Wednesday September 14th 2022

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 14, 2022

Hello Joe! Temps in the 70's sound nice!

We scheduled a day at Disneyland yesterday, and had a great time walking around. Got in 10K steps, walked just over 3.5 miles. We dressed dapper, and had a lot of fun. Got to visit with a musician friend, from whom dh bought a banjo, about 7 years ago. Dh loves that banjo, says it it beautiful and sounds very good. We got to see the jazz guitar our friend (D) bought, with the money from the banjo sale. What a beautiful guitar! He played with a jazz group, and we enjoyed hearing them.

Some months ago, we had purchased the cheapest Magic Key tickets, with MANY blocked-out dates (mostly weekends and holidays). Since we are retired, we reasoned, we don't need to go on weekends anymore! And, these days, one must purchase a ticket and then SCHEDULE a date to show up at the parks! No more going on a whim! So, earlier this year we had scheduled a day to attend, to activate our tickets (activated on one's first visit to the parks). Then we both woke up sick, so cancelled. Then we scheduled another day, which turned out to be in the middle of the last heat wave. So we cancelled THAT one. Yesterday, then, was our first day of attending with our pass. It was not as crowded as on the weekends, however it became pretty crowded in the afternoon as ppl had tickets to a special Halloween event at California Adventure, which closed to the general public at 6pm. Ppl were standing in long lines to get into the event, some two hours before it began -- and they were all dressed in costumes! Very fun to see the costumes and some cosplay!

Anyway, it was a good day to get out and walk, and we did! We are scheduled to go on Thursday too --- both these dates are in lieu of our going camping, since the campground was closed d/t fire (which is out now). Campground is re-opening on Thursday, but as we had already cancelled our reservation, we decided to activate our Disneyland pass. So, it all worked out. AND we are so relieved the fires are out, aided by the rainfall! We had some pretty good squalls the past couple days of the storm! We have sunny skies now, though, and temps in the 80's, hallelujah!

No Stars, I, too, hope your dh gets all the check-ups he needs while in the hospital, and that a plan is formulated and that he STICKS TO IT!! Unfortunately, you have no control over any of that! All "we" can do is be the squeaky wheel, and pray.

Tweety, good there is no more blood. It is puzzling, how the results at the vet are so negative for such a demonstration! If the dogs are acting normally, though, that would be a relief, to me. I know that, as a good doggy-dad, you will keep your eye on them.

So, today is Rest Day After Disneyland, and I will do a little laundry. Maybe do a few other chores too.

Have a good day!

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 14, 2022

How-deeeeeee!

Hubby called me at 12 noon and said that he wasn't being discharged today. He didn't sound as cranky as he was last night. Doesn't know why he will be staying another day, but said they are going to have an 02 tank delivered here today.

The 02 company called me a short while later and said they would probably be delivering the tank later today and wanted to make sure I would be home for the delivery. Going to have a BIG tank until they get an order for the 02 condenser from the doctor. Right now he is on 4L. I dunno why they can't just order and then deliver the condenser, but the tank's the plan for now. Especially weird that they'd deliver a tank when he is not even here. Oh well.

It is Nannie's b'day today ... 93 years old. I have a card for her from me, but not one from hubby. I was going to go out and get a couple bunches of Crazy Daisies to put in a vase on the mantle, but I guess I'm not going anywhere right now. Maybe I can call the 02 place and see....I think the woman said it might be late afternoon, and that would give me time to go get the flowers.

Also I don't know what time to expect the other DiL to show up with b'day stuff for Nannie. That ought to be a big whoop. Wonder if she'll stay 15, or maybe 20, entire minutes! (I mark it on the calendar because it amuses me how 'often' she shows up. I'll have to look up the last time she was here.)

Wonder if/when the doc who has been keeping me updated will be calling...

It is mid-70's and sunny, with cool breezes. I think the weather report said no rain for 3-4 days.

Probobably (same as prolly) will come by later on. Hope y'all are doing well and behaving yo'se'f's.

Editorial Team / Admin · Sep 14, 2022

Happy Birthday to Nannie!

nursej22, MSN, RN · Sep 14, 2022

Good morning. That sounds like a nice day at Disneyland, Dianah. Having a break from fire and high temps must be such a relief.

Joe, it seems that your temps are moderating as well.

I just got back from a run at the park. I didn't go very far, but enough to work up a sweat, and say hello to lots of cute doggos. It must have been "yellow lab meet-up" day. So handsome.

A nurse from the cardiology clinic called yesterday to follow-up about some remote transmissions that my pacer sent in. She was very vague at first, so I had to ask her to please use medical terminology. She told me I was in atrial fib, which I knew since March, and wanted to know if I was having any symptoms.Well, no, except I have no endurance when I run, which is no change. I also explained that I hoped to talk to the doc, but my next appt. isn't until January. Lo and behold, the doc called a few minutes later, and I am going to start a new med and get another cardioversion, and possibly an ablation. Woot!

