Saturday, January 31, 2009

Waking up


A few days off oxycodone now and I'm feeling more like myself ... generally a nicer person and certainly more awake. I'm also more anxious now as I am not numbed about my have-to-buy-a-car situation and trying to figure out how mobile I will be at work (maybe I'll need a wheel chair for when I get tired in the afternoons?)
I have gotten around to plow through much of my professional e-mail and I'm thrilled to see that I was replaced (til the end of Feb) which means I'm not expendable.
I'm looking forward to RUNNING out of here. Though a few things I'll miss ... clean linens whenever I want them, getting laundry done often, three nice meals with lots of variety, sleeping til 8 and not rushing when I get up. I look forward to my steel cut oatmeal, good coffee, nobody waking me up for pills or tests, the smells of other people, my computer access, QUIET!!!, seeing kids,...
But don't think I have a clue of when I'm leaving. I'm guessing I'll be here til the middle of the month.

Thursday, January 29, 2009

latest news from the nursing home

It's hard to be newsy from a nursing home. Though last week was somewhat newsier than most. I would have kept you posted but the internet was down on the library computers. My roommate sort of went crazy. She was into my stuff a few times and was ranting to invisible people much of the time ... including nights. She also kept trying to crawl down out of her wheel chair, so I was hitting the call button rather often. I was feeling less and less charitable to the point I couldn't stand myself very much.

Two things have changed. I stopped taking oxycodone and switched to the pain med I used to take at home. And my roommate was taken off an antibiotic that was making her act so weird. So I'm feeling more charitable. It's needed here because there are some very disturbed patients. Today I offered to close a lady's door and she said "I'm dressed". Evidently she thought she looked OK in a bikini. More details would be too much information even for the TMI blog.

I also have finally figured out how to get the computer to print (the trick is to use a different computer). And how to use Skype with a mike and headphones. Which I"m going to do right now to call my step mother.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Happy day!

Yesterday was my best day since the accident. For excellent starters I had a SHOWER! Hooray for my excellent CNA (nursing assistant) who was excellently tactful, thorough, patient and kind.

After that I took another WALK on the parallel bars. OK it was really a bunch of hops while supporting myself with my left elbow and right arm. But that is significant progress. Daily exercise is paying off.

A therapist says “EVERYONE progresses” The SORT of progress is what’s important. Significant progress is better than moderate progress.

My roommate’s brother bought me a big jar of kosher dill pickles. A dill pickele is as good a snack as a Three Musketeers’ bar and certainly not as high in sugar. I learned that there is a fridge and a microwave for patients. So if I get another cold I can warm up chicken soup. I’m becoming quite used to my roommate now. It’s nice to have someone to look out for. Since she nods out so often, she keeps me busy using my grabber to pick up pencils and books off the floor and I help the nurses remind her to eat.

Today I’m feeling optimistic about getting back to work in March. I’m dreading having to shop for a car though.

Today was another happy day. Nancy, who has visited before, brought Joyce. Joyce is one of my very favorite people in the world, and I had told Nancy that. Joyce no longer drives and it was especially thoughtful of Nancy to bring her. Among the many wonderful things about Joyce is my experience of her consistent and long term help with the ESL class. She actually started the teaching tradition long before I was involved. Joyce is my service role model.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

The swearing in

I'm not sure how to spell inauguration. Great day for me. I went to rehab early so I could watch the inauguration on TV. I took seven steps using the parallel bars using weight on my big left toe. Then I went to my room to watch the inauguration. During Rick Warren's invocation everyone on the floor .. nurses and patients ... were silent. It was a very moving moment. Then during Obama's speech there was lots of cheering.
When I came to the computer room, I heard from a guy from Europe who I used to talk to on Skype. He's moved to England and says everybody's pleased about our new choice of president. That should be no surprise. World opinion was my own major concern in voting.
That's it for today. It's not yet three and I'm tired!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

aint behavin'

School professionals are "on" all the time. We are always on task, polite and kind constantly, no matter how we feel.
So as a patient, I am a consumer instead of a provider. And I can misbehave and not get fired. And there are a few patients who give the nursing staff constant grief and the staff is required to give nothing but kindness back. So today I yelled at the guy in the room next to me because he feels that we ALL should be enjoying the same gospel music he has on his TV this morning, just like he thought we All should have been enjoying law and order last night at 2 AM. I went to his room and yelled "Are you hard of hearing sir?" And he shouted "all you do is complain". The nursing staff was in stitches. Reminds me of what I like about peer teaching. Only another student can say "Don't be a ding-a-ling" to another student. Sometimes such comments are needed - nonprofessionally of course.
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Dr. King Day
I'm just about over the cold I've had and it's great to be feeling better. I'm touch typing again with BOTH hands. That's a relief.I told the folks at therapy that I fully intend to watch the live swearing in tomorrow. I cancelled my hair cutting appointment too because I'd hate to say I missed this historic moment because I was having a shampoo. So I'll go one more day looking homely.
I'm remembering watching Kennedy's swearing in. I was in seventh grade in a two room school. Mr. Whitney let us watch the world series too. I know they are watching the inagueration at Pittsville tomorrow (thought doubt they'd watch a world series ;-) I think of my Dad. He would have enjoyed this moment so much!
Well, time to type a to-do/wish list for my son.

