The picture at left is what I came back to tonight. The sad thing is - this was the last of the really nice, warm days. The weather’s been heavenly all week, with temperatures in the mid 80’s, and lovely sunshine. Tomorrow, it’s supposed to cool off and thunder. Well, still - I’m happy to be home again!

Right up until my little hospitalist came in to see me today, I didn’t know if they were going to keep me for “more invasive” tests, or let me go. I also didn’t know what the heck it was that had hit me like a ton of bricks on Saturday night, and was still harassing my poor, sore little gut.

We’d been playing with NPO and clear liquids for a couple of days, and the only time I was on top of things was when I was NPO. Clear liquids caused some rather lively and unpleasant problems. Yesterday, I was bemoaning my situation on Pownce, and Dr. Schwab sent me the following footnote from his book:

“We had another mystery patient: she’d undergone routine intestinal surgery, was making a normal recovery, but every time we’d start her on food, she’d vomit.

Back would go the stomach tube, things would proceed to the point of apparent readiness to eat, tube out, feed, vomit, tube in. . . . Finally we asked Dr. Dunphy what he thought was going on. “What are you feeding her?” he asked. Clear liquids. The routine first meal after surgery. Jello, broth. “Give her a steak!” he said.

Gotta be kidding, right? “How would you like to be looking at green jello when you feel crummy? Give her a steak.” We did. She gobbled it up, and went home. When I went into my own practice, I almost never ordered clear liquids post-op.”

Well, I mentioned that to one of the nurses when he said it, and then to another one today … both thought it would be an excellent idea. Someone mentioned it to the doctor, and she approved it! Yes! It wasn’t steak, and it wasn’t even the best tuna salad I’d ever had, but it sure was better than unsalted broth, jello, tea and cranberry juice. So … a resounding thank you to Dr. Schwab!!! He left Pownce abruptly last night, by the way, right after I said that if the doctors decided to fish around in my gut that I wanted him to come and do it! I must have scared him off! ;o)

This afternoon, my hospitalist came in and gave me the good news - it was, indeed, a bacterial infection, and I could go home to continue recovering! Had the cultures not grown any bacteria, they would have looked for inflammatory illnesses next. Since my poor daughter’s been in a hospital in Connecticut since July 1 for Crohn’s, it was a distinct possibility in my case, even at my age.

By the way - for those who’ve been asking … my daughter is being moved to Hartford in the next day or so for surgery. I believe they’re going to do a colostomy. I should have more information on that later …

So I was sent home with instructions, several prescriptions, and lots of well wishes from the staff.

Which leads me to what I really want to write about the most: the staff.

I was on a wing named Dunaway South … which also houses pediatrics. There seemed to be many adults there, though, and so I didn’t feel out of place. It’s my second time on that ward. I want to tell you about the staff, because they were amazing. They went well beyond any call of duty whatsoever, and were so wonderful to be around, that I hated to leave them. In spite of my pain, I spent a disproportionate amount of time hanging onto my poor sore belly because, although it hurt so bad to laugh, I still couldn’t stop. Even with being really sick and in pain, I don’t think I’ve ever had as much sheer fun in a hospital - ever, even when I used to work in one.

There are so many of them that I’d like to name, but I’m terrible with names, and I can’t remember most of them. There are two, though - a nurse and an LNA, who spent a lot of time cracking me up: Lauren and Gail. I don’t know their last names, but I do know that they had wings underneath their scrubs. I wish I could remember the names of the two night nurses I had, because they were great. One of them in particular got me through a very bad episode two nights ago with so much patience and caring that I felt as if I were a little girl being cared for by her Mum. I really wish I could name them all. I feel badly that I can’t.

Another person I have to name …

Yesterday, my care was passed on to a new lady hospitalist, since the one I started with was enjoying some time off. Her name is Jayanthi Wheeler. I was bemused when I heard it - an Indian first name with an English last name. I wondered what she would be like. When she first came into my room, I could see that she definitely was Indian. When she spoke to me, I was delighted to realize that she sounded exactly like a female version of Vijay! She was very confident, and laid things out for me very well. She left me with no questions, no doubts, and with a feeling of confidence in her capabilities.

Once she was done, I asked her where she was from … “India,” she replied. Trying to remember the things which Vijay has taught me, I asked her: “So which is it? Should I greet you with namaste? Or maybe with vanakkum?” Her eyes lit up when she heard “vanakkum.” What a delight! She speaks Tamil, just like Vijay! What followed was an intensely interesting conversation … which could have continued for hours, as far as I was concerned!

As soon as she left, I got on GTalk and drummed up Vijay, and told him all about her. He informed me that her name, Jayanthi, means the same as his: Victory. He also told me that she went to the best medical school in southern India.

Today, my visit with Dr. Wheeler was briefer, but just as pleasant. She’s telling me that I should get into a program that sends people to India to help with English reading. Apparently, expenses are paid … and you stay for several months. People … I am going to look into that!!! It would rock to visit India, and I’m a frustrated teacher anyway! :o)

Although I really like my new primary care doc, I can’t help but wish that Dr. Wheeler was in private practice …

And so - here I am at camp! When I walked in, the sink was full of dishes, there were paper towels on the floor, my plants were withering, the stove top was covered with food, the table hadn’t been washed since I left … in short - the camp was an unmitigated disaster. Leave it to three men … !!! So, tomorrow morning, I take my final in Connectivity with Lab - a three and a half hour test, and then I get to … you guessed it … clean. *sigh*

Gee, I wonder if maybe I can work myself into a relapse … >;o) (just kidding!!!)

Posted: Wednesday, August 29th, 2007 at 9:31 pm under: Health & Medicine. Comment Feed (RSS 2.0). Interact: Comment or Trackback.