Sunday Update

We are both in our own little pain places right now, wrenching our way back to normality, wondering how or when that is going to happen/be able to happen.

For Jim, the way back seems to be medical. V's to do list for Monday includes a call to the GI specialist, because we aren't sure how much they are involved in his treatment right now. There also will be the Tuesday Shipley care plan meeting, where we can ask more about their medical approach. Sometimes, it seems like Shipley's usual focus on long-term care keeps them from being too involved with short-term rehab, which is our goal.

For Venita, the way back for now seems to be rest (which may keep on for a while as V moves into radiation). V only spent 3 hours out of the house today (chores and Jim). Jim seems to understand that V will be spending less and less time with him at Shipley so she can heal and get set up to get some work done. However, she is only a phone call away.

Which Jim had to use last night because he couldn't get his nurse to give him the proper PRN meds. But when V called the nurse, the nurse said she had to hear it from Jim's mouth, not V's. V asked for a "three-way" conversation with Jim, V, and the nurse, but the nurse refused. The problem was there are 2 meds that start with the letter A that are PRN for Jim--Ambien (a sleeping pill that seems to have given Jim nighttime hallucinations) and Ativan (an anti-anxiety medicine that Jim has responded well to). Bitch nurse wouldn't take V's word for it that Jim wanted the Ativan. Jim was able to get the right medicine because bitch nurse brought the charge nurse in with her, probably because on the phone V put up such a stink about the bitch nurse not working with her.

So, Jim's medical records now indicate his nighttime confusion is the Ambien. Fine. Isn't that the sleeping pill that the House of Representatives Kennedy boy said was his problem this year when he got involved in a DUI auto accident on capitol grounds and then ended up back in drug rehab/detox?

No spooks have visited Jim for two nights now. Both night were Ambien-free. And the first of those two nights, V slept overnight in the empty bed in Jim's room. V hasn't blogged the spooks stories. On Thursday morning, Jim explained to V that the facility had rounded up indigent people and put them on the floor of his room to sleep. Harmless enough. Friday morning, 3AM, V got a phone call from Jim. He wanted her to call the police. Several people in Shipley had been murdered, the facility suspected Jim, but they refused to call the authorities. V called the nurse, who was going to take Jim Ativan. Jim refused the medicine until the police were called. V convinced Jim by phone to take the medicine. V drove to Shipley and spent the rest of the night sitting by Jim's bedside while he slept. She was exhausted all the next day. Friday night, V slept in the extra bed, not really sleeping until about 6AM.

V didn't feel bad leaving Jim alone today. He can watch baseball and football on TV. Tomorrow, he'll be back into several hours of PT a day. (No PT on weekends.) V tried to walk him today, but he moaned and groaned about it. V needs Shipley's PT folks to help keep Jim on track. V's concerned Jim will lose focus and direction when he comes home.

My-o-my, I (Venita) hope there will soon come a time that I don't sit here and complain about the hands we've been dealt. Weatherwise, it's a beautiful day today. Clear crisp early fall day. Hot in the sun, perfect in the shade. I took Jim to sit in the courtyard at Shipley for awhile. And Max is here, pulling my fingers off the keyboard and licking them. I found some nifty fall-themed bowls at Target today to go with my new kitchen dishes.

Another fun point. Last night I gave Max his SubQ fluids. 100 ML. He was getting antsy with the skin stretch in his right side at ~50 ML, so I moved the needle to the left side. When all was done, Max looked all pumped up, like a football player. I got laughs from that.

Many good and fun things happening right now. We just need to think about/focus on those.