Insanity? Not at all. That was an exaggeration for dramatic effect.
Every day is an adventurous joy.
Last Saturday night the (cancerous) "wound" on my upper right arm bled so much, that the bandages had to be changed three times.
Three. Count 'em.
The wound care team tended to my physical malfunctions on Tuesday - - and they always do a lousy job of bandaging. It bled through the bandages on Wednesday - - and this morning (Friday) the blood was seeping through.
Nothing bothers me any more. After two years dealing with serious physical ailments, I'm completely desensitized. I've been through more hell than you could imagine.
Remember
that horrifying morning on June 1st, 2023, when I was so desperately ill that I managed to call 911 and then passed out on the front porch.
(my cat Bosco stayed with me until the ambulance came. That's the last time I ever saw him....)
Bosco (now deceased) on the porch where I passed out
I'm way off course. Let's get back to my present situation here at Signature Health Care (see my previous post).
So far, I was transferred to three rooms here. 604, 609, and 402.
I had a slightly challenging time getting used to 402 - - with the flies, bizarre roommate, and complete lack of privacy.
Then......
it might have been Wednesday (my mind is muddled) a nurse's aide burst into the room and told me I was to be transferred to another room.....isolation!!
What the hell?????
She breathlessly tried to explain (unsuccessfully) and then decided (mercifully) to call a nurse.
I was completely unnerved.
The nurse tried to explain but I still didn't absorb the essence of it all. Somehow someone had taken a swab sample of one of my wounds (let's not go into details). It contained some kind of "virus" (or something).
It's not contageous, but as a precautionary measure I need to be in isolation for ten days.
And
I need to get a shot in the ass with antibiotics for ten days.
Another fantastic adventure.
SO........
they wheeled my bed quickly down several halls and took me
(are you ready for this?)
to my former room - 609!!!! It was completely empty.
And I'm not exactly isolated. The staff on this ward was delighted to see me again (because I'm so sweet, pleasant, and humorous). Anyway, everyone has to wear gloves and plastic gowns when they enter my room.
So far, I got three shots in the ass.
Seven to go.........?
BTW There's a rumor going around that I might see my oncologist (from 2023) on Monday.
Who knows. Your guess is as good as mine.
Jon ❤️ isolated
Somewhere in the Twilight Zone
don't isolate me....luv your comments
Well, you wanted to not have a roommate and now you might finally get to see the oncologist on Monday. I take those things as very good news. And it sounds like you are back with better employees, too!! The only thing is the ass shots do not sound good, though. ;) Fingers crossed for some good news!! :)
ReplyDeleteBut, after ten blessed days, they're sending me back to horrifying room 402. This is only a mini vacation.
DeleteI"m not certain if I'll actually see the oncologist. I'm wary of rumors....
At least it's a brief respite. Or something. This gets more dystopian all the time.
ReplyDeleteI honestly don't know if they'll leave me in this room or drag me back to 402. Wherever they dump me, my existence is permeated with misery.
DeleteGoodness it's like playing "Musical Chairs", except that game is more fun.
ReplyDeleteThe infection is worrying, especially to be isolated, but hopefully it's more of a precaution than anything else.
Shots in the bum are not too bad, it's the sore aftermath from laying in the bad that seems worse to me.
They desperately need to take care of your arm wound, what will it take, an act of Congress 🤔
Summer solstice has arrived, I was so hoping you had returned to your mountain retreat by now.
Take good care dear friend.
Jo
I have no idea why they keep changing my rooms. It's really annoying - - on top of all my other problems.
DeleteThe "infection" isn't contagious but I'm isolated as a precaution. I suppose they know what they're doing (??)
Hopefully the rumor about seeing my oncologist will be true.
Summer already! The weeks keep flying by. I want to go home.
That's scary, but at least you have a private room and people who care about you. Fingers crossed! Again, thank you so much for writing.
ReplyDeleteIt seems like I never have peace - - there's always something negative to contend with. At least this room is quite secluded. I'm hoping that they won't send me back to the room with the weird roommate.
DeleteI'm glad that you appreciate my updates.
I don't know how you put up with all this mess!
DeleteDonna, I've learned to roll with the punches. It's difficult, but it's my only resource ( and praying helps).
DeleteJon, I am truly at a loss for words which is highly unusual for me, but I am glad that you are not.
