Wacky Wednesday

Phew..I made it. good lord, I think I drove all over ATL today.

This morning..I powered through 4 visits...3 of which were cats so theyre easy...food,water,litterbox...purr therapy for me...:)

Then I went to the hospital to see the roomie who has had spinal surgery- 3 decompressed vertebra and one fusion.Remember that nasty rant? Well..it was me being overwhelmed and bitchy. Very bitchy. Like ultimately selfish bitchy. I am so sorry for even thinking those thoughts.

Roomie told me when I came in "Youre not allowed to bring your bad morning in here" I was smiling..and said, Um, Im actually having a good morning...why?" And he proceeded to tell me. Im not going to go into detail...but lets just say...I expected more from a hospital that bears the name of one of the most prestigious universities and medical schools in the country if not the world.

I was witness to some of the incompetency...and was horrified to think that these people care for patients whove just had SPINAL surgery!!! OK..what prompted that comment was the PTs...and the brace guy who had told roomie yesterday that none of his nurses or PTs needed to be there to watch them put on his brace, as it was "really easy and no big deal"(I didnt witness that, thank god) today...there were 3 PT's who came in to help him into his brace and get up to the bathroom.OK..first incompetency...he said he wasnt strong enough to push himself up with one arm (he has JRA)from the bed. Oh, wait, no there was the slight twisting he did which they just brushed off, but I and he were VERY concerned about.Um..it says right on the board in the room...NO TWISTING. Helll-oooo! OK...the PT sounded like she was kind of arguing with him about his ability to push himself up. In my opinion...since his surgery was only Monday...the PT's should ahve been helping him more. But, I guess that really is what tehy do, encourage people to do for themselves.These girls just didnt go about it right. OK..so he got into a sitting postion, they helped him a little bit. Then came the brace. OT said shed never seen that type of brace but "between the 3 of us we can figure it out" OK..having been a nurse for 16 years, I do understand that sometimes ya gotta wing it. And yes, having 3 people trying to figure it out is better than just 1. OK..so, they get the brace on teh way they think its supposed to go. Roomie keeps telling them it doesnt feel right.They say, "well, youre just not used to it yet", and "when the brace guy comes here he can readjust it". Roomie keeps insisting he doesnt feel comfortable getting up with the brace not feeling right. They keep telling him its normal for it to be uncomfortable.He gets more and more irate, insisting it isnt on right. Finally the OT girl goes and "looks it up online". Yes, they had it on wrong. And they all brush this off and act like that isnt a big deal that tehy put a brace on wrong and wnated a patient to get up with an improperly fitted brace.Roomie (thank goodness hes stubborn)refuses to get up without the brace being done right. And insists that he wont get up till the brace guy comes (he was scheduled for that morning but hadnt showed as of 12) He and one of the PT's have a heated discussion...yes, part of his problem was anxiety...but it was justifiable. the man has just had surgery on his spine, and been told he is not to twist or do much activity, and he is to wear that brace at all times when hes out of bed, even just to go to the bathroom. And he was about 48 hours post op ferchrissakes!! Hes been told by the doc the risks if he somehow messes up the fusion. Pain, nerve damage, possible paralysis. Um, yeah, Id be adamant about the brace too!!

They just didnt seem to get that, to get the seriousness of it.

Which scares me.

I expected more from this "specialty" hospital. Frankly, it seems as if they chose that place (its in an old hospital building, well, the building isnt old, the hospital that was there closed down a couple years ago)and said "OK, lets put a spine hospital here" threw up some signs..and opened for business.


OK..what am I thankful for today?

Hmm...bananas.

Quik Trip and their low gas prices and coffee.

Naps- and my listening to my body saying it needed some down time. Even if it was only for 30 minutes, it gave me my second wind.

Purr monsters with faulty brakes (the aforementioned 5 month old purr monster kept running around this morning and when hed try to stop hed skid- it was hilarious!)

Sweetpea