Tonight's picture was taken in March of 2007. We were in Key West with Mattie and we came across this exhibit with sting rays. Not only did we get to see them, but we learned about them and even got to touch them. As you can see Mattie wanted me to do it, but was eagerly watching and waiting to see what would happen.
Quote of the day: Constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon. ~ Dag Hammarskjöld
Tonight's quote really speaks to me, mainly because I know how important nurses are! They make hospitals run effectively and efficiently. However, not all nurses are created equal. I learned that once again this week with my dad in the hospital. For the past two days, my dad's nurse, Lisa, has been incredible. She is a more experienced nurse and her expertise and compassion really make her stand out. Today I felt like I had an advocate with me and like a good nurse, Lisa checked in on us often. She counseled us to get my dad started on Tylenol for pain, and even helped us get him out of bed on my request.
Of course no morning would be complete without a visit from the hospitalist. She was on good behavior today and I think she is learning that she messed with the wrong family member. As I have been right about when my dad would get his procedure done and also that he is not ready to return home. However, I made it very clear to Lisa and the hospitalist that I did not want my dad to be released to a Skilled Nursing Facility (SNF, which sounds like SNIFF when pronounced). Lisa was actually as surprised as I was that the PT and OT recommended a SNF in writing, when it was our understanding verbally that the recommendation was to go to inpatient rehabilitation.
After I fed my dad breakfast, I wrote a long email to the director of the inpatient rehabilitation facility of the hospital. Lisa gave me the buzz words.... return to baseline. Which is a very good term, because my dad was ambulatory, could feed himself, and do some things for himself prior to admission. So the goal would be to get him back to the abilities he came into the hospital with on Thursday making it possible for him to return to the community.
Thankfully the director of this rehab program wrote right back and I am meeting with her on Monday at 9:30am. Which is good news, I hope! Later in the morning, my dad was checked out by a cardiologist. This fellow in my opinion looks at the world with blinders on. He maybe great with the heart and all things heart, but can't possibly connect what my dad went through to quality of life. That is beyond his scope of practice or area of interest apparently. However, he did agree to send physical therapy in today to work with my dad. Guess what? IT NEVER HAPPENED!
By 4pm, I was tired of seeing my dad in bed all day. So I rang for Lisa and between her, me, and Peter we got him out of bed and in a chair. Just being out of bed mentally makes you feel better. While he was in the chair, I gave him a sponge bath and changed his hospital gown. So he looks and smells a ton better.
My dad continues to have back and neck pain. I know with him it just takes time, as he has had stenosis of the spine for decades. However, I have to be realistic and determine whether I can manage my dad and his care if he can't go to an acute rehab. This morning alone it took four of us to clean him up after an explosive bowel movement. I could tell the nurses felt they got their workout from him. He isn't an easy patient by any stretch of the imagination.
Lisa however made the day much more manageable. I told her so and I already wrote a glowing commentary on her and submitted it to the hospital, because she deserves a gold star award. Lisa recently moved to Virginia from Los Angeles, like my parents. She cared for hundreds of COVID patients during the peak of the pandemic and she told me the toll it has taken on health care workers. In fact, it sounded like PTSD. I could tell she did not want to talk about it because she did not think I would understand. Which of course I don't know what she exactly experienced but I do understand medical PTSD. I told her about Mattie and my caregiver role, and once again I was instantly connected with another trauma survivor.
No comments:
Post a Comment