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And in The House of Dogs
Topic Started: Apr 4 2010, 12:03 AM (1,884 Views)
FuzzyO
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Thanks Liz.
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Deleted User
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Thanks, Liz.

nainai
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goldengal
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Mistress, House of Dogs
Sorry I did not stop by yesterday. It sure seems strange without a dog in the house. Montana is at the lake with my SIL until Thursday. I keep looking around for her.

Thank you Liz for mentioning that I had called you. Oh and I would like to thank Bitsy for her kind words elsewhere. They meant a lot to me.

Yesterday was a day of extreme ups and downs. I left here in the morning to drop food and kitty litter off at Dana's, and she decided to go to the hospital with me, and drove my car. Whoopee!!

As you know, when I was there Thursday evening Ray did not know me at all and it looked like his heart was going to jump right out of his body. When I called as soon as the day shift came on yesterday, his nurse told me he was just then having a blood transfusion. It was about 11 when we got to the hospital, and I could hear him from the hallway. His surgery was scheduled for yesterday so he could not even have water. He became volatile because no one would give him water, and I was sure he was going to get out of bed to reach it - broken hip and all. I met doctors from 3 of the 4 medical teams who will be in the O.R. The surgery did not take place though because they have to be assured of a bed in ICU, and there are none at the moment. It has now been 11 days and the Ortho resident had told me on Thursday that the surgery had to take place within a day to be successful. Of course, at that time all of his vital signs were out of wack, but are a little better now.

If this is frustrating to me, I can only begin to imagine what it might be like for Ray. Dana and I decided they must have transfused him with the blood of a real comedian as he said at one point that he thinks he should get a second opinion. laugh123 Whatever pain meds they are giving him, he was talking really silly. He told us the people there are a bunch of drunks and always partying - not that he minds.

In a few minutes I am heading out for a brisk walk and then on to the apartment where I am making good headway on the cupboards. Will take my vacuum too. If Dana will go to the hospital today, then I'll take the day off, but if not I will park my car at a mall and take transit downtown.

I am finding this is one way to lose weight. I am not one for jumping on the scales, but can tell from the way my clothes are fitting that I have either lost some or redistributed what is there.

Thanks so much folks for being there.

Take care,
Pat
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Bitsy
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I am so glad to hear from you, Pat, even though the news is not what I wanted to hear. I hope the wait for surgery will soon end for you and Ray; the wait is so difficult. You are in my thoughts.
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Darcie
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Skeptic
Glad you are here. Sounds like they know how to look after the problems your brother is having. Hope the surgery gets done ASAP as this is stressful enough for him and you also.

With a broken hip, he will not be coming home too fast, I imagine he will be in a rehabilitation hospital afterwards also. From my experience they do not let people go home alone any time soon after hip surgery.

Under these circumstances you have a lot of time to clean up his apartment, so don't make yourself sick working too hard, he won't be back for quite a while.

I had a neighbour who fell and had to have hip surgery, she was 86 at the time and I went to see her when I was in Montreal, she was putting in her garden and is now walking fine without a crutch. There are so many things to help people these days, sounds like Ray's overall condition is being looked after well.

Being as it is Sunday, maybe you could take some time off to relax and smell the roses Pat, you surely deserve it.
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goldengal
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Mistress, House of Dogs
Good morning All ..... Looks like a lovely day coming up. Yesterday on my drive into the city I noticed how the blossoms are out, and the grass is such a brilliant green. I had no idea there were so many dogs in mid Toronto. Saw one woman with a Westhighland Terrier and a Newfoundland which brought a smile to my face.

Dana went to the hospital yesterday so I did not. Darcie .... I am going to take your advice and back off on all the work at the apartment, but I did accomplish a lot yesterday. Darn it, I took my address book with me as I had a couple of calls to make. I have decided I will only go to the apt. on Sundays, but now there is one number in the book that I do need. I thought I remembered the individual's last name, but she either has an unlisted number or I have her name wrong.

Still no surgery as they are still waiting for an ICU bed. Ray had a grand mal seizure Saturday evening as they withheld his Dilantin as he was scheduled for surgery. Big mistake for someone who has been taking it all their adult life, and he takes 6 pills/day. All this time, he cannot eat in case a bed becomes available, and they can proceed with the operation.

I am known for doing ditzy things, and darn near did a doozey yesterday. No doubt, Darcie, you have one of those serve thru's from the dining area to the kitchen. Well, I did decide to wash just one wall in the living room, and it was the one with the hole in the wall. I got up on a two step stool rather quickly and almost catapulted through that opening. laugh123 I came home feeling like I could really work if I had to as I put in a full day's work.

