Tuesday September 20th 2022

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2022

Good morning!

Joe, glad your dad found a new apartment. Happy work anniversary. Time sure does fly.

Ado, hope that today finds you feeling better.

Stars, I'm sorry you're going through that. Food for thought, ace wraps are old school and not preferred as they might impeded maximum inhalation, but it he wants them I can see not arguing.

I noticed we have competencies at work and have to answer 25 questions about telemetry. I couldn't find my review book and ordered one for $16 on Amazon. All of this is online. for free but I learn better sitting at my desk or kitchen table with a book. I know all the stuff and could pass anyway without it but thought I would review just in case.

I'm not sure I mentioned my mother was in the hospital for CHF and they pulled off eight pounds of fluid. They discharged her yesterday and she sounded good. She's now on maintenance lasix. Her electrolytes were out of whack and corrected. She had an odd episode of being totally unresponsive for a while and replacing electrolytes seems to fix that. Weird. Cathy says her dementia is one that she's very pleasant and cooperative but also gets very anxious if my sister or dad isn't around. Apparently in the ER she was panicking not knowing where she was or why until my sister and dad got there.

Dad wrecked his car driving at night driving off the road and he will no longer be driving. He picked me up at the airport at 11:00 last April and did well, but apparently he's on a downward slide as well.

My sister is exhausted but she and her daughter decided it's too late to move them to Florida. I was left out of that decision but I have to trust my sister who is on the front lines. But I can't help her or give her respite in North Carolina and I have to work. Inflation and stock market drops make sure of that.

My sister found their will which clearly names me as healthcare surrogate POA. I knew this and have a copy somewhere I should dust off. I assured her that we'd all make decisions together and that I could even re-assign it to her since she's there if the situation arose. They made that decision because I'm a nurse and my sister was unreliable at the time. Their living will is pretty iron clad and specific anyway, I'd just be honoring that. Right now my father is A&O and able to make decisions on his and my mother's behalf. He might have to be coached in a moment of panic if things go south, but he knows he wouldn't want her to suffer or have anything heroic done.

I do think the time has come that I've dreaded, that this is the beginning of their decline. They've had long vibrant interesting lives.

I was going to go up this weekend but my niece is going up and there's only one guest room now that my sister lives there. So I'll wait.

That's a lot and if you read this far, thanks for listening.

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 20, 2022

Hello all!

Joe, what a mixed bag: one year here, and here's three new cases! Too bad about your restaurant closing, that's always a disappointment and I'm with you: I feel badly for the employees. It does force one to venture out, though. Maybe try something new.

Tweety, that's a lot going on with your immediate family! Hopefully they stay safe; it sounds like they are in a good environment for now, with your sister helping. Agree, though, with your work and living so far, there isn't much (physically) you can help with. Emotional support for your sister and your parents, yes. Oh: How did bowling go??

I watched some of the queen's funeral yesterday, fast-forwarded through a lot of the walking. I was impressed with the music and the pageantry -- of course, it befits a monarch. Still, I am sad for the family, she was their Mom/Grandma.

Didn't sleep well last night, so I slept in today. After dh is done in the kitchen (feeding the cats!), I will get started with The Great Key Lime Cake Bake! My friend already texted me she is busy preparing her recipe.

Have a good day!

nursej22, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2022

Hi, sitting in my car eating my lunch of leftover salads and cottage cheese. I would normally sit at my desk but coworker is all fired up and I need a quiet break. Not all the stuff she wanted moved to the new office got moved, and even though she didn’t tag it, people “should have known.” She had at least a month to prepare and she waited until the last 2 days. Oh well. The weather is a pleasant 70 degrees and breezy. There is a red flag warning in the foothills east of here, due to dry conditions and wind. No current fires.
Joe, that must have been a shock to get 3 new cases. I hope you find a new restaurant and maybe the employees will re-emerge.
Lime cake, eh? I like lemon cake. My eldest took my road bike because it needed some attention and he’s going to put new gears on it to make hills easier. I hope so.

I hope this is a better day, NoStars. I also hope you have a plan should your hubby get seriously injured. In my opinion, he’s playing with fire: ETOH and 2 different benzos.

Ado, hopefully you cold is starting to abate, and you get effective treatment for your feet.
Best wishes to your family, Tweety. CHF and electrolytes are complicated.

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 20, 2022

We all slept late; Nannie came out to the den and had breakfast and she has been sleeping in the recliner ever since. Hubby was sleeping in his recliner, and a short while ago when he woke up, he sss'd at me (to avoid waking Nannie) and pointed upstairs. I went up to my room with him and he told me his right ribs are hurting him pretty badly. We did take off the ace-wraps yesterday about an hour after I wrapped him...he said it made it difficult for him to breathe. (No kidding! He had kept saying to pull it tighter!) I told him he should get an xray before his doc's appt, so he won't have to go over there after his Dr's appt, which would aggravate him further.

