Nitromater
This is a sample guest message. Register a free account today to become a member! Once signed in, you'll be able to participate on this site by adding your own topics and posts, as well as connect with other members through your own private inbox!
Good To Be Back
- Thread starter stitcherbob
- Start date
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
ICU is no place for little kids and babies...I get so sad thinking about that. And I know 2 people who had preemie babies and they were in a long time before they were ready to go home.Bob, great you're back. I worked in hospitals over 30 years before I retired. Sometimes ICU is long term & "maybe you'll make it & maybe you won't", but there are miracles in there too. Have seen tiny little kids in Peds ICU, literally the size of your palm, and they make it. I think you were in good hands.
While I was in there I saw the Life Flight helicopter come in at least twice....outside my window was the pad behind a blast shield. That made me sad knowing someone was coming in so bad they needed the flight and that I had driven myself to the hospital in the bad condition I was in...
While I was there a priest visited me on Palm Sunday, then after the Notre Dame Cathedral burned, once when my parents were visiting and finally when I was being prepped for endoscopy. He was a great comfort and I appreciate anyone who volunteers at a place of care like that on their own time.
And, to top it all off, I got a thank you card from the ICU staff today....I'm supposed to do that for them!
Bob, one thing I really liked was watching the helicopters land & take off. Never got tired of that. Have seen as many as 4 at a time on the pad at my last hospital (county hospital in Phoenix), as we are a major trauma center. Those helicopters are literally the difference between life & death. If you're in a crash & are critical, there is a one hour span where if you can get to trauma center, you will probably make it. If you have to wait for an ambulance, the longer you wait, the less chance you have. We have a burn center there that is the best in the Western USA. I have seen miracles there. The ones that get me are the little kids. Accident in the kitchen & 80% burns.... But they make it. The staff are dedicated. When you are a patient for a long time, you become family to the staff. One year from now, send them a card & tell 'em you're at the drags sniffing nitro, & see what they say. heh
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
Wow....that's tough. Hope you can stay far away from hospitals for a long while!
So true about family...my 89 yo Dad and 78 yo Mom came 5 hours in a car service down to be with me and they are still here. Just had the clothes on their backs, but arrangements were made since, and my sister mailed them a lot of what they needed.
Stay well Jesse!
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
I would get: new IV tubes installed, endless pokings looking for my veins (sometimes needing an ultrasound machine to find one), woken up and blood drawn 3 vials at a time at 5am, my bodily functions attended to, shots to prevent clots, insulin shots 3 times a day, fingers poked for sugar tests, the endoscopy camera down the gullet......every thing and I would thank them so much everytime*. No matter what. What else could you do?
ps- *except when my food was withheld....mostly in confusion between doctors and staff about test results and the kitchen...those nice people threw away at least 4 trays of good stuff because of it.
FABMAN
Nitro Member
Thank you Bob, I know about getting IV and they dont work, they ended up doing pick lines on me. Most food I ate was what family brought me. Orange sherbet and ice was all I could handle from hospital. Keep up the fight I never plan on going back.
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
I have to say, the food, when I chose it (instead of the house platters sent when I couldn't order) was pretty good. They said "restaurant quality" on the menu and not having anything to compare to, it wasn't bad. I was restricted somewhat because of diabetic changes from the steroids....I developed a taste for sugar free jello! And their steamed broccoli was good too. But everytime I ordered orange sherbet I was denied and got lemon ice .....not sure why. Sherbet was listed as a 1.5 on my carbohydrate scale and the ice was 1 or less for sugarless.
I got superstitious about ordering the small cheeseburger (better than you'd think it could be) when the 2 times I did it, my G.I. doctors would pull my food next day and talk about loss of hemoglobin, fixing bleeding ulcers with another endoscopy and and the like. Those didn't happen thankfully, but now I know I'm going to twitch next time I drive by a Mickey D's
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
Both my arms are absolutely black and blue, and also all across my stomach from the daily heparin shots to prevent blood clots.I HATE blood draws with a passion. I'm diabetic, so every 3 months visit my doc. Gotta get a blood draw before the next visit. I have rolling veins, so if they miss, I scream & we go from there.
I would hear the nurses say "ok now, little jab" or "sorry, big jab" and I would say, "don't tell me just do it..." it's easier to take when you don't know.
Now, I have to stab myself with an insulin pen once a day for what the steroids are messing with and I'm amazed that the 4mm needle doesn't feel like anything
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
Had a setback on Friday...needed a cortisone shot in my knee and it put me behind on PT. But it and Tylenol allowed me to walk ( with a walker) around the house and my attached upholstery shop today.
I had to repair the chair I've been using because the webbing popped inside. Found out how weak I am, but used some clamps and long screws to pull the webbing into place, instead of where I would just wrench it into place with duckbill visegrips when I was stronger....
Felt good to have sweat rolling off my nose today....some from the job and some from just trying to stand steady without the walker.
Learned today I have a lot of work to do to get back what I had.
I had to repair the chair I've been using because the webbing popped inside. Found out how weak I am, but used some clamps and long screws to pull the webbing into place, instead of where I would just wrench it into place with duckbill visegrips when I was stronger....
