Friday

 Husband received vaccine #2 and is very fatigued so no golf today.  I'm sitting here after talking with Carole, making plans for dinner, and adding Voltaren (thank you Amy) to my list.  My brother was told to use Tei-Fu Muscle Recovery Lotion, all natural, for his neck problems and is very pleased with it.  Not for pain, but muscle release.  

The nurse caring for Carole came to her bed after hearing her talk.  Most times she is reciting a vivid but not often appealing dream.  No, she is not leaving ICU today or tomorrow.  I was again giving wrong info to everyone on the list, including the patient!  She is in xtreme pain because of a clot in the already painful and swollen left leg.  Fentanyl lasted an hour (then what's the attraction?) did nothing, she is refusing OXY.  I told her to try a half dose first with the nurse, if not upset, take the other.  Her BP is 115/54 so they started her on BP reduction meds to find that balance for weak hearts.  Offered iron and blood which were quite low, and I learned something new.  Shaking, unable to find words, difficulty communicating, and thinking you're in the woods were a big concern to her.  Last time this same valve was done, she was tied to her bed and growling.  Not uncommon.  But we were surprised that a test exists to determine mental status of such patients.  Carole had a positive score for ICU delirium and she said "finally, I passed a test". 

Petey continues to not use one leg, I tried to get a closer look and he bolted so I won't do that again.  His heated house may be getting too warm for him, first time in months he chose the white one and we got a midnight chuckle seeing this.  

Have a nice weekend!!

I hope to catch up with posts,IG, and videos.

Stay well!

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Warm and windy

I was scolded by a friend for this post complaining about CC so I removed it. 

I said they are the best in tech, doctors, nurses, and because of Covid they need to have a site with answers for family because ICU nurses should not be taken from their patients for minor questions and test results.  And that would also correct the issues this family had with getting answers clearly reported rather than person to person.  

I don't have the strength to deal with unreasonable hate filled hypocrites.

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 I'm physically exhausted, mentally spent.  Bitchdom's crown gets heavy after months of stress.  Carole is being moved out of ICU tomorrow if there is a room for her in the cardiac unit.  Not much change in condition but still good news.

We have a high wind warning for 2am through tomorrow.  I hope no damage results but I love to hear wind in the calm quiet of the night.  Today I needed to relax a little so along with my sweet tea, I took my sanders outside in an attempt to remove 2" of skin from my heels.  I went back in for more Splenda and ...... 

so there he stayed enjoying the warm afternoon.

As soon as we have more info on Carole I can make a new appt for him.  I found the Temptations Creamy tube Charlotte recommended and I spent over $40 on cans that he ate last week but probably never will again.  He's eating dry food too if I mist it with water.  But whether liquid, pate, or dry, it only takes one bite and off he goes on a bad day.

My index and middle finger are now trigger and no longer bend from weeks of texting on a 2" screen to four people at a time plus typing emails.  I've postponed many doc visits so checking online for a remedy would be my only option.  Yes I will look for a phone but we have a ton of money leaving this spring and a new monthly payment.  Hopefully, a smart ass phone won't be necessary or used to this extent in the future.  

Thanks for visiting with me!

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Yesterday was not Monday

Sorry, most days I have no idea.  She made it through the night after what the nurse called an issue, then stabilized.  Her kind doctor called at 10pm yesterday which of course was alarming, but I'm very grateful to her for working so late and still thinking of family.  Everyone involved is hoping her BP rises, but drugs are required to help it (below 95/50).  When she would feel weak at home, she would sit and even just a few minutes would allow it to rise.  Lying flat, no movement for almost a week and it's that low?  What will happen when she stands?  Well, that is not in the next few days.  I cannot imagine four weeks without a shower, hair wash, seeing no family for two, but the absolute worst is lying flat for weeks, spinal stenosis pain, extreme foot pain, difficult to eat, bedpans.  She must remain on that lifesaving pump for ????? requiring this miserable position.  I don't know if I would be able to do anything but send out a grateful cry.  If this continues and the mitral does not improve sufficiently to hold a better pressure, I don't think she would survive another surgery.  During the valve replacement, TEE was repeated and they were pleased to see immediate mitral improvement, but whether it continues will be told in the next few days. 

Excuse please if I repeat myself in posts.  With my dumb phone texts needed typed (no voice) and allowed a max of four recipients in each, to finding a window or yard area with a bar or two to send, confusion and repetition is rampant.  Personally phoning is saved for immediate family, any more fades my voice to a whisper and the grease doesn't help that.  

Minimal work on this, but I am loving the colors I changed so far.  36 PTP Legacy.

Bud ate a can of FF another 1/2 the next day so he's hanging in there.  Won't lick the vitamin gel, cannot hold him to get a pill or anything close to his mouth.  If our vet has trouble, no way I want to risk a bite from that mouth.  Petey is limping again.  And the gorgeous long hair that Chris tried trapping for two months, is back.  

Enjoy your day!  

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So far, so good

 What a day.  Once again, I accidently found out mid afternoon that the TAVR procedure had started before noon without notice to family.  Calls were not returned, her excellent doctor in OR called me for 10 seconds and told me she did well, no intubation.  We know Monday is hectic and honestly, these ICU nurses should be with patients and have a few minutes to rest instead of explaining to so many families.  But after informing them 3 times that no messages or calls are coming to us and verifying the #, a new nurse checked again and it was NOT correct.  Also informed us there is no way she will be home soon, pump can't be removed, BP is too low, and she must remain flat until removal.  Were thankful, and hope she continues to improve without setbacks.

