Posts by slyviper47

Tyler Baker68 said:Finally, some proof you actually have a brain!

I don't have one! Proof, I mean! 😛

P.S.

I actually went for it! 😁

So, basically, what was the author actually trying to get at here? I can't deal with reading the whole thing right now—my head is killing me. 😁

Scott Allen10 said:Those old-school veins you mentioned? Forget about finding blue ones right away. Anyone who thinks they need a visible blue vein to work with isn't using their brain. You don't even need to see the vein clearly to get a needle in.

The "invisible" ones were just feeling around blindly, which was super weird to me....

Still, I'm pretty sure they actually used one of those "blue" ones for an IV. It was on the upper right palm. One of them even flared up on the bedding....
Anyway, they found what they needed... at the JLL unit. The real headache was at the very end over in surgery when I needed anesthesia; they hadn't bothered to check my blood type beforehand, and they refused to go any further without it. And the staff on-site? It's like they suddenly forgot how to find a decent vein, even when I pointed out exactly where the previous nurses had easily felt them.

One hilarious moment while I was waking up—I hear them saying my birth year isn't even on my chart, it just says 19.....
That sounds totally insane to me because my paperwork travels with me, but I couldn't exactly speak up yet.

Finally, late at night, once I was separated from the group, I asked the nurse on duty... does it say
that info now? NO.... she says, and then she writes it in... based on what I told her.

So, that's the whole story.
I woke up twice last night with a headache, plus some heartburn. Honestly, I haven't had heartburn like that since I was pregnant 40 years ago! I took some Aleve and finally crashed around 3:40 AM.

Woke up around 9:30... still a little groggy, but for the FIRST time, no headache.
Just a quick note... ever since I got home and had my regular morning coffee.... I feel totally refreshed.

As for the heartburn? I think it was from all the honey tea I've been drinking. Today I skipped the tea entirely and just stuck to plain water. And guess what? No issues so far. Not even a headache. All day long!

My niece stopped by around noon. She's my lifesaver for bathing, since I'm still too nervous to hop in the tub alone. She just left, and I think I'm done venting about this, unless you have more questions or thoughts.

Thanks for being such a great listener and chatting with me. Much appreciated. 🙂👋

Scott Allen10 said:And about those veins... next time just ask (though maybe check if they even do that at JLL, since I'm not sure) to have them set up an infusor. It’s basically this long tube—like 20 inches—that goes into a vein in your arm, but they aim the tip really high, almost all the way up toward your heart. Sounds terrifying, right? But once you've got that, you don't have to worry about getting poked constantly. Or, you know, just grit your teeth and have them put in a central venous catheter (kind of like the other thing) through your subclavian vein.

It was too late by then, but honestly, they managed to find one every once in a while... they even kept me going on IV fluids.
Eventually, they found a good vein on the top of my foot, and they were even pumping blood through that.

The thing is, I'm seriously tiny... barely 115 lbs in my sneakers... 😁, so my veins were pretty easy to see. Like, those first visible, thin, aged-looking blue veins, and when she finally hit one... well, there was another one she couldn't pass. Just pure professional pride, I guess! 😉

Scott Allen10 said:Whenever some junkie comes in overdosed, once they finally snap out of it (which they always do), I just give them some straight advice. I tell them next time they should just grab a gun and end it so they stop dragging everyone else down with them... I even suggest they stick the barrel in their mouth just to make sure it works... what am I supposed to do? I can't stand junkies. Look, maybe it sounds harsh, but it kills me seeing people fighting so hard to survive while these guys just throw life away like it's nothing.

This guy heard all sorts of similar nonsense from some nurses, so he tried to play them against each other by running to the doctors and gossiping about one shift versus the other. But they saw right through him! They told him straight to his face that yeah, maybe they vent to each other, but at the end of the day, they’re colleagues and they've got each other's backs... his little games weren't going to work. They've been on the floor way too long to fall for his crap—they already knew exactly who he was.

They were blunt with him, though. They told him he had zero shame and that he'd played them too many times already. In the end, they actually managed to get him moved off the ICU... god knows where, though...

Scott Allen10 said:Plus, this is actually a huge win because they used to require an angiography for these types of contrast brain scans, which is way more invasive and takes forever...

