Were Witty

Fat and Happy

I'm in to much of a happy food coma tonight to do a full and proper (I abused my Nikon today) report.
Instead I'll let you peruse the menus from the fantastic restaurants Scott and I had food from today.

Lunch - provided by Kathy on her day off no less. Sainthood I tell ya.
www.hotdougs.com
Scott had -
The Game of the Week
The Mountain Man Sausage (a damn tasty combination of Venison, Elk, Antelope and Buffalo) with Bacon-Garlic Mayonnaise and Smoked Gouda Cheese

I had the single best bratwurst ever.
The Paul Kelly
Bratwurst: Soaked in Beer – sort of like Paul

Then came dinner. Dinner was provided by Tom, Ann and Andrew you remember him right?

The Simpsons' brought food from Rick Bayless' new restaurant called Xoco.
http://www.rickbayless.com/restaurants/xoco.html

Of all the delicious food they brought this made me want to melt.
Pepito: Braised Tallgrass shortribs, caramelized onion, artisan Jack cheese, black beans, pickled jalapenos

Scott and I managed to not eat anything from the hospital all day. Well, I had a coffee from ABP but that's not real food.

So full, so happy, so grateful, so sleepy.

Thanks to all of our wonderful friends for spoiling us.

True Stories From Rush - I couldn't make this stuff up 2

Location - Atrium waiting area outside of Au Bon Pain (ABP)
Time - late afternoon

There is a jewelry display set up and I'm strolling around it looking at all the pretties that I should own. I have already noticed this lady. She is mid 40's, sporting a really bad dye job (seriously people nobody believes your blonde when your eyebrows are black and you have a mustache). She got that I've been crying all day face and a Juicy Couture sweatsuit that is black and gold velour and probably 4 sizes to small.
I've noticed her because the word Juicy scrolled across her ass looks so distorted that I was considering getting my eyes checked until I realized it was just the obscene amount of strain the gold stitching was under was pulling the letters in strange ways.
As I wander around the table I see her jump up from the chair she just sat in as she yells "then I want one of those inductions". My first thought - You're not pregnant your just need to buy clothes that fit.
This peeks my curiosity so I listen a little harder (hey, I was bored and she was yelling). She goes back and forth with someone on the phone
"I'm not going to let them do this. She deserves better. She's worked so hard." Finally she must start speaking to someone else on the phone and she says, and I quote kids,
"I want an induction" pause "Well and injunction then. They can't take her boobs. She's worked so hard to get them. It's not easy dancing on that stage you know. I can't let them take her boobs. I won't let them do it"

As you can imagine I'm now laughing so hard that I had to quickly make my escape so as to not completely laugh in her face.

That my friends is a true story from the halls of RUSH.

Keeping Me In Stitches

Quick Scotty update -
the arm - There is a large blood clot (we've heard reports of it starting just above the elbow and running the entire length of his upper arm up into his armpit). They removed the PICC line without any problems. Typical course of action would be anti-coagulants (Heprin or Lovanox, Cumadin) but given Scott's penchant (I love that word) for bleeding we're not treating him with any. Blood clots in the arm usually stay where they are and don't cause too much trouble. So, Scott can use his arm as he's comfortable and we're elevating it while he's resting to help with swelling and such.

Leg - as I previously report Dr. N (who has managed to escape my camera lens every time - I suck) says everything looks as it should. We talked about changing up some of the dressings but all looks good - well bad but in a good way.
As always we learn something new when Dr. N is around. The guy is wicked smart and can I just say I'm more than a little bothered that he's only a few months older than me and he's some big dog vascular surgeon and I'm well...I'm me. Imagine what I could have accomplished....
Anywho, Scott was bothered by the fact that the feeling didn't seem to be improving in his leg. We learned that it's going to take a year*ish for feeling to reach max potential and even then they are only hoping for 70-80%. I also learned some cool things about healing and some other "gross" doctor type information that I'm pretty sure you all wouldn't find nearly as cool as I do.
Thanks Dr. N for taking the stroll out to the "suburbs" to reassure us.

PT/OT - Scott did squeeze in a session of each. Carole worked him hard in OT working on trunk control and sitting balance. Scott looks a little like Mr. Burns on the Simpson's right now (hunched over, chin pushed forward) so we're working on correcting that.

PT Nate (who is single and sporting a great new haircut for those that were wondering) worked Scott to the bone again. Six stands with three minutes of rest between each one. Each one of the stands lasted between 40 seconds and 1 minute 30 seconds. Yes kids that 1:30 a new Scotty Too Hotty record. Hoping tomorrow works for getting in both sessions of PT and OT.

*******
Blog comments - Holy heck guys you're killing me today.
Craig- we're counting on you buddy. Somebody has to help Mark, he's drunk already just planning the drinks. Plus you boys are going to have to throw down some serious tunes I'm thinking Journey and REO Speedwagon. Right Mark?
Mark - 3 little words Effin Black Cherry - mmmk thanks!
Anonymous 2 - loving it more than FB? I must know who are you? There is going to be a few men with a cool white jacket with lots of straps coming to visit you. Don't worry they won't hurt you.
S4 - why don't you bring over some cake and prove to Jen that you can share?
BigDan - I'll totally go to the Valentine's Ball. I love any excuse to have to shop for a new dress and shoes and get pretty. Sounds pretty rad to me. Caution Scott pukes when he drinks too much. Use caution with the Bourbon. :)
Missy - I'll bring my kid to rehab and we can all go crazy :) Thanks for fighting over my Scotty. You girls do so much to help him feel better mind, body and soul.