Thanks to you all!!

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Continuing

 Hiya.  My tiny $5 emergency cell phone that is not smart, has been beeping up a storm lately.  Only a few inches, highly sensitive, and crooked fingers of mine have sent an update to Dominos, my landscaper, hair stylist, and possibly a few more that got in the way.  Nothing compromised or names, just brief status.

Carole had a TEE done today that confirmed her previous echocardiogram in more detail.  Her aortic valve replacement done six years prior is the culprit and must be done again.  Tomorrow.  Severity of valve disease is graded 0-4 and her mitral is 4, aortic is 2+, which is a surprise to everyone.  We were expecting surgery at end of week to repair the mitral with a clip in a general anesthesia and intubated surgery which terrified her.  I spoke with her doctor and once the aortic is replaced, they will know within 24-48 hours whether the mitral will need repaired.  If so, it will be done at another time.  All this surprised us because we were told her mitral valve was the predominate issue and for over a year, expecting new drugs to do the trick.  Who knew that a bad aortic could be the cause of a worsening mitral?  In the past.... let's move forward.  Dr. Kapadia at the Clinic is one of the best in the country and when I asked if the balloon will be removed before the replacement, I was told this doctor is so good he will work around it.   All in all, this is a change in plans that we're happy about.  It is not considered surgery since no intubation or heavy sedation is required as with the mitral, no cutting since it is a catheter through the groin, and we are all hoping this will improve her quality of life.  No visitors and she will return to the ICU after.  It should start around noon or earlier and they will call when she is recovering.  

I hope to get a few stitches in this evening and Mark will go out for my RXs.  I won't be leaving the house. 

I've not been taking time to enjoy online photos and blogs so I apologize for not keeping up.  I did happen to see a NWP post with a lovely sampler (Cordelia Ransbery, Samplers Remembered) so immediately looked for it and thank goodness I enlarged the screen before ordering.  House fill and motifs are over one!!  My eyesight has worsened and I need to see a new doctor, haven't purchased a new mag light and the arm of my Dazor needs adjusting.

I hope and expect to post tomorrow evening that all went well and Carole may be resting at home this weekend.   Although traffic and multiple lane highways are white knucklers for me, I will certainly enjoy this one.

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A glimmer of hope

 Last night, Carole called to tell us they were inserting an IABP - intra-aortic balloon pump and I'm glad she did.  We did not have any other notification.  A short time later I checked the MyChart site and it was a success.  Mark spoke with her an hour after insertion, she was not as breathless, reduced meds, higher BP, and feeling safer.  But since the phone rang at 7am and we saw it was the Clinic, I have not been able to breathe comfortably and still trying to calm my stomach.  So many of you have also dealt with this same anxiety, third time in six years of fearing these calls for us.  New doctor for the weekend reported that she is continuing to do well, kidney function improved slightly, still seeing things and recites her vivid dreams during sleep.  I talked to Carole this morning, extremely grateful for their care and this device.  She must lay flat for 3 days, very difficult to eat, tubing from it taped to the leg, a few others poking out of neck and behind ear, extreme pain in her feet which no one has been able to diagnosis, but grateful for her misery.  I do hope to hear a strong and sensible voice in another day or two, it hasn't even been 24 hours. 

This device is used for a number of heart issues, such as Carole's cardiogenic shock.  Very often, learning from online sites whether CC, Mayo, Hopkins, AMA, and so many others, is very scary.  There are risks - clots, strokes, malfunction, but you have a choice to follow the provider's advice or possibly die. We are all relieved, accepting the benefits over the risks, hoping this will give her strength and time for doctors to create a medication plan.  Never knew of this device, and it's pretty darn slick.  It is programed for the balloon to inflate and push the blood flow toward your coronary arteries. When the heart contracts, the balloon deflates and allows more blood to be pumped with less work.  Controls offer testing and needs for each patient, such as reducing the number of inflations or pausing to test the heart strength before removal, and we were told it could stay in for a month.  Finally some hope.  But still cautious and fearful.  The infection is not a UTI, still extreme pain in her feet, no answers on either yet.

Learn more about IABP here

We're not quite as confident and cocky as this guy.  Yet.

Well this is unnerving.  I went to Photo Gallery to upload another turkey, and this appeared on my screen.  Looking directly at me!!!  

Edit - when I saw Robin's comment, I realized I failed to mention the woman looking right at me from my screen is my sister!!  I guess that would explain my shock.

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 I've never seen this before, but more disturbing is how it just appeared when I opened my photo program, which I did yesterday and it was not there!!  The source is not specified, file location is my desktop  (nothing downloaded at specified time).   This appears to be the foyer in Cleveland, possibly the first visit for ID?  Date shows 3/18/21 (obviously not when created) when she was tubed to a bed in ICU. There was CC website maintenance early morning and the site was down, maybe that had something to do with it.  Bottom rung is where I sit regarding tech knowledge and I'm sure there is an explanation.  Regardless, can you imagine my shock when she appeared on my screen?  Yoi.  Good thing I postponed my heart monitor or it would have sent an ambulance.

In case it is CC property, I plan to delete it from here shortly.

Be well, safe, enjoy your weekend.

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