Things I saw and learned

Though I am so glad to be home, I want to detail a bit of my seven-day hospital stay.

Being the nosey Rosie who I am, I left my door open most of the time. I could hear the nurses talking and watch the ebb and flow of life on the fourth floor, which serves as the cardiac unit.

Doc had two patients on this floor including me. The other person was in another wing. Doc worked the whole seven days I was in. You cannot imagine how blessed I am to have Doc. Every nurse I talked to, and I had new nurses almost every night, knew about pulmonary hypertension. The hospital pharmacy actually had my PH meds. Four years ago when I was admitted for pneumonia, they did not. I feel strongly that Doc goes about educating all.

I truly know now about nursing shortages. They work 12-hour shifts, which can extend some. I had one nurse who usually works on the oncology floor. Two of the nurses on the floor were men. Joseph and Toby had a great way with the elderly patients.

Doc had me up and walking as much as possible so I wandered the hallways. I fetched my own water and ice. I caught glimpses of the other patients I could hear talking with the nurses.

Mrs. X, in the first room, was in isolation with infectious diarrhea. Her door frame featured all sorts of warnings and stickers. Mrs. Y, across the hall from Mrs. X, appeared to have some mental problems. She threw Jell-O and other things at the techs and nurses. Across the hall from me was Mr. X. He wanted to be transferred somewhere and got cussingly upset when he thought he was leaving but did not.

In the room next to me, I had two blowhards. The first man thought everyone should know who he is and told anyone who came into the room about his exploits with the city commission. The other man apparently had a wreck and then defibbed. Someone came to check on him and the session went on forever with discussions about who to call for what.

One man down the way signed papers to have his toe removed because of diabetes. Another elderly man's daughter told the nurse to keep that Mrs. Z out of the room. She wanted no visitors expect an aunt who is a nurse and would come spend the night with her father.

Something I learned, no matter how many safeguards there are, sometimes mistakes are made. When I first went into the room and settled in the bed, a flock of nurses came in to do their thing. One young nurse started hooking me up to a heart monitor. I wondered about it at the time. Shortly I noticed it had another woman's name on it. Poor Mrs. C got hers a few minutes later.

Check your meds. The pharmacy sent up 250 mg of Tracleer instead of 125. Some of the hospital meds were in two pills rather than the one I usually get. Take your time to count them or check them.

Carry a list of meds with you. The man next door had no idea what he takes and he was a heart patient.

I feel better and hopefully will continue to improve.

I cannot finish this without mentioning the many visits and calls that cheered me and kept me sane. Connie called every day though she vacations in California. Dorsey, Rick, Boopie, Alex, Brittani and Tanya brought a bit of the real world with them. Tanya scoured my bathroom at home and fed my kitties. Colleen and Sylvia called. Nan sent a wonderful card. Though I did not have a computer, when I got home I saw all the FB posts. Each of you warms my heart. Thank you.

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Dude, I gained something priceless in the hospital this time. I now understand more fully how the steroids affected you. I still am pretty naive about CF, but what I learned makes you all the more special in my heart.

Later.