Weekend from Hell
It has been the week from hell. Snookums had a stroke at the Friday shabbat meal, and is still in the hospital as of today, though in the stroke unit instead of ICU. She lost the ability to speak while she was fixing dinner, so no one was watching her.
My niece came home from work and found Snookums crying in the kitchen because she burned the challah bread we have every Shabbat and was unable to speak. Of course, it was the ambulance at this point.
Then she had other problems the following morning. I had imaging scheduled in the same hospital early that morning, and so I was able to visit right after shift change. She was having trouble urinating and so they put some sort of vacuum device on her, but I don’t think she could force herself to pee in bed. I could tell by the way she was trying to touch her bladder and the frown on her face that she was in very bad pain. Snook is very stoic, and seldom shows when she is in misery.
They said they didn’t want to put a catheter in because of the danger of bleeding, and they had her on high powered blood thinners, and so later she went into arrhythmia and tachycardia. They thought it was another problem, but I was certain it was the stress of a full bladder. I know my woman. I believe today too, because when they finally got the catheter in, the heart settled down.
But they fiddlefarted around all day trying to get her to urinate, and finally by shift change, I blew up. Three nurses tried getting a catheter in and couldn’t. I don’t know what the problem was. The evening nurse the night before was able to get a temporary cath in, and he was back for that evening. The nurses decided he could do it, so they left her writhing in pain. He was fiddlefarting around as nurses are wont to do at shift change and couldn’t be located.
After I blew up, they magically fond him, and the three nurses and him went to work on her and got it in. She yelped a little, but as soon as the bladder started draining, she settled down. I am still a bit PO’d that I had to build a fire under their collective butts.
But over the last four days, she has steadily improved. She still has some memory loss but can hold a conversation and regale the nurses with her gallows humor. It seems that younger people have not developed that sort of dark humor that gets you through bad spots. Pity.
So’s I am home now early afternoon and will get ready to visit her shortly. My niece is with her and keeps me updated. She bathed herself, and the PT washed her hair, and that hugely helped her mood. Later in the day she will get the “pee test” to see if the cath can be removed. I think that is done by the urology people, so they will have a little more expertise in Foley insertions.
So, this is the update. I am not proofing this, so be a little tolerant of the typos and grammar …
Rusty's Armory 
June 29, 2022 at 1:45 pm
I’m so sorry to hear this, but thankful you were there to light fires where they needed to be lit. It’s awful you had to, but I did the same when my husband had his triple bypass. Sending positive thoughts and healing vibes she’s on the quick road to recovery.
*hugs*
💕
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June 29, 2022 at 3:40 pm
Oh, dear. I am sad reading this. I suddenly had a flashback to my hysterectomy in TX in 2003. I was cathed after I was put under but, fully awake when they pulled it out. Yikes. Painful.
Bless her. May she heal quickly. Sending some healing energy…🤗🥰💞💥💫🌟✡🕉☯️
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June 29, 2022 at 5:49 pm
Sometimes it seems if it wasn’t for the bad news, there would be no news at all. But you hang in there and watch that lady of yours come back strong because from all you have written about her through the years, she seems like a person who will fight her way back. Hugs to you my dear friend. Tomorrow will be a better day. ❤
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June 30, 2022 at 8:15 am
I was given the stick (vacuum) following open heart surgery, and it was uncomfortable. It also overflowed and I was not happy. Rusty, keep lighting fires if you have to and don’t apologize for doing so. Sometimes hospital staff can be less than helpful while others are excellent. I’m sending up prayers for you and Snookums. Wish I could be there to help.
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July 3, 2022 at 12:26 pm
… it has been my baptism in hell … still, some improvement, but still in the dark if she will ever return to any sense of normal … hoping and praying.
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July 1, 2022 at 6:52 am
Sorry to hear about Snookums. Sometimes you have to fight for your loved ones, so glad you stood up and demanded proper care. Glad she is doing better and hoping she recovers fully.
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July 3, 2022 at 12:25 pm
It has been a trial, for sure
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July 3, 2022 at 5:17 pm
hope she is better.
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July 16, 2022 at 9:58 am
Oh my. Hope things get a bit brighter for you both.
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July 16, 2022 at 10:48 am
She is showing remarkable recovery. But I doubt that she will ever be fully restored …
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July 16, 2022 at 1:05 pm
Sometimes I don’t think any of us ever are, ol’ bean, not until judgement day, and for some folks, things are only gonna get worse from there, i fear.
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