An angiography was the very first thing I had to go through after a standard CT scan.
That’s the one with the contrast dye, right?...

The real issue for me and that young woman was that nobody even tried to explain the difference to us.

All I gathered was that an MRI is more intense and was being prioritized for her... then they ended up giving her the exact same treatment I got. We couldn't wrap our heads around why... since an MRI gives you the most precise image.

That's the part that sucks... nobody bothers to walk you through it, but patients aren't stupid. We can compare what's happening and draw our own conclusions in a heartbeat. You don't even get a chance to ask questions once you've already signed the consent forms!

I knew a bit about MRIs beforehand since my nephew was diagnosed with MS using one.

Scott Allen10 said:If there's one thing that drives me nuts, it's those total idiots over at JLL. Seriously, they're constantly pulling some kind of nonsense. Why do they even bother?
😁 😁
What can you even do when your veins are acting up like this? Seriously!

You got me laughing now! My veins have always been a total nightmare. They poke around, try to find a spot, stab at you... and then absolutely nothing! Not even a single drop of blood. Total bust!

Both my hands are turning yellow now, inside and out, from all these shots... I look like a total junkie!😁

Hey! So, one of the doctors on call actually took a psychological approach with him. He sat him down and explained everything he’d heard regarding that last overdose—is that even the right way to say it?
Caught that little troublemaker! Tried to pull a fast one on the nurses by playing the victim, but they weren't having any of it. They saw right through his act and just tossed the ball back to him to go ask the doctor himself... hehe... He thought he was being clever, but he wasn't nearly smart enough to outwit those nurses!😉

Scott Allen10 said:Just a friendly tip... if you're planning on surgery, quit smoking! Don't mess around—stop at least a month before the procedure.

It wasn't even planned... I ended up in the ER after months of dodging my primary care doctor and avoiding taking that first step.

Honestly, my son basically forced my hand when he saw me. He was even telling other people how I could barely walk, my left arm was useless, and I was tripping over my words... stuff I hadn't even realized was happening.

At first, we all thought maybe it was just a minor stroke. Hmm...

But here’s the kicker—the part that confused everyone, especially me—it all started so incredibly subtly! That's why I put it off for so long... the symptoms crept up on me so slowly, they were almost invisible!
My doctor first noticed my high blood pressure and a dilated right pupil.
With blood pressure that high, my husband would've collapsed... but he wouldn't have even needed a hospital visit!
And I've had low blood pressure my whole life... so this spike didn't feel like a huge deal to me. Me was just bothered by... my arm becoming less and less functional!

Scott Allen10 said:An ulcer... look, any kind of trauma is a massive stressor for the body, and surgery definitely counts. It's totally possible for a patient to develop those "stress ulcers" or diffuse gastric erosions right after an operation because of the strain. You might see clear bleeding from the stomach lining. Sometimes it’s a minor hiccup, but other times it can seriously mess everything up... there's just no telling.

They kept bringing up this "ulcer" thing like it was some big deal, probably thinking it's just normal for someone my age to have stomach issues... NEWSFLASH: I've never had them, and I've never had them before!

To me, it seemed obvious that shoving something down there just irritated the lining, which caused the bleeding... I even coughed up a little blood in my phlegm for a few days after.

I've got more to say about this whole nightmare of waking up, so I want you to weigh in on that.

Scott Allen10 said:Come on, come on... spill the tea about the ICU... what actually happened? Who spooked you? Did you have an aneurysm surgery? Did something burst or not? Did you catch some nasty infection? Were you hooked up to a ventilator? Did they have you strapped to the bed?...etc...this stuff hits close to home for me, so I'm dying to know... what's the scoop?

Going back to your first post—take a look and tell me if I missed anything?

I think you could've figured out they did an embolization... basically, nothing had burst yet, and my case was pretty interesting from a medical standpoint... the CT scan after the procedure showed the blockage was successfully sealed... and hey, I walked right out of the hospital alive! My age matters here too... I'm 65! 😉

If there's anything else you're curious about, just shoot me a DM....... I've been trying to avoid
"being recognized" in any way at all....hope I pulled it off. 😛

Scott Allen10 said:Plus, someone like that usually just takes shallow breaths, avoiding or lacking the energy for deep breathing that would actually help clear out those lungs—and then boom, you're right back to dealing with all that mucus...
So, basically, this stuff is just part of your daily routine now?

