Friday, June 8, 2012

Catching you guys up to why I have disappeared this past week so far:
DH has had two strokes -one on Monday night & one on Tues. morning. 

We were getting ready for bed when he came in the kitchen and said his left cheek was numb and his lips . I turned and asked him to smile for me - of course the left side could not -it just sagged, so I threw on clothes on both of us and took off. It was that night it was SO Foggy I could barely see. I admit it was only by the grace of my guardian angels that I made it. I would find myself confused from not being able to see the road and I would just FREEZE right in the road . That was about 11:30pm. 

Of course I got chewed out from a nurse for driving him there instead of calling the ambulance and that time was the essence. I was so shocked I froze again? They kept us there until 5AM when they called for transport to Salem, which is about a 45 minute drive. I was scared to death to drive home in all that fog -but I took it really slow (25mph) and made it safe. I wanted to lay down to sleep, but I knew IF I did I would not wake up till that afternoon and I had to contact the kids & his sister. So, somehow how that got accomplished and Cory picked me up that morning and took me with them . 

DH  was in ICU . I place has been a walking nightmare!!  Even Doug's brother who came down Weds. asked what had happened to that hospital. He said he had been coming there for 10 years for all of his heart problems and he had never had anybody treat him badly -but he did that day. 

There were a couple of things I learned to HATE. There were 4 different doctors and they never put their heads together and they avoided the family. So, it was like pulling teeth to find out what was happening? One doctor I really took a dislike to was called Dr. Harrow (I don't know IF that is the proper spelling or not) Turned out he was the doctor who had operated on Doug's sister's back? He told Doug he wanted a CTscan and Doug said he would have to have something to calm him and Harrow said No -that would mess up the test and Doug told him No because he could not. It seemed there was NO compromise and Harrow told him that his liver was shot and his kidneys too and he would do nothing for him. !

I was so upset - so when Dr. Culpepper came in I told him I did not like that we could find out what was going on from doctors or nurses or ANYBODY! I told him what Harrow said and he went & checked ALL of the tests and came back and said that there was NOTHING wrong with his liver and his kidneys were working GREAT. Mean while the damage had been done because it looked like the very light went out in Doug's eyes. He was ready to just give up. 

The next hump was when we went in the next morning and had to adorn ourselves with gowns & gloves because he was not suppose to have mersa . When evil Harrow came in I asked how he had contacted it and he said that he had a HISTORY of it. DIDN"T he have a boil on his neck and I said NO. 

I hate to be lied to and they gave me information saying that all he needed was some antibiotics. I knew that was wrong because of my friend -she had even told me that it lays in your body kinda like chickenpox . Then when you get stressed it blossoms again - kinda like the shingles ???? That went on all that day and then the next day they finally moved him and all of a sudden NO MORE gowns & gloves????? 

Then yesterday afternoon when nurses changed shifts a new threat raised it little head in the name of NURSES!  Ashley was suppose to be his nurse. Le't s just say they scraped the bottom of the barrel . At 4 pm Doug asked for water? At 9pm he finally got some -but that was ONLY to take a pill with or I don't think he would have got it then. Cory was the one who finally complained to the director and she was shocked. The entire ward had ALL of the patients call lights on and all of the nurses were in the nurses station-talking and laughing. Cory said it looked like an airport runway and it stayed that way for two hours. 

Cory &his AUNT were there this am when he called for meds that were 4 hours late and of course did not get any help-so Cory went to the nurse station and asked who was suppose to take care of 364 and one girl who had just came on said her. She said she was told it was for medicine. Cory told her that was the FIRST call - that this was the second and it was because his I V had came out and he was having his left arm go numb and his lips were tingling????? So she darted to the room. 

Then they called me at 12 today and said they had taken him down for more tests and they were going to put a filter in through his groin to catch the blood clots so they would not go to his heart of brain or lungs???? Then they called and said they were NOT going to do that because the clots were not where they would be captured???????? Then they said they would release him -then they said no??????????? 

