I like Thursday #9

This has been a week of adventures.

I like the fact that DH went into hospital last Thursday for his knee replacement surgery. It was a real adventure trying to establish communication with the surgical staff with the Covid shutdown but we managed. He did well but really seemed confused so that was a concern.

My granddaughter and daughter left home to come for a visit. I like the fact that they do have a bubble and were tested for Covid before they came. They arrived Saturday morning about 3:00 am. We all slept for a few hours and then after a visit Nicole headed home. I love that I get to keep my daughter for a couple of weeks.

Sunday we pretty much relaxed and I managed to get a quilt cut for a test pattern I’m doing.

On Monday we had a nice road trip for 2 hours to pick up DH when he was released. I love hearing my daughter’s comments about how pretty it is here and how much she enjoys our scenery.

It was a chore to get DH in and out of the car and such a relief to have him home. He was moving and able with our help to get to the washroom. He settled in for the night after a snack

Tuesday morning his leg had ballooned to three times the normal size, was rock hard and hot.

I tried calling his surgeon; he is on vacation. I tried calling DH’s specialist. She is on vacation. I tried calling our family doctor; you guessed it on vacation. I liked the fact that the doctor covering for our family doctor was our doctor that retired last fall. He has been DH’s doctor for over thirty years. I like that he listened to me and when he said to have DH picked up by ambulance and returned to the Trail Hospital I trusted that it was serious.

I called for an ambulance. They were here in about half an hour since they were just returning from another call out. I liked that the attendants were professional and understood DH’s silly sense of humor. They took really good notes and were thorough checking DH and getting him ready for transport. They were just going to get the stretcher when their dispatch called and sent them to an accident scene. The poor little girl was almost in tears having to leave but we knew it was a possible critical injury so they had to go. Dispatch said they were sending an ambulance from Nelson. It would mean another hour but we were prepared.

An hour later dispatch called me to let me know they did not have another ambulance so we would have to wait for the Winlaw ambulance to return from Trail, 2 hours away.

Then a half hour later I received a call from Brad, the senior shift patient care supervisor. We went over DH’s symptoms, issues and the order from our Doctor. Brad said he would confer with his colleagues and call me back. He did so n half an hour to let me know the ambulance had left Trail. Half an hour later he called again. He had discussed DH’s situation with a physician. They ambulance was being routed with lights and siren but would have to stop on the way at the hall in Winlaw. One attendant had timed out. The other member was at the hall waiting already.

The ambulance arrived about half an hour later. The little girl attendant had all of the notes from being there previously. She updated the notes to record that Dr. Murray had ordered my husband to be transported by ambulance since the risk is high that he had developed a blood clot and with his MS has mobility issues to begin with.

3 hours later I was finally able to talk with his nurse. She was overly concerned about his pain but said they were monitoring him and he was doing fine. Meanwhile DH was calling me to go pick him up.

Wednesday morning again had DH calling for me to pick him up. When I called the nurse she said he was stable but they were waiting for the doctor. At 8:00 DH called to say he was being released. I called the ER and talked to a nurse. She said they had his pain managed. I asked if he was getting Acetaminophen since had has a sensitivity to it. She said he was fine. I asked if they had checked the swelling and hardness in his leg. She said he was fine.

Stacy and I headed out. We got as far as Castlegar and DH called to say they were keeping him overnight again. We came home and I called the nurse again. She said they were icing his leg and had just given him more pain meds.

Thursday morning had DH calling and me trying to get some answers from the staff at the hospital. Doctors do not answer calls and while I know the nurses are busy I don’t think they read the attendants notes or listened to me. At 10:00 they finally decided that they should do an ultrasound to see if there were blood clots forming. At 6:00 the staff decided he was ready to be discharged. I asked if the swelling or heat and hardness was any better and if DH had cleared up from the reaction to the Acetaminophen (confusion and muddle headed). she said he was fine.

Off we went to the hospital. A very sweet little porter wheeled him out. Poor girl couldn’t push him up the walkway. He is 237 lbs and over 6’ tall! Between the porter, Stacy and myself we managed to get him in the car. Off to home we went.

Once we got here the fact that he couldn’t stand even with his walker was an issue. Good thing I’m a quilter and I love the fact that my chair has wheels! I pushed it to the car and managed to lift him out and get him on my chair. Then my daughter pushed and I pulled and we managed to get him in the apartment and settled in his lift recliner with pillows under his leg, his pressure ice cuff on and a snack in his hand. Then I looked at the pills they had sent for overnight. Oxycodone mixed with Acetaminophen I was furious but dared not call the hospital. They had also sent 2 morphine tablets. Gave him one of those and we all tried to settle in for the night. It was now almost midnight. That was when I realized I had pulled muscles in my back 😢

I only had to get up twice during the night to help DH. I was sure glad to finally get some sleep. My daughter agreed to stay with DH. Then I headed in to Nelson to fill his prescription. The pharmacist is really good. I like the fact she is familiar with DH’s meds. She has now put a flag on his file that he is allergic to Acetaminophen.

Once I got home my daughter and I spent a wonderful afternoon making some of her favourite salads (with no onion unfortunately due to DH’s allergies).

Then we spent an evening trying to catch up on emails and chatting.

Today I managed to get out for a 15 minute walk and we have been enjoying sitting in the sun for a few minutes.

Tonight I am hoping to enjoy some time with my sewing machine. When I took DH to the hospital I stopped and checked on my machines. The parts are still not in so I had to break in to my long arm savings account to buy a machine to be able to sew. My sanity requires it! It’s a little cutie that will be perfect to take to classes. 😉

I did manage to get it threaded but haven’t sewn a stitch in over a week! Tonight is the night and next week will be better for all of us!

Thanks for stopping by to read my long winded rant. In spite of it all this week life is still good and fingers crossed that better things are on the way for my American friends and family. 😉 Carol

Linking with LeeAnna at Not Afraid of Color on her I Like Thursday posts. Do stop by to see what our friends are sharing.