Tuesday January 3 2023

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2023

Good morning!

A quiet day can be a good day.

Stars having to be on alert to stop five falls (and counting?) must be exhausting.

Because I didn't sleep well the night before, I decided to take my sleeping/anxiety pill clonazepam last night and couldn't find the bottle. I know I took it last Wednesday and Thursday because I always take it on work nights. I moved furniture to see if I dropped the bottle, I dug through the trash, it has literally vanished into thin air. Fortunately I have a refill but I probably had 40 pills in the one I lost and because it's controlled I'm sure my doctor wouldn't refill it because I "lost them". Sometimes if I quit searching for something things I misplace will show up. After I calmed down and took one of my refills I slept quite well.

Update: I just found the bottle of clonazepam in my junk drawer in my kitchen where I keep my wallet. How they wound up there is a mystery that I will never know. Kind of like when I found my instant coffee jar in the refrigerator. I just do stuff sometimes. Ugh

I'm waiting to hear from the painter because I don't like the edges on a few spots and I want him to touch them up. It's very awkward to be the complainer because that's not me but I paid A LOT of money for this paint job and want it done right.

I'm having a home inspection by the state homeowners insurance company I'm a part of even though I just paid for an inspect prior to getting the insurance a few months ago. I had to pay for a home inspection to get the insurance and now the insurance company is doing the same inspection for me to be able to keep my insurance. Makes sense to someone I'm sure but these are tax dollars being wasted in my opinion since it's State. I hope he (I know it's a he) doesn't find anything.

Going to do some meal prep and hope to mow some weeds.

No Stars In My Eyes, LPN · Jan 3, 2023

Tweety, When I have a misplaced med bottle, or car keys or phone, I always say "It'll show up. It doesn't have legs". Of course that's what the BC comics say about clams..."clams don't have legs."....and then you see little feet under the clam shell. I'm glad you found yours.

Well, Joe, the gypsies are gone. When I wear my shoes with the inserts the podiatrist made for me, they support me well, and lo and behold, the knee and the back come into alignment. But the only thing I don't like is that these are supports are made of a heavy duty plastic, and they rub the heels of the shoes, making squeaking noises with each step....and disintegrates the shoes. And I HATE shopping for shoes!

Took hubby to his Dr's appt today. He is starting on Ativan, three 1 mg tabs q6hrs, with a one 1 mg tablet for in between the med times, if he has 'breakthrough' symptoms. His next appt is on Thursday AM. I am handling the "Ceremony Of The Distribution Of The Ativan" so he doesn't get all gommed up like he did when he was going with the Librium taper. Doc says, if these don't work, he's going to have to go in-hospital for five (? I think that's what he said) days, and then....?....if it isn't helping, maybe an official detox place? So I just gave hubby his first 3 Ativans. He said to me, "You can go out and search in the car, or in my room, but you won't find any alcohol." I am not a searcher of personal spaces; this has to be on the honor system for him. I am not the Vodka Police.

When I was at WalMart to pick up the pills, I had to wait while they filled the script, so I shopped for books and a new purse. And some Pentel pens, which are my favorites. Then I got a call from hubby wondering where I was. Well, there were lines at the pharmacy, they told me to 'give them 20 minutes' before I came back to get the meds.....and the computers were sooooo slow that there were more in the line at the pharmacy, waiting, waiting, waiting! I don't think there has been any time I've gone out on errands that hubby hasn't called me to find out where I am. But it is for WHAT I am going to get that he wants, and he doesn't seem to have much patience for me being in traffic or something, like he sometimes asks if I am 'dawdling'. Ppfftt! It takes the time it takes.

Waiting to see how the Ativan does for hubby, mood-wise. I expect him to get sleepy, maybe....

All for now.

No Stars In My Eyes, LPN · Jan 3, 2023

Here's a question I never imagined asking: Have any of y'all ever heard of someone having a knee replacement and having WORMS in the operated-upon area? Our neighbor said he has worms in his knee after his surgery, and he's not one of the crazy neighbors, so.....HUH?????

Tweety, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2023

Stars, I have never heard of "worms" but maybe he has a fungal or some other kind of infection?

