I, and I alone, visited my mother last night in hospital. She was in fairly good spirits. It took a couple of hours to get an IV person to get the blood into her veins. She was given two more units of blood, as after two days of waiting, the numbers came back still a little low. She took less pain meds today.
My father is a wreck, but I'm around so that he can unwind with some golf and poker. He's in a weekly golf league on Tuesdays and plays poker about every other week on Tuesday. He was plain whipped so I went to hospital and saw mom.
There is a woman there, pacing unable to do much, while her husband is to undergo heart surgery again. She looks my age, but I understand that she's fifty (she hides it very well). I could do little but wave to her. Still, she paces.
I found that, when I get a chance to walk -- it's much like a full marathon, shedding weight from my shoulders and back, feeling better -- then slump, back into waiting. My eyes feel heavy, but I can't sleep well.
"I don't know what I'm doing. No one will tell me. I think this was a big mistake Grandma. I don't think I belong here."+
+ Platoon
As a simple side note, my brother-in-law wrote to the folks, graciously thanking them for the birthday card and gift. His year is another round of BS and that's not bachelors. I read the letter to Mom, and I dare say that his letter was hurried, as it was a tad difficult to read. Mind you, I can read preschool writing. His broad loops -- old French style, made it an interesting, but challenging bit.
Much to Mother's worry and bewilderment, is that her friend, Betty will be discharged from same hospital on Wednesday, there transferred to rehab, though different than Mother's prospective rehab hospital++. Mom may or may not see her again soon.
Betty's daughter must decide where Betty is to go. Her daughter's hands are "full" with many other obligations. On top of that, Betty is not interested in assisted living -- nor are most/all patients in nursing homes.
++ assignment of rehab hospitals is based on: need, criteria, ratios.
1. need -- can patient do rehab in other fashion, not in-house
2. basis of need -- phsyical, neurological
3. New to me: ratios. There are some facilities that must maintain ratios of say (percentages picked out of thin air) 62% physical rehab (limb removal, replacement), 25% neurological (e.g.: siezure), 12% other (other prosthetic like eye, inner eye, etc.). So, a building can't be 100% hip and knee replacement patients.
That's crazy, but that's insurance policy/demands, and government standards for payout.
--
It is very, very, likely that Mother will be at the campus rehab at Lutheran, but that hasn't been made as she's not yet in her standard room.
