor would order! Have one for/from me.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. persiflage: Nothing is easy where the skinny portion'e medical treatment is concerned. If it isn't one thing it is another.

      Delete
  27. Dear EC, I'm just getting back to your blog after finishing taking a week to get through the 70 that I follow. So I'm behind on all this. The last posting I read was about getting the stents out the next day. I'm so glad you became the advocate for "smaller portion" no matter his discomfort with your speaking up! Most of us, when we are in a hospital bed, need someone to speak for us! Peace.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Dee: I feel so badly for those who don't have a stubborn family member/advocate. I really don't know how they manage.

      Delete