That is a lot of Ativan so I hope it makes him sleepy. But given that he's not benzo naive it might not be that much. When detoxing it doesn't matter if they are sedated because that's better than a seizure or delirium, but given his history of falls he needs to be very careful. Needless to say, do not let him drive. Good luck. I'm frustrated for you that he's trying yet another at home regimen, but you have to try and like I say you never want to give up. I spent many years trying to give up booze until I did. Same with smoking. Probably took me 100's of tries before I finally was able to stop in 1988. He really at the end of it all should go to AA or get some support somehow. This is what's good about inpatient is that they set you up with aftercare. But you can't force it. Otherwise he'll switch addictions like to benozo's or go back to it.

My home inspection was weird. He said "I'm here to take pictures" and he took pictures inside and out, especially of the hot water heater, air conditioner, under all the sinks, and a picture of the kitchen which was a mess. I guess if he found something wrong he would have told me.

I wonder how much he makes. Sounds like a good gig to me.

The painter is coming on Friday. I think it's the owner rather than the worker. I don't want to get the very nice painter in trouble but it's not to my satisfaction.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Jan 4, 2023

Um, I've been out of the hospital for a few years, but I've never heard of worms in the OR. I've heard of using leaches, but that's for finger-reattachments, to keep them from becoming engorged with blood. And I've heard maggots are good for debridement because they only eat dead tissue. But no worms. I would kind of like to know more. A bit a trivia: one of the blood thinners used after heart stent placements was based on leach spit.

I goofed up and went to work, when in reality I was supposed to be off. Everyone there was in a Twitter because someone left a cigarette butt in the hall. It looked like it was lit when dropped, as the ash was intact and there was a wee burn spot on the carpet. Nothing was missing, so they were going to look at the surveillance tape. I went for a short run, then came home and worked on a jigsaw puzzle. And read some on my e-reader.

NoStars, best wishes on the ativan dosing. Hopefully your hubby is mostly sleepy until Thursday.

Tweety, that is weird inspection. We had one when we sold our old house, for a VA loan, and couldn't believe how brief it was. I was worried the roof wouldn't pass, and the fellow hardly looked at it. But the house sold. I hope you get satisfaction with your paint job.

I live in the town where my old high school is, and the people are not as judgemental as they used to be. I am happy to see pride flags and BLM signs up, but the facebook neighbors group gets hateful at times. Townspeople always want to take credit when a youth sports team does well, and then in the next breath complain about the kids. Whatever.

Cool and overcast. No rain until Friday.

Editorial Team / Admin · Jan 4, 2023

Hello all!

Didn't really sleep well last night, was awake till 3, then I guess I fell asleep!

Dh and I went to the museum, to the weekly jam there. We were invited to kinda introduce the group to the bluegrass side of things -- mainly, playing by ear, simple songs with only 2 or 3 chords. Listening for changes rather than depending on a written sheet with words and chords. They do a lot of pop and old rock music, but they have the lyrics and chords in three books they use. We don't have those books so try to follow along -- again, by ear. It was fun!

We picked up some Thai food from a local restaurant, and watched a Father Brown episode while we ate. And we are winding down now...

No Stars, I would have enjoyed waiting for those meds, getting to browse through the books, and picking up favorite pens. It's unfortunate that the wait was so long, though. GOOD that Mr. Stars is on a detox regimen. I hope for no falls, and for success with this regimen. And good on you, for realizing what triggers the gypsies. Hope they stay far away!

Tweety, good the inspection went well. I hope you soon hear from the painter.

Joe, what recipe did you make in the crockpot?

nursej22, Ugh! on going in to work when you didn't need to! (sorry, but I giggled, as that's something I might do!)

I haven't heard of worms in a wound or incision. However, years ago we did a lower-leg angiogram (AIF angio = aorto-ilio-femoral angio) on a elderly man presenting with gangrenous toes. Our radiologic technologist spotted maggots wriggling under the nail of his gangrenous big toe. I'll be that wound was clean.

It was cloudy today, but only rained a little in the morning. Rain is forecast tomorrow and heavy rain on Thursday. Snow in the local mountains is forecast, too. Yay! Nope, I am not complaining!

Have a good evening!