Felt good to have sweat rolling off my nose today....some from the job and some from just trying to stand steady without the walker.
Learned today I have a lot of work to do to get back what I had.
Tony
Nitro Member
Hope all is well for you too.
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
The biggest disappointment is that I'm breathing fine. They are treating my lungs with strong steroids for 6 weeks, then we work up a regimen going forward.
My oxygen saturation went from a dangerous 70 - something % to 95% without needing the hose in my nose. But the side effects to my body from the extended anesthesia ....sheesh
My oxygen saturation went from a dangerous 70 - something % to 95% without needing the hose in my nose. But the side effects to my body from the extended anesthesia ....sheesh
Bob
Nitro Member
I almost bled to death from multiple bleeding ulcers in January. I wasn't in IC for anywhere near as long as you were, but the stay was pretty miserable. The IV in one arm was for blood transfusions, and the IV in the other arm was for all kinds of stuff, often multiple bags dripping through multiple tubes. They stopped the bleeding by cauterizing the ulcers with endoscopes. I was back last week so they could do a scope to see if I was healing correctly. The answer was "sort of". I have to go back for another scope with some balloon action to work on an intestinal issue in 3 weeks. It wouldn't be so bad if this could be done in my doctor's office, but I have to check into the hospital, get back on an IV, and get knocked out with anesthesia before they shove that big tube down my throat.I got superstitious about ordering the small cheeseburger (better than you'd think it could be) when the 2 times I did it, my G.I. doctors would pull my food next day and talk about loss of hemoglobin, fixing bleeding ulcers with another endoscopy and and the like. Those didn't happen thankfully, but now I know I'm going to twitch next time I drive by a Mickey D's
The recovery process is slower than I thought it would be, and I suspect it is for you too. Walking gets a little easier each day, but the key word is "little". It will be a while before I can eat what ever I want. Some foods could actually hurt me at this point in time. I hope your recovery doesn't have many setbacks. This stuff already takes too much time!
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
I hope things work out for you Bob O. , that sounds like a rough time. Get well soon!
I only had to eat clear liquid diet for 3 meals.....my ulcer was pretty high up so they zapped it and it's holding.
I only had to eat clear liquid diet for 3 meals.....my ulcer was pretty high up so they zapped it and it's holding.
stitcherbob
Nitro Member
One part of the story I would rather forget was the transfer to rehab.
The lady working for my entrance into rehab said she couldn't get me in one 15min from home because my insurance didn't cover it.
Then the one we wanted didn't have a bed for a male. So the third choice was made, 1/2 hr from home and an ambulance took me there. It was a nursing home. Once I got to the room, I was dumped in a bed next to a dying man who moaned all night, oxygen was hastily hooked up and I knew immediately I wasn't staying. But we were waiting for the necessary equipment to be sent to my home.
Then they failed to deliver so my 89 yo Dad had to pick them up. Then there was problems getting oxygen for home. Red tape, store's about to close, meanwhile the kitchen sent up a meal that would have killed me...never felt so low. Their doctor wasn't going to see me for 48 hours so heck with him.
Then at 5pm I was rescued. I signed myself out against medical advice and a nice nurse helped Mom & Dad wheel my a$$ out of there. Stress for all 3 of us was incredible. Then quick drive to my doctor (who was closed but waiting for me) and he checked my O2 levels and said I didn't need any oxygen - I was at a steady 93%. He gave some of my meds free and then on to the pharmacy for all of the rest of the pills.
Then finally to my house. Home, that's where the healing began.
The lady working for my entrance into rehab said she couldn't get me in one 15min from home because my insurance didn't cover it.
Then the one we wanted didn't have a bed for a male. So the third choice was made, 1/2 hr from home and an ambulance took me there. It was a nursing home. Once I got to the room, I was dumped in a bed next to a dying man who moaned all night, oxygen was hastily hooked up and I knew immediately I wasn't staying. But we were waiting for the necessary equipment to be sent to my home.
Then they failed to deliver so my 89 yo Dad had to pick them up. Then there was problems getting oxygen for home. Red tape, store's about to close, meanwhile the kitchen sent up a meal that would have killed me...never felt so low. Their doctor wasn't going to see me for 48 hours so heck with him.
Then at 5pm I was rescued. I signed myself out against medical advice and a nice nurse helped Mom & Dad wheel my a$$ out of there. Stress for all 3 of us was incredible. Then quick drive to my doctor (who was closed but waiting for me) and he checked my O2 levels and said I didn't need any oxygen - I was at a steady 93%. He gave some of my meds free and then on to the pharmacy for all of the rest of the pills.
Then finally to my house. Home, that's where the healing began.
FABMAN
Nitro Member
The same thing happened to me thanks to Medicare, I finally had the doctor send me home, that will never happen again. Nursing home is now closed.
mikebcurve
Nitro Member
I can relate to a lot of what you saying in helping my mom the last 2 years. It's unbelievable how difficult they make out of the simplest things. It seems as if the more important the job the less qualified they are. Glad you are able to be home.
