Admittedly, our family is not typical and it can get it a little crazy around here, so its not surprising that sometimes the 10th is a busy/weird/hectic day. One such day that sticks out to me is here. Hopefully this 10th of the month is unique, never to be repeated in any way, shape or form.
2 AM
The day before, I'd gotten a new neighbor, fresh out of surgery. The evening I was out of surgery, I couldn't do much but sleep. This woman apparently didn't get enough anesthesia because she was up barking out orders to her grown daughter and husband....trying to get her things unpacked, nailing her husband down to the minute on how long he would be gone dropping their daughter off, fussing about her morphine drip, and going over and over and over what, exactly, the doctor had said when she'd come to talk. She did NOT stop talking. I mean it. When the nurse helped her brush her teeth in bed, she talked with the toothbrush in her mouth.
Finally, "we" all got settled so I was quite surprised to wake up to commotion at 2 AM. When I checked my phone for the time I saw the alert that it was 10 on 10 day and I thought, why not?
This woman had hired her own personal nurse to be with her exclusively, in addition to her husband and still she monopolized whoever she could on the hospital staff....all with the lights on. The door to the room is on my right, so anyone going to check on her had to pass by me.
The lights have not gone off and she has not stopped talking. They've changed sheets because she thought maybe she might be itchy, they've moved furniture, complete with scrapping and banging and the nurses have been in and out attending to her. She's gone over the pros and cons of taking some benadryl for about 30 minutes and I've stifled my take the benadryl!! outcry more than once.
The neighbor is sleeping soundly (the benadryl the staff slipped her??) but I've admitted defeat for the night. Terrible room, but SUCH a pretty view.
Walking the halls.
Breakfast. Eating is a chore, but they do a nice job with the menu and the food service people are delightful.
By the time I got back from my walk, all my stuff had been moved to a different room! I was SO grateful and the view was still pretty nice.
My mid-morning nap felt luxurious.
Walking the halls. Fourteen times around equals one mile. At a snails pace, I put in miles over the course of the nearly two weeks.
The hospital has a lovely rec center for patients and their families. There are crafts and activities and games and puzzles and reading. They also have a steady line up of concerts. I stood through a few songs by this group, who were quite talented.
I worked through just one book during my stay but I've been thankful over and over for this perfect Christmas gift from Shaun.
Pretty!
After fighting through traffic, Shaun finally arrived and I was so happy to see him. We started a movie but I was so exhausted.
During my stay I had five different roommates and only asked to be switched once. My Fellow declared the whole hospital roommate thing to be "inhumane" and my cousin, who has seen her fair share of roommates while working through to her PhD, pointed out that its a good thing I never lived in a college dorm. True dat!!
Boy, that poor woman's family! They can't get moved to a different room... I'm hoping that her behavior was from fear & that she gets some peace so her family can get some too!
ReplyDeleteNow I feel wimpy that I didn't to the 10 on 10 this month - I worked from home so I could have found some interesting things to photograph. I was just lazy :)
The pic of you and Shaun holding hands made me tear up. And the "take the Benadryl!!"...awesome. :) I am not sure I would have had as much restraint as you showed!
ReplyDeletePraying for you always.