Friday March 3 2023

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 3, 2023

Good morning!

The last get together I had at my place was on a Memorial Day when my sister and her ex-husband was living with me right after they moved here. 20 or so people showed up. I don't have that kind of energy anymore. Plus it's expensive to throw a party. Since then my social circle really shrank. I always seemed to be the instigator in things and rarely get an invite.

Off today and working the weekend. So not much going on.

Have a great day.

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 3, 2023

Mostly cloudy with small measures of time when sun peeks through. We are supposed to have thunderstorms and high winds in the late afternoon. But I doubt there will be any snow. I wouldn't be surprised to have a brief hail-shower if it gets bad enough, but as far as I can tell from the various printed and TV weather forecasts, most of the wintry stuff will go North of us.

"V&V"....Huh, and all I can think of is that girl who made big news when she combined Vino and Valium and became a mental vegetable. Sad and scary. It makes no impression on hubby though. THAT attitude makes me think of the country song "Ten Foot Tall and Bullet-Proof". Which I suppose hubby must have decided he is....

Anyway, I am not chewing the insides of my cheeks with worry. It is what it is.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Mar 3, 2023

Happy Friday, all!

dianah, I hope you find some answers for Toby, and that he's feeling OK

I'm going to give the vanilla a few weeks to see if it gets strong enough. If not, I guess all I have to do is buy more vanilla beans and add to it. We like to use the amaretto in place of the water in boxed brownie mix. I've tasted the amaretto and it tastes like sweetened almond extract in vodka, which is what it is, and I can't tell if there's vanilla flavor in there or not.

We had thunderstorms yesterday late afternoon/ early evening. Today is sunny (Bright!) and about 60 degrees. Hoping to get Twin B to take a good walk with me when I get off work before he starts his D&D campaign. For the next 2 weeks, he's going to be covering for a coworker so will be working 40 hours/week. 11p - 7a Saturday - Wed. He's a little anxious about it.

Tweety, I wanted to so something besides med/surg but it never seemed the right time. Maybe if I go back to the bedside I will try to go somewhere that will train me for ICU or PICU. When I was in nursing school we spent a day at an outpatient infusion clinic and I thought that seemed like a good situation. But I forget how old I'm getting.

We don't have guests other than family. One of my brother's childhood friends lives nearby and would drop in to visit sometimes when Dad was alive. He's only done so once since Dad died. Right now, with Twin B's bed in the living room, I don't want to invite people over. That would have to wait for either Gma or one of the boys to move out. I saw a house for sale very close to the hospital that is big and roomy and attractive and on a 1.2 acre lot. Other than being too close to the interstate, it would be perfect -- but it's $455,000! And I keep saying that I don't want to go through moving again unless it's the last time.

I'm down 3.8 lbs from a week ago. I had gained some through the holidays so I'm not even down to baseline. Today I have "cheated" a lot. But the taco I had for lunch was dee-licious. Yoga at the library yesterday was good. Next week I have a meeting scheduled during the yoga time but I'll try again the next week. There were only 2 "students" but they say there is another woman who usually comes.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Mar 4, 2023

Happy Friday. Another gray, overcast day, in the 40s. And the same is forecast for the next several days. At least I don't have to shovel it.

Only 3 days left to work after today. OCD coworker was really anxious today. She's upset that newer person is still missing things or not doing them exactly the "way we've always done it". It's no surprise to me because her orientation has been so disjointed. Oh well. I made what is likely my last home visit this afternoon, to see a young fellow who came to live with his aunt as an unaccompanied minor. They are really a lovely family. My eldest ds had a cardiac ablation today, is home, fed, and ready to hit the hay. He's been so tired lately that I hope this helps him feel better. We are going to watch grandson play his last hockey game of the season tomorrow. And a friend is bringing over our girl scout cookie order.

Dianah, I hope you are getting some answers for Toby cat. I did some walking in the snow a few days ago, its really tiring!

We don't have many get togethers, mostly family. I threw a big bbq when we were living in Idaho and invited all the people that my husband work with. Most said they were coming, but didn't, and I was left with a lot of food. I was so mad.

I should start dinner. I am going to warm up some canned chili and make cornbread. Exciting stuff.

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 4, 2023

Hello all!

Thank you for your good thoughts about Toby. The vet called earlier today, and Toby's T4 was very elevated! Yesterday when we left the vet, he was so sure the labs would point to hyperthyroidism, he sent us home with a bottle of pills. Sure enough, we are to start those pills. Toby has had his first one! We hope to see GOOD results in a week or two! He will take one tab BID for three weeks, and then 1/2 tab BID for three weeks, and repeat labs. If I see him gaining weight and not being so ravenously hungry, I will say this regimen is working!

Well, received sad news yesterday and today. I got a call yesterday from a hospital in Nor Cal, that my sister was admitted in critical condition. Probably PNA, per the ER MD. They transferred her to ICU at 10pm on three inotropes for hypotension, and amiodarone drip for runs of VT. Intubated and sedated.

Echo done this morning showed EF 10%. No response to meds, and they have been maxed out all night. She was switching between afib and atrial flutter, with the runs of VT. Later in the morning she reverted to paced rhythm, and then an idioventricular rhythm, as she became more acidotic. She passed around noon.

It's hard enough to have a loved one pass, and then to have to deal with all the other "stuff," is difficult. Not something I do every day. Taking it one thing at a time.

Planning on renting a car and driving up on Sunday, to pick up her effects. Oldest ds might go with. It's all up in the air. Thanks for your good wishes and prayers. Yes, we were close, yet she didn't share a lot of information about herself and her health. I did know the major things. Bless her heart, no more shortness of breath now.

Have a good evening.

Ado Annie, ASN, RN · Mar 4, 2023

You have my prayers, dianah

No Stars In My Eyes · Mar 4, 2023

Oh, dianah, so sorry to hear about your sister and you going through all that. Life is sometimes quite tough, for sure. And death, too for that matter. Rst in peace, dianah;'s sister.

I don't look forward to have to be locating all the paperwork and documents req'd to put a relative to rest, when the time comes around in this direction.I intended to start on that project a number of months ago, but have not even started anything. Life interrupts with so many caregiving needs, that there aren't enough hours in a day. And to tell you the truth, hubby's daughter is, still, I imagine, poised like a vulture, to swoop down and lay hold of her Nannie's or Daddy's stuff, if they pass before I do. I'll have to put locks on the doors of his room. I don't intend to skunk her out of what she might really want for sentimental reasons, but still she thinks it should ALL be hers because *I* am 'not a blood relative or member of the family'. Thirty-three years with her dad, with no help from her, or his brother, WE are the only two who have had each others' backs, and who have tended to Nannie for way longer than should have been done. So they can all scream and cuss and cry "unfair!" --- but tell it to my lawyer.y'know?

Well I just went off on a tangent, didn't I? Sorry!

Hey! It's gonna be Saturday again in about 22 minutes. The "big storm", so far has been windy and scattered showers.

TA!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Mar 4, 2023

My condolences Dianah.