FMLA, First day out of hospital
Even though we are no longer married, my Family Medical Leave Act was approved! I will get sick pay (and they cannot hold it against my annual evaluation) to take care of Ted. Thank goodness. I'm a little annoyed that the hospital expected me to do all this after working all day. They told me there was nothing to this. Well, maybe that's true after the first few days/weeks, but right now it seems a lot. I need to pick up a scale and a plastic chair to use in the shower -- it would have been nice if I knew that before Ted was discharged. And my gosh, what a huge amount of pills he has to take. I made up a makeshift chart to keep track. I have not even read the booklets they gave him yet. They did not tell me before the discharge information that he needed a stall shower for showers. What if I didn't have one? As a matter of fact I do, in my bathroom (he has his own bathroom), but what if I didn't! I'm glad the surgery went well, of course, but I'm a pissed at the lack of information I was given about his aftercare. I was unable to visit him since this weekend, until I picked him up today because I had to work and we live a distance from the hospital -- by the time I got home to walk the dog and care for my other pets, and drove in rush hour traffic, visiting hours would have been over. He is not able to sleep and I keep waking and running to his room at every cough and other sound... Thanks for letting me vent. Lynn
In a message dated 2/15/2006 1:47:42 A.M. US Eastern Standard Time, cptron56@... writes: if this isnt the right way to post or place to post some one please let me know. i wont post much cause i got to do all the things walk, exersice and all that stuff and still try to keep my house half way clean. thanks for listening Nancy <rvnurse2b@... Nancy don't be scared after experiencing death I can only say it isn't a scary place just scary how it will happen ..and U posted just fine Rose
Ronald, Enjoyed reading your story. You had a very close call. Glad you are posting and sharing. If you have any questions, just ask and someone on here will know the answer. Welcome to the group. Ann
Lynn, Vent all you want. It's always difficult on everyone when there are complications, especially having to go back in the hospital. I had to go back in also 10 days ago and have had a few complications in my 8 wks postbypass. Dr's are a funny crew. They just don't think how we wait and wait for phone calls back or to see them with our questions. My biggest pet peeve. A person has to have the questions written down and be ready to fire them away at the first sign of a Dr. Sorry to hear that his children are acting more self involved, rather than concerned. That long distance thing makes it easier to set things out of your mind. There were times I felt my daughter should have been more attentive when I was in also, but she lives many states away and is pregnant. She has come around to calling much more now. Perhaps they will come around when the shock wears off. Take Care, Lor Ted was home all of 52 hours before his temperature went to 101. I called his doctors and the nursing service when it went over 100 and no one called me back. I finally had to call 911. He's been in the hospital for 72 hours now with pneumonia. They are giving him breathing treatments and also have him hooked up with a sodium drip because his sodium levels are abnormally low. As usual, the doctor won't return my calls and tell me what is going on. Ted sees his primary care in the early morning (before visiting hours) and he doesn't ask questions -- I don't think he really wants to know what is going on at this point. Today I went to the hospital and his hand was swollen. Seems the nurse, and I use that term loosely, stuck him 4 times without being able to get blood and had to call someone else to do it. I was in tears (not in front of him) because of that. He has been through enough with some incompetent so and so doing that to him... Neither of his two grown daughters have called him or sent him a get well card or flowers or anything. I told them that this is serious and if I were them, I'd come down here (they live up North, we live in Florida). That was a couple of days ago and no response from them other than them asking me to keep them posted. Just venting.... Lynn
Lynn, I took care of my mom, motherinlaw, aunt, and my dad, not only because I wanted to and it was an honor to do so, but my one brother had died and the other lived in Cally. So, I had no guilt and had the honor to do so. Some kids these days will have no guilt when their parent passes, even when they have neglected to call very often. It's not all grown kids, but I see it with each generation..less and less feel they owe parents out of their "busy lives". Glad your hubby is home now. I'm 8 wks from my bypass and going to Dr appts still wear me out. When you mentioned no shower for him in all that time, it is a really big sore spot for me that the nurse's aides do not come in to "offer a shower" or even a wash basin with supplies and help for a simple washup in the morning. When I was trained as a nurse, we were taught the proper way to clean a patient morning and night. It's a darn shame that this happens. No wonder there is so much hospital induced infections. Each week should get better to some degree. Someone told me to go by the week, instead of the day..and for me, that was better in measuring progress and less frustrating. Keep us posted, Lynn! Lor When my father was ill (cancer) 11 years ago, I lived up North and he lived in Florida at the time. I called every day just to say "I love you" and that I was thinking of him. It took all of about 3 minutes of my time. I also flew down to see him 3 times that last year. I have no guilt, no regrets about how I treated him. I hope Ted's daughters will be able to live with how they treated their father when his time comes. Anyway, he was released from the hospital where he was treated for pneumonia a couple of days ago and seems to be doing better. He showered, sitting in the shower chair and I washed his hair -- which was the first time he had a shower in 16 days, since he first entered the hospital for catherization... I also had to take him to the doctor. He was so exhausted last night from all this activity and he looked gray -- I was frightened for him. But he was fine again this morning.
That is surprising. I was in the hospital for six days - one day more than usual, I was told - and I had at least one shower before I left the hospital. There was an orderly assisting me to make sure that nothing went wrong. I was 78 at the time and my operation was a combination of valve replacement and a 3X bypass. I was told that I could continue with the showers when I left and I was able to do them on my own. My wife did help me with the cleaning of all the sutures - chest, leg, and three drains under my rib cage. As I remember, they required an antiseptic soap like betadine. Bob S. On Feb 17, 2006, at 4:36 PM, Lynn wrote: He showered, sitting in the shower chair and I washed his hair -- which was the first time he had a shower in 16 days, since he first entered the hospital for catherization. Lynn