I wasn't even doubting it! It's just, wow... I'm a grizzled, long-time smoker, and honestly, nobody ever bothered to ask me about that part....

The only one was probably the anesthesiologist who was "bringing me back"... I tried to let her know with a little grimace, pointing toward my cigarettes as the real reason for all the congestion.
She just laughed and goes... "Well, I guess I'm next in line!" 😁

Go ahead, bring it on...
But first, why don't you explain what that actually means within the Communist Party USA?

Just one more thing:

The only time they gave me grief was when I made my "unplanned" exit from the physical therapist, because

before heading home, I insisted on getting some actual rehab exercises in first.

Honestly? My own stubbornness saved me. I grabbed every single chance to move! Permission or not... I wasn't backing down... and I definitely wasn't just sitting there waiting on them...

Now, Timothy was the complete opposite. He did everything in his power to stay dependent on everyone else. They claimed it was some psychological fear of breathing naturally... like he’d suffocate... even though he’d already spent over 10 hours off the ventilator, breathing perfectly fine on his own lungs.
Last I heard, they were finally moving him out of the ICU...
After three whole months!

So, getting back home was a total headache because I couldn't just jump straight from the ICU back to my regular floor... plus, there was the whole transport situation to figure out.

Once they realized I wasn't going to be difficult about the paperwork and didn't need their hospital shuttle, everything went super smooth and fast.

That very same night, they actually moved me right back into my FIRST room—even the same bed! While I was settling in, I ran into my neighbor who was heading off for an MRI...

First thing I asked her when she got back from her CT scan was if she at least got some soup.

NOPE, obviously—not just no soup, but no actual lunch at all! But hey, we made the most of it by listening to music and the news on my little radio, and she had her phone... it was low-key, but we could still have visitors in the room.

We managed to make it work, but guess what? We totally forgot to swap phone numbers! I know her full name, but I don't know her husband's... so I couldn't even find her in my contacts.
The icing on the cake? The lady is young and they gave her access to the best MRI machine, but then they ended up sending her for a "classic" CT scan with contrast anyway!? Like, why?

The night flew by. By 9 AM, my folks were already there to pick me up, and my medical history was waiting to be sorted... I barely managed to make it step-by-step to the exit where my "taxi driver" was waiting for me.

Man, finally done with this whole hospital saga. 😁

The night doctor finally gave me the heads-up! He heard from "my" attending, so I’m definitely heading home tomorrow.

Man, Friday was just brutal... and I told them that. But honestly? It felt like they couldn't care less what I had to say.

At least the guy on duty was decent enough to actually answer my questions... you know, about why I'm not feeling any better.

He said it's a gradual process... that I'll get switched over to different painkillers and that I'm even entitled to a home physical therapist. Apparently, the pills they're giving me here are heavy opioids... and people aren't exactly thrilled with those at the rehab centers.

I explained the whole thing to my son, too. It doesn't mean he can't go to the rehab facility... it just means he shouldn't expect miracles there.

Actually, while I've been staying here, a few patients have gone straight from the hospital to the rehab center.

Thursday is here... Rounds. Man, there are so many of them... Just a bunch of assistants hovering around the head professor. But the keyword is ABOLITION... that’s my "procedure."
It worked for them...

-Are you doing okay?
-Fantastic! When do I get to go home?
-Tomorrow or the day after.

Honestly, everything else is just not great... My head is still pounding, and my left arm is basically useless, but the "procedure" was a success, and the professor says they should add it to the official protocol!

The day is just dragging on. Waiting for "my" doctor to give me the final word. What is it called? Who knows!

Asked the lady from El Paso what size she wears. A 38. Perfect. Just my size. I promised her some pajamas... My folks brought me clean clothes, pajamas, and some reading material. They wheeled me out to the hallway again, but this time in a fancy wheelchair.