I see No Stars has posted. May check in later.

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 14, 2022

Huh! Dr. N. from the family practice called me and said hubby was going to be discharged today! She wants him on the 02 at 3L, constantly. AND, I asked her about the booze and she said he seemed to be doing pretty well on the Librium, and no, he should not be drinking anymore.

I called him and told him what she said, and he said no one has said anything to him about discharge. When I told him she said he should NOT be drinking anymore, all he said was "Well....", which to me means he was thinking about the vodka he still has here already. Which also means I have to talk with him in earnest about it. If he hasn't had anything to drink since last Saturday AM before the ambulance came for him, there is NO SENSE in him drinking anything now, at this point. But I am not going to poke around and find whatever bottles he has secreted away...he will have to clear it out voluntarily. I will remind him of how much he said he doesn't want that monkey on his back, and once he is off of it, he doesn't ever want to get back under it's spell, but that will require determination on his part.

Will have to call around and find out where and when there are AA meetings he can go to. No one has said anything about an inpatient rehab program.

So, that's that for now....

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 14, 2022

4:30 PM I got him home. The griping about the hospital has begun. ? And we had to stop at the ABC store after an in-car argument. I told him Dr N said he shouldn't drink. He said the doc at the hospital said that he should get two small bottles of the vodka, drink one, wait an hour and see if it makes him wobbly or loopy or not. I wonder what the point is of drinking again since he's been doing okay w/out it.I said if he's not had a drink for 4 days and the Librium has him not craving, it would be best NOT to test it that way. The librium makes him sound slurring/drunk, and that was BEFORE he hit a little bottle.

We've got all the 02 and acoutrements but he said he didn't need it now and he was going outside to smoke. Good one, huh?

Argh, I am disgusted. We didn't even get any discharge papers with instructions on it!

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 14, 2022

So when I tried to talk about it some more, he said Dr P (our PCP) told him if he started drinking again, they would just have to start the Librium taper over again. So, what's the POINT? He just wants to be high as a kite, I guess, and now he is.

He was going to walk across the street to see our neighbor and I told him it wasn't a good idea at all, since he is staggering. I said, "If you fall and hurt yourself, I'd have to call the ambulance. So do you want to go to the OTHER hospital. "AWwww, that other hospital is just as bad as the one I was at." I said, "Okay, then, then the best option is for you to do nothing dangerous, because I don't want to go through this any more than I have to.

Got to get my head in the Al-Anon space, because right now I am really PI$$ED OFF. If he is going to be STUPID and continue drinking, I may have to find a way to get away from here and let HIM take care of himself AND Nannie.

nursej22, MSN, RN · Sep 14, 2022

Argh, No Stars. This is so unfair that you have to deal with this. Perhaps leaving will get his attention. No words of wisdom, just virtual hugs and a virtual couch to sleep on.

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 15, 2022

I found the discharge papers in a bag with his dirty clothes. I picked up the new meds at the Pharmacy and talked with the pharmacist about hubby taking the Librium at the hospital, mid-day, and then going to the liquor store and slugging one (or two) of the little bottles of vodka. He said "No. The Librium is to help him keeping from getting withdrawal symptoms. He should not drink at the same time he is taking the Librium,:

So since hubby has already had some booze, he will have to decide again when he's going to stop drinking before he can re-start the Librium taper. I told him when he decides to stop drinking again, he can start the taper again.

He also was saying he didn't really need the 02 on, but after supper and after smoking several cigarettes outside, he came in and set up one of the little 02 tanks...turned it on to 4L, "because that's what they had me on in the hospital." Doesn't matter what the 02 guy said he was told, which was 3L. I will have to look at the papers to see if the 02 is PRN or not. I'll help set up his various appts coming as follow-up, and mark the calendar, but then he is going to have to pull it together, because I will not have 2 patients!

While I was driving to the pharmacy, I decided that tomorrow I will look around for some Al-Anon meetings, because I don't need to feel so p.o'd at hubby's idiocy.

The nice neighbors brought us our supper: freshly grilled chicken, mashed potatoes, fresh tomatoes from their garden, and some kind of sorta salsa stuff. It was so delicious!

Anyway, I am already tired of myself over all this sh*t. I think 'Big Boy' has to get a grip and start being responsible for HIMSELF!

Tweety, BSN, RN · Sep 15, 2022

Stars so sorry that he's home and drinking already after detoxing in the hospital. It might sound like the worst decision ever to drink, but it's not because of his stupidity or a moral failing but I'm sure you know that. Doesn't mean it doesn't make you angry.

I floated to "the other side" of our unit. It was okay.

No Stars In My Eyes · Sep 15, 2022

Thanks, Tweety. You are right, and I appreciate you reminding me that alcoholics have an illness. I was pretty torn up and was taking it too personally. Your post is the last one I read before going to sleep, and it helped re-set my head's churning.