ReplyDeleteI am astounded by my bizarre plight, but I'm never at a loss for words. This blog is about the only thing left that keeps me from going completely bonkers.
DeleteCheerfulMonk shared your blog. I am sorry you are going through all of this, and I am amazed at your composure.
ReplyDeleteIronically, I'm having even more troubles than I reveal in this blog. I've learned to endure everything - - and I pray every day to get through.
DeleteI'm sorry you have to go through this. Maybe, just maybe, you will get lucky, and finally stay where you are for a while. Being shuffled room to room isn't fun, and I imagine it can't be good for the older residents with memory problems.
ReplyDeleteIt is extremely annoying to be moved to different rooms - and I never have a clue about what's going on. The older residents are constantly wandering in the wrong rooms.
DeleteGood grief, Jon! Your shuffle here and there sounds like a dystopian cakewalk. No wonder the other residents wander this way and that. Perhaps they've heard you've got treats?
ReplyDeleteI'm crossing my fingers that rumor about the oncologist turns true. (Praying, too.)
A "dystopian cakewalk" sums it up perfectly. No matter what room I'm in, I occasionally get wandering uninvited visitors (they will never get my stash of candy).
DeleteHopefully next week will improve (???) with prayers....
It just keeps coming. I hope for you to see the dr and to stay in this room.
ReplyDeleteThere is no peace anywhere.......except at my home in the forest. I never know what room they will dump me in. It's annoying.
DeleteHoping.......for something positive.
Several things don't make sense. Virus do not respond to antibiotics. Isolation, caregivers wearing masks and gloves mean it's infections, and can transmit to other people.
ReplyDeleteI hope you know this, and are asking questions.
I've been offline for some time, family and all.
It's really good to hear from you - I know you must be going through very difficult times.
DeleteI doubted that it was a virus. I keep getting conflicting information. Nobody wears masks in my room - - only gloves, and sometimes plastic gowns.
I'll keep updating.
Take care, Mike.
More likely it's a bacterial infection.
DeleteThe summer of 1959 when after a routine hernia operation I contacted a staph infection I was ambulance to my local hospital in the contagion ward. Oh lovely. There was a giant sign above the below ground level area to which the ambulance (glass windows around both sides, I only had a T-shirt on and a gaping open wound full of foul smelling pus on my left groin (inner thigh). I'll never forget what that sign said. In alphabetic order it listed BUBONIC PLAGUE, CHOLERA (I stopped reading after CHOLERA). My first thought was if I didn't die of what I had I would catch one of these other infectious diseases. After being removed from the ambulance I was put on a gurney and wheeled into the Contagion Ward. This ward was an open bay type area with the beds separated by mobile metal dividers. To the left of my bed was a 13 year old boy constantly moaning. I was 17 years old at this time. To my right was an "old man" (probably about 45) who had gangrene of the foot. Lovely. I didn't get any sleep that night because of the constant moaning of that 13 year old boy. I complained to my nurse the next morning. She came in to clean my wound. She replied "Oh that won't be a problem for you anymore, he died last night." Well, that shut me up. For the next month or so I was in the contagion unit. My visitors had to knell to the ground outside and look through the chicken wire windows to "visit" me. I never thought I would get out of there alive. In fact several years later my doctor told my Mother he was surprised that I did survive. I had three operations to clean out that staph infection I contacted at the hospital. My later stays were in the regular hospital. I was so sick of being (living) in that hospital I tried to escape with the help of two "Candy Stripers". Do you know what Candy Stripers are? Young girls who volunteer at the hospital to help the nurses. I had entered the hospital in June of 1959 and was still there in October. The Candy Stripers were going to bring clothes for me but they didn't have shoes. I was going to walk out of the hospital and catch the Short Line bus home but because I didn't have shoes I thought the bus driver would know I was an escapee from the hospital and to let me on the bus. Of course my 17 year old mind at that time didn't even consider what would happen if I showed up at my home, having "escaped" from the hospital. I think the only reason I survived was because I was so young. One of my cousins in later years also contacted a staph infection during a routine hospital surgery. She died. Such a shame because she was an identical twin and so nice always to me. That's my story which you probably already read in one of my blog posts. As you have probably surmised, I'm to ready to go to bed yet tonight. One last word, Jon I do hope you can "escape" from your environment now and go to your home in those beautiful Tennessee mountains.
ReplyDeleteRon