Thursday, November 21, 2013

Telling On Myself

So during this quiet period, my mind wouldn't shut down hardly.  It actually hasn't shut down since I was first admitted at Las Colinas.  I was full of questions.  If you walked in that door I talked your ear off (unless I was actually asleep).  Most of you know this is not usually me, but I guess some things come out in certain situations.  One other thing that has happened was something that wasn't too surprising to Jen and absolutely tickled my mom.  I now have a spreadsheet, keeping track of all of my vital signs (ALL OF THEM).  BP, Oxygen, Weight, Blood Sugar, all the way to Fluid Flow.  I initially did this because Jen would ask me just about my BP when they checked almost every 4 hours.  Now, being the person who likes to stay updated and needs some order, I have amplified it.  

I am also doing some things that, again no surprise to Jen, some would shake their head at and maybe even laugh (my mom did again). I try not to be a difficult person, but when you tell me that you are about to so something, even if it is around a certain time, I will hold you to that.  I can be pretty rigid on this and I have come to realize this years ago (With the help of Jen).  So, like the spreadsheet, it was amplified.  The best situation was on Saturday night.  I get 2 groups of people per day one nurse and tech per 12 hour shift.  When I first got here they asked me if there is a time period that I would like to sleep and not be disturbed.  I told them from midnight to 6am.  This was only honored once.  Techs started coming in at 5am.  I was then like ok, that's fine.  I asked them if I can shift it to 11pm to 5am and they said no problem, then Saturday night happened.  

So this tech, whom I met for the first time here at UTSW tells me about what he usually has to do, which was what all the techs did and told me that it will happen in about 4 hour intervals 8, 12 and 4.  Also if I wakeup in the middle of the night, say around 3 I should go ahead and contact them and they will come in and do my vitals right away.  I was like fine.  I wasn't going to waste my energy trying to get a system going again.  So this time I decide to set an alarm so I can be awake before he comes in and wakes me.  I know.........I know, but that is because, I'm Wil.  The alarm goes off and I noticed 20 minutes later, he does not show.  So, I hit the nurses button and when they answer I said, "Vital Time?".  They said, "What was that, Mr. Clark?".  I said "...well the tech told me that he would be in here around 4am to take my vitals for the morning and he is not here.".  He was running behind and will get there soon.  He finally makes it in apologizing, does the tasks and then leaves.  Took me a while to get back to sleep, but I eventually did.  I decided not to make anymore stinks on this and let it go.

Now, I just sleep when I can, they come in and if they can wake me, they can do the task needed to be done.   I actually have not really resistant.  Really!!  

So, that is some of my crazy town ways that came about during the early days here.  Lawd have mercy.  Every time Jen comes in she asks the staff if I have been behaving. (They normally say yes)

I'm so sowry people.............I will get better.

5 comments:

  1. I love this cousin and you of course. I. laughed throughout because I know how aggravating the techs can be in the hospital. I think they have techs, just to get in your nerves so that you want be mad at the nurse. Heading of this definitely made me think back five years ago when I found out me and my hubby both was fighting life threatening diseases. And, I never knew the best way to explain to family and friends what I was going through. I see this is an awesome way to explain. Keep the post coming, just because I can't be in Texas, doesn't mean that I want walk this walk with you. I'm praying for you and Jen to have strength to overcome anything throughout this journey...xoxoxo

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  2. Actually the techs here are great. It's is just an adjustment to their or the randomness of it. I am now at the point that I just sleep and when they come in they will do the parts of their task as I am sleep and then if I am needed to wake up, they will and I do.

    In fact last night the nurse came in and was doing some work. I was partially asleep (pretty out of it) and he needed me to just shift my body just slightly, but not get up. I did and he continued. I fell back to sleep while he continued.

    It's working out.

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  3. Bro I just need u to get well!

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  4. Won't you take me to (bom bom bom) crazy TOWN! won't you take me to (bom bom