Around 6 PM, right before dinner... the nurses are doing their usual rounds. I pull the clean pajamas out of the bag and ask a nurse to pass them to the girl from El Paso!
NO need, we'll find her a hospital gown.
-Well, until you do... at least let her put the top on!

And wouldn't you know it, someone stepped up and brought the lady from El Paso a hospital gown immediately!

She was absolutely thrilled. She goes, "I feel like a real person again! And wow, you guys were so fast getting mine!"
- Oh, they didn't, they got mine... but I can still manage in this one today. I'm heading home tomorrow. It was pure luck we happen to be the same size...
I grabbed her husband's phone and promised I'd call him once I'm home.
She gives me the name and number and tells me to only talk to him—not the little one or her mom!

Dinner was wrapped up around 6 or 7 PM. I finally managed to chill out for a bit after taking my meds and drifted off.

Then boom—chaos. This patient from El Paso arrives... just another young woman. She's intubated and totally unconscious. Her attending physician is going on and on about how she traveled all the way from Savannah just to end up in this situation.

The doctors were hovering over her for ages... then she starts waking up... and of course, she's naked and freezing. They won't even give her clothes, they just drape a sheet over her.

The night shift nurse comes by to check on me, and first thing she does is INTRODUCE herself. I couldn't help but pipe up, pointing out that after ten days, she’s actually the second person to introduce themselves... plus, the first one was a woman, and it seems like every single doctor here is a guy. We all had a good laugh in the room—the nurses and a few patients too.

Anyway, apparently I'm still "the problem" because I don't technically belong in this ward... so during rounds tomorrow, they might decide I can finally head home!

All this madness happening between 10 PM and midnight! And get this: my neighbor on the left is gone!

It’s middle of the week, visitors are coming and going, and honestly? Nobody even bothers to ask how I am or tell me anything...

Classic. "How are you doing?" Me: "Great! Still got this massive headache. When can I go home?"

"Soon. It’s just a little awkward since you don't really belong here!"
"I know, just send me home already."

Once the visitors left, I couldn't hold out much longer and had to beg my nurse to help me back to bed. I can move my body okay on my own... but when I finally got back... man, things were getting wild in this room...

Timothy (not his real name), this total junkie, is always pulling some stunt to keep the spotlight on him. He’s been on this ward for three months now, and last week his family came by, and he managed to trick everyone into NOT taking off his ventilator—even though he can breathe totally fine on his own. The nurses see right through him, but he manages to play the doctors, since they’re only in the room once in a while...

My "visitors" are done for now, but there are still some civilians hanging around that glass booth... I see this young girl with tears streaming down her face, looking over at my young "neighbor" to the left...

The bed to my right is empty... waiting for a patient from El Paso, and the weather outside is absolute trash. Everyone's wondering... if and when she'll actually make it here.

Visiting hours are finally here... I can see my people, but they aren't allowed inside...

One of those nurses really pulled through... she wheeled my "princess" right to me and then gave me a nice little ride down the hall to where my folks are!

By the way, I only asked that nurse for her name... and talk about irony... apparently, they were working on the nursing schedules those days, and nobody wanted to pull a shift with this particular "sister" of mine... 😢

My neighbor finally heads off for her scan, looking forward to getting back into her bed and grabbing some lunch... yum!

But right before lunchtime (around noon), they whisk her away for the imaging, and before thirty minutes have even passed, they're dropping someone else into "her" bed... yet another super young woman... maybe just a tiny bit older this time.

So, I "corner" the guy on duty... the nurse... and beg him to make sure at least some soup is waiting for that first lady when she gets back. Naturally, he tells me... oh, her lunch will be waiting in the other room.

While we're at it, I ask him to take a look at my stuff. No biggie, right? He finds it immediately in a little black trash bag with my name on it... he even went into my first room to check "my" cabinet... so now I've got my things next to me, and hey, I've even got my pajamas on! Well, at least the top half.

Later on, another nurse had no "trouble" at all letting me ditch the catheter and serve the "princess." And by princess, I mean a toilet with a hole you sit over... which definitely isn't happening in the ICU... instead, it's just a bedpan shoved under your butt.
Mighty proud to say I actually managed to avoid "that" while stuck in bed!