And because I love you all so much I'm going to be posting another edition of True Stories From Rush - I couldn't make this stuff up. It's a doozy. Look for it some time tomorrow.

You guys and all your comments are really helping me stay sane this morning. That and having Kathy and Big Dan around.
Scott's leg looks suck ass today. The black sores are really gross (like new really gross), his thigh incision has a new hematoma going on and his PIKK line is causing some trouble.
Were waiting for Dr Young to come take a look and Scott has an ultrasound ordered for some time today to assess the PIKK line issues.

He was doing so well.
Don't get me wrong, he's still doing well but the little things like this get frustrating to manage and we'll probably miss most of our therapy sessions today. I'm just hoping that none of these issues is serious enough to warrant a transfer back to the main hospital. I don't feel like it does but I'd always rather err on the side of caution when it comes to Scott health.

Oh and I forgot to list the hard mass thing on his foot near his ankle.
Good times, good times.

I'll distract myself with plans for the huge KT birthday, Scott birthday, Scott's home party I'm planning for late May. You're all invited of course.

And of course your comments. Somebody give me something good while we wait for vascular.

Oh and I can't get spell check to work please forgive me.

Mixed Bag of Nuts

Today, like most days, was a mixed bag of nuts.

Lets get rid of all the icky nuts first. Like the brazil nut, I hate those.

The lady on 5 passed. Some of her family was with her and from what I understand she was elderly and seemingly had a good life.

Scott did not magically heal overnight like he did in my dream last night.

The magic dish washing fairy didn't show up. The bitch seems to think she can take a week off.

There are lots of extended "family" that are fighting their way through the horrible winter cold and flu season. Feel better - Stevens'and Donahue's.

And as usual there is more drama. I'm not going to share here, I'm using my edit button for a change. Rest assured it's not related to Scott health.

KT is in full on terrible 2's with a healthy dose of "please sedate the mother" 3's.

And now the cashews and almonds - the sweet delicious nuts.

Scott worked his butt off in PT. Six separate stands. Two of which were over a minute. And to top it all off he only got three minutes to rest in between each stand. PT Nate is brutal - I LOVE him.

Scott had Carole for OT (the therapist from last stay). Scott got to play some bean bag basketball and balloon bounce. Sounds like lots of fun (which it is) but it's lots of hard work too.

Scott did both sessions of PT today which meant two extra transfers in and out of bed. He hadn't been able to do both PT sessions prior to today.

Donovan's (my Grandma's husband) spinal surgery went well. He was in happy drug land when I talk to my Grandma earlier this evening.

KT's ear seems to be doing well and her hearing loss and speech seem to be getting better.

********

So all things considered I would consider today a pretty "sweet and delicious" day. A few small brazil nuts won't ruin an entire jar of nuts.

Codes

As we were speaking with Dr. Young this morning there was a Code Blue called for the 5th floor of JRB. As some of you may remember hearing codes in JRB is quite disturbing for me.
Here is what I wrote about it last time Scott was here.

A patient on our floor died today. This doesn't happen often at all in rehab. In fact it only happens 2 or 3 times a year. The patient is usually moved out before he/she passes. But today things happened to quickly.

I got used to hearing "codes" be called in SICU. But for some reason seeing/hearing one at Bowman is so different. I guess in my head everyone there is closer to home than they are to death. Maybe that isn't as true as I would like to believe.
The man that passed was only in his mid 30's and he had a 2 or 3 year old little girl. Kate and his daughter "played" together on Sunday.

I think the hardest part might have been seeing his wife step off the elevator. I had just overheard that nobody had been able to reach her via phone yet and there she appeared.
Steeping off the elevator, not a care in the world, strolled past the front desk, smiling at the clerk and me, walking past a few of the doctors that had just tried to save her husband - not knowing who they were or why they were there and then wham she stops just outside his door. A doctor finally realizes who she is and steps in front of her. The agony in her face and voice resonate in my ears. She screams and pushes past the doctors and rushes into her husbands room. I can't see what's happening from there but the entire floor can hear her screams and crying. We hear it through closed doors, we hear it over Robin Roberts and Bill Weir on Good Morning America, we hear it over Scott's electric razor as he gets ready for his 9am PT.
I see this woman later in the day. She's standing downstairs waiting for her ride, clutching her baby girl, she's covered in her husbands blood, a family member says "please just go put this shirt on". She turns away and says "all I have left of him is on this shirt and in my arms. I'm not letting go."
Kate, in her stoller, and I push past her. We're brining lunch back for Scott. I'm so very grateful that I get to bring another lunch to Scott. All the times those doctors did everything for Scott. All the same things that they did for that man today. It worked for Scott every time. Everytime I was blessed with one more day with my husband. Kate gets another chance to know who her daddy is.

One more day, one more wonderful glorious day for us and no more days for this other family.

Praying for the best possible outcome for the patient on 5.

It's starting off to be a craptastic Monday. Hoping it ends with some great PT and OT and some good news from my Grandma about the very complicated spinal surgery they are doing on her husband this morning.

Come on Monday .... I have faith in you....Don't suck.

A Day in Numbers

1 Grammy ready geek

9 visitors to Scott's room

4 load of laundry

1 trip to Target

2 Starbucks coffees

1 excited contest WINNER

4 personal wins at hospital room Hangman

1 full minute of standing for Scott

3000* empty calories in junk food *not an actual number, just more of a feeling

3 hours in the car

1 beautiful little girl

1 exhausted, full, grateful, blessed Mama