He already has an appt w/ a doc at primary's office on Friday at 10:20 AM, but the Imaging center said if his doc faxed them an order he could do a walk-in appt to have a chest xray or two; then they can send it to the doc's office. He said the Ibuprofin helps take care of the pain for an hour and a half. Can't get him to do a cool-pack OR a warm-pack. At least he agreed to go have an xray, so it will be there when his appt rolls around.

Yesterday after "the fall" and after I slowed down my stewing about it, I realized that this is HIS drinking problem, not mine. A step toward dis-engaging from my frustration with him. It sure is a problem when he is thinking of different things that might be causing him to fall (!) and he even asked me what the doc gave me for vertigo. I said, "Listen, you are going to have to STOP drinking and taking xanax, before they decide you might need something for vertigo!" Talk about your denial!

Tweety, Oh my goodness, you are having to deal with a lot with your mom,( 8 lbs of fluid pulled off her!) And your dad and his car accident; glad he wan't hurt. It is a good thing your sister is down there and a bit more responsible than she was a while back. // I took a class on telemetry and EKG's. I can't remember one darn thing I learned, but that was in l986, and I never had to use the knowledge, so it's gone now!

Joe, hope you find a suitable new restaurant to go to when J can get out again. // "Happy" Anniversary at your job. Did they put wrapping and a bow on your three new cases?

dianah, I didn't watch the Queen's funeral, was voted down by hubby and Nannie. But I really do want to see Ken Burns' new documentary on the Holicaust (sp?). That, at least, is on a different times, and probably at times when hubby and Nannie won't be watching TV.

Hubby just got a call back from the nurse at primary's office; she asked him a bunch of questions (coughing? Spitting up blood? Having pain with breathing? On a scale of 1-10 what's the pain level?) and then told him to go to the ER. But he flat refuses to go to the ER and spend 6-7 hours for a xray to be taken. He said he slept OK last night with the capsaicin patch on his ribs, and he'll put another one on tonight. Then after about 10 minutes he said "Sorry a$$ medical profession," Then he said "I'll fix it." I asked "How?" He said, "D.T's" ---which I do not understand at all, so I have to go ask..............Oh, WHEW! He said he was going to get some BC Powders. My bad; don't have my hearing aids in!

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 20, 2022

Apparently, BC Powders "work faster" to help decrease the pain he has now. He said that later he can take some Ibuprofen before he goes to bed, and apply the capsaicin patch on his side, so he ought to sleep okay. (Dr. Hubby, doncha know.)

The doc's office just called him back and asked if he went to the ER. He said no, he won't go to that hospital or the ER there, "all they do is waste hours of my time."

So, I guess he'll just have to deal with it until his Friday appointment.

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 20, 2022

Found two Al-Anon mtgs that are close enough to where I live: Mtgs are Tuesday (3 miles away) and Wednesday (5 miles away). I have to call a phone # to find out the mtg times.

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 20, 2022

Don't you love when a patient gives you a complaint and asks what to do and the answer is "I won't do that". Well shut up then. LOL. Sorry.

I run in to this when my post op patients complain of gas pain pains. "Well you have to get up and walk."..."no I won't do that"....then don't complain to me about your gas pains or when you get an ileus.

Stars, I hope it's just a bruise, and even it's it's broken not much to do. I would worry about atelectasis and ask him to make sure he breathes deeply but he probably won't because that would hurt.

Good that you're working on detaching (with love of course).

I talked to my niece today and she's going to see them this weekend. I made a reservation to fly up two weeks after her but can only stay a couple of days. My former brother in law will keep my dogs.

Restaurants come and go so fast around here I can't keep up.

Saw "The Woman King" and really enjoyed it.

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 21, 2022

No Stars, correct: it is HIS issue. And he has made his choice re: going to the ER (he won't do it). OK. Again, his choice. It's just sad you are involved to deal with the consequences of his poor decisions. So, the answer = Al-Anon. Good on ya, keep it up!

nursej22, and your colleague is dealing with the consequences of HER decision to pack last-minute, and her not labeling of boxes. Again, she will deal with it (and you may have more lunch times in the car or elsewhere!).

My Key Lime Cake is DONE, and in the fridge (cream cheese and butter in the frosting), sealed so it won't dry out. I think I didn't pre-heat the oven well enough, for instead of taking 35 minutes to bake, the cakes took 50 min till they were brown on the top and the toothpick came out dry (from the middle). Oh well. They didn't come out of the pans easily, either, but at least they DID finally come out and in one piece (not broken or cracked). So, tomorrow evening my friend and I will meet to compare them. Dh tested the frosting and some of the cake crumbs left in the pans, and pronounced the lime flavor "subtle." We'll see tomorrow.

Not much else planned for today, now that the kitchen is cleaned up.

Have a good evening!

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 21, 2022

I ❤️ YOU GUYS! Thanks for your ears and your support !!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2022

Cream cheese and butter frosting?? For a key lime pie? Rebel

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 21, 2022

For a key lime CAKE.

?