Friday, January 9, 2009

a nother world

I so admire people who faithfully visit hospitals and nursing homes. When I leave here, will I be one of those people? Today I had nice visits from Connie and Julia (who brought chocolate covered raisins and nuts.. mmm)

I'm pretty groggy these days and don't accomplish much. I did help teach people to play on the wii today, and had a nice long conversation with a lady who has dementia pretty bad, but who likes converstion. I figure I was helping the nursing staff some by keeping her occupied in one place. I truly enjoy talking with her too.

I'm crawling through Infinite Jest but pretty slowly because even though I really enjoy the book, I keep falling asleep. I fall asleep because of the pain pills. I hope the pain I'm experiencing indicates good muscle work and nothing amiss.

I'm thinking a lot of thoughts and meeting really interesting people who have really intersting situations. Wish I had the accuity to write about them.

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It's been a while. I have had a cold. More later.
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Great visits from church folks. Connie, Karin, Dave...
Also a happy face balloon to tie to my wheel chair and a nice visit from Judy who is in a neck brace and may be out from work herself soon. My coworkers declared a casual day on my behalf and took a nice collection for me!!!

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Monday, January 5, 2009

Nursing home continued

I ate supper really fast so I could get on the computer. There are two computers and many more users.

The location of the nursing home is on the corner of Civic Avenue and route 50. If you click on the name on the map at the right you'll see a bird's eye view.

As for when to visit? Hard to say. I'm in the dining room at lunch time and at 6 PM usually.

What a treat today! The girl I mentor at my school showed up! It seems her mom works HERE! So she'll be able to visit lots of time and maybe I can tutor her some.

I'm starting to read a great book, but it's too big for me to carry (1,097 pages). I also started folding some origami figures. I'm giving up piano playing for a while ... my hand has been too sore. I learned to get into bed using a sliding board today. whee!

BLood work says I've got great numbers.

Seth and Gareth came for more Uno today.

Fog delay for the return to school. Bet teachers loved that!
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Tuesday
I'm in the computer room looking for origami directions on line. I thought I wouldn't take too long, but find I have to download stuff like pdf reader and flash readers etc.
I continue to get acclimated.
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Thursday
I've been here much too long. I get excited over the meals.
Yesterday they had a Wii bowling game. Great fun.
I'm still either in pain or numbed out.

I am listening to the life story of a lady who was shot excaping from East Germany. Was an olympic swimmer, too.

Time to go to a new blog post!

Friday, January 2, 2009

Nursing Home

I've moved into a nursing home, which I will blog on here.

When I was 18, 19 and 20 I worked in a few nursing homes. Now I'm on the other side of the experience. It's nothing I would volunteer for, but it's not torture either. I have a telephone, thanks to my son, and its number is 410-749-2634. I stay out of my room as much as I can. My roommate plays the TV constantly and loud, she throws food on the floor, and she has very smelly toileting accidents. So far she has only left the room to go to a church service, so I leave often. It could be worse. She could scream all the time and doesn't.

I have access to blogging in the "library" which is a very pleasant room on the far side of the building from mine. I have yet to bring my earphones. When I do, I'll be able to listen to any phone messages left on 410-713-4408, and maybe I can use skype to call long distance.

I'm keeping a list of "pain and sufferings" for possible legal use, but I'll try not to inflict blog readers with them.

This morning, being Sunday, had no physical therapy, so I didn't take a pain pill. Big mistake. I went to the church service in the dining room and had to leave and go back to rest in bed (in a nice quiet room). I had to take two pain pills then instead of the one I should have taken in the first place.

Yesterday I had two visitors from church. One friend came to help a patient with her hair. Meanwhile her husband is home with heart complications after knee surgery. (I just met another woman today with simmilar heart problems after knee surgery and I'm feeling fortunate with my own knees.) My other visitor travelled some distance back home to get me a clock and a box of splenda packets. Having a clock plugs me back into western civilization! I asked her to tell me her life story and she told me a great deal. I enjoyed that greatly! I think I need to take time to hear more about other people. There are so many wonderful stories in the people of my life.

Later my son and grandson came to play UNO. I had great fun because I found a few ways to cheat. They also brought a bounty of chinese food!

The folks I ate supper with last night enjoy singing. We sang "my girl" last night, so I'm going to dig up some lyrics on the web. There's a printer here.

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