This morning I am off to the hospital, and if Ray cannot remember Vivian's phone number, then I guess I will go along to the Yonge subway line and up to the apartment.

Hope everyone has a good one.

Take care,
Pat
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Darcie
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I am glad you will be slowing down Pat. Just for you, no I do not have a serve through window, just a door where I walk through to the dining area.

It really is a drag that Ray has to wait for so long for surgery, hope they overcome that problem.
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Liz
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[ *  *  *  *  * ]
Pat, your energy and spunk never ceases to amaze me. For someone who is the age that you are, you certainly are a go-getter and very active unlike some who are younger than you whose days appear to consist of nothing more that sitting on their butts all day in front of a computer screen, going from forum to forum posting less than two cents worth of drivel. Pat, you are an inspiration to many of us here. :happy.gif:
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angora
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WWS Book Club Coordinator
Thanks for the update Liz.

I know we all care about Pat and would dearly love to see her out from under the dark cloud that seems to hover over her lately.
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goldengal
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Mistress, House of Dogs
Thanks Darcie, Liz and Angora. The news just gets worse. There has been a sign indicating no fluids or food since early Saturday morning. I had called before I headed down there this morning, and his nurse told me his surgery is on hold until there is a bed which I knew. I asked if he had been able to have any water, and she said he hadn't but a speech and language therapist was coming to see him. Turns out he requires a feeding tube. I queried whether this means forever, and she said yes. OMG if that is the case, it is a whole other ball game. I left here at 9:30 and only got in at 2:15. Thank goodness, I discovered I had brought my address book home from the apartment and put it in my desk drawer exactly where it always is. Why oh why didn't I look there?

Tonight I think I might need a glass or two of the grape. Let's all just live each day as if it is our last because we honestly do not know what is around that corner.

I am missing Montana and the other dogs a lot. Thanks again for the support.

Take care,
Pat
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Darcie
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I am sorry to hear that about your brother. Maybe you need to really clarify this with his doctors.

Put your feet up and have a couple of large glasses of your favourite wine. 1mr
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erka
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Pat: Take time for yourself. Sounds like there is more stress around the corner. Ray is in the best of hands at the hospital.

I echo Liz's comments - your stamina and energy is an inspiration!!
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FuzzyO
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Pat, it's absolutely no wonder you couldn't think to look in the right place for your address book, or that you couldn't remember that you had brought it home. That's a pretty clear manifestation of the tremendous amount of stress you are suffering. You are certainly handling it with real fortitude and you are more than entitled to some of the grape tonight, and anything else you can think of that will take your mind off things for several hours. You're an inspiration.
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goldengal
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Mistress, House of Dogs
Erka and Fuzzyo and Darcie who I mentioned earlier ... I luv you guys because you help me over the rough spots. Here I am travelling around Toronto which I have been far removed from so many years (and never was super smart on the subway system). I truly am ditzy. You could ask any of my friends, and they would agree.

Darcie ... How to get a doctor to contact me. I wish. I kept looking at every good looking young doctor and wondering 'could be be Chris Geddes?'.

You guys (ok I shoud say gals) are just the greatest. It has bothered me immensely that someone told me I was an unhappy person and what a terrible affliction that was. Hmmmm ... a friend called me last night and said "Pat, you are always so up". I try to be, but sure there are tears as we all have.

Tomorrow I am going to take tomorrow off as each time Ray asked me for water, and I said he could not have any, I noticed his heart rate increased. I know that any of you who have gone through problems like this understand.

Take care,
Pat
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Darcie
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goldengal
Apr 13 2010, 09:43 AM
Erka and Fuzzyo and Darcie who I mentioned earlier ... I luv you guys because you help me over the rough spots. Here I am travelling around Toronto which I have been far removed from so many years (and never was super smart on the subway system). I truly am ditzy. You could ask any of my friends, and they would agree.

Darcie ... How to get a doctor to contact me. I wish. I kept looking at every good looking young doctor and wondering 'could be be Chris Geddes?'.

You guys (ok I shoud say gals) are just the greatest. It has bothered me immensely that someone told me I was an unhappy person and what a terrible affliction that was. Hmmmm ... a friend called me last night and said "Pat, you are always so up". I try to be, but sure there are tears as we all have.

Tomorrow I am going to take tomorrow off as each time Ray asked me for water, and I said he could not have any, I noticed his heart rate increased. I know that any of you who have gone through problems like this understand.

Take care,
Pat
Pat, leave a note at the nursing station explaining your caregiving relationship to your brother and then put all of your phone numbers (including cell) and ask him to call you.

That usually works, if it doesn't you haven't lost anything.

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