Can you see why I was discombobulated?????  On top of all this circus I had called about my MEDS -I explained that I would run out before my doctor visit on Monday. The  last time when this happened  I was told to contact the nurse so I would never be in this position again of being off of the meds?????? Well first I was fussed at about the call time-I told her I HAD called Last Monday -but now I would not be able to get it because the pharmacist had gone on vacation? The gal was just as sweet as she could be -it was not her fault and I just wanted to go hang myself from the nearest tree. But , I have an appointment on Monday . What is wrong with this picture??? I REALLY miss the day when I could just go to our old pharmacy  and pick up my meds  on the way home from the doctor??????

Then dealing with NOT only DH  and being scared to death - now I had this CROWD of family to deal with . I was slowly loosing it ! I hide in a tiny waiting room last night and bawled where nobody could see me . I wanted to just run away and never be seen again. So, you were definitely thought of !  I just DO NOT FIT IN & it made me angry that I was being pushed to the point that I was loosing it .
 .

So now ??? Doug can not have anymore of the blood thinner as that is what caused the bleeding in his brain! You know how that made me feel because I was hurting his with those dumb shots and they almost killed him? I better go fall in bed because Cory is suppose to call me in the morning . He called to see about picking me up and I told him I was not going because he was suppose to be released tomorrow. (I did not tell him the  real reason was that Doug's favorite cousin is suppose to come see him tomorrow from Wakefield and I just can not handle to be around him.  My nerves just feel like they are RAW and I cannot not handle any more.

On top of that I HAD to go to town this afternoon &  I actually ran out of the road ????? I was SO glad that no body saw it and SO glad that I did not turn over???? 

O gosh - I am falling asleep in my chair.  I better try to make it to the bed . Thank you guys so much for a chance to try to sort out my feelings.
Hugs, Linda

7 comments:

  1. Crickey Linda!
    That is a lot of stuff going on there girl. It must be frustrating like you say when no one is telling you anything and then saying one thing and doing another. No wonder you had a bawl, I would too. Stay strong girl.
    Regards, Anita.

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  2. Oh Linda, remember to breathe....long slow breaths and know that we are all thinking of you. I hope this hospital looks after your bloke and that he isn't getting stressed out too.
    hugs and love Sue

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  3. Linda, I've been praying for Doug and you this week, because I had noticed you were blogging and I haven't this week either, but I did check twice a day, every day to see if you had written anything. I just got home and read your tale here, and also read it to my hubby who is a GOOD Nurse!!! He was horrified too about all the problems you both have encountered! There is NOOOOOOOOOOO reason not to give water to anyone unless it is a doctor's order for a reason! And never an excuse for late medications!!! I WOULD GO TO THE HOSPITAL """ADVOCATE""" and tell them that Harrow had told you that his liver and kidney's were not working and the other doctor said they were!!! That is a real problem!!!!!!! I would put it into writing and hand it directly to the Hospital Advocate!!! They look into it because they do NOT WANT A LAW SUIT! I know you are tired and over-whelmed, but this would be a good idea. They need to investigate this doctor. He is cruel!

    I am praying for you both!!! There is also no excuse for doctors not to put their heads together and work on what the problem is!

    KEEP us informed of how you and DH are doing!! Miss you!!! ♥♥♥

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  4. please know that we care about you and your husband.

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  5. Hell and damnation! If only I was better at keeping up to date with all the blogs I read!
    I was lying in bed last night wondering what was happening with you guys, I just felt something wasn't right... and here we are!
    I was right.
    I hope things are a bit better for your Joe?
    MASSIVE big hugs to you all.

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  6. JOE? I think I am getting people muddled up in me head... Your hubby's name is Doug! Though I could have sworn it was Joe! lol
    Oh well... I hope he's getting a bit better?
    And you? Get some sleep!!!

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  7. So sorry Hubby is fading... I hope it's not too painful and you and he can cope.
    Do you have a Hospice nearby that perhaps he could go to when it is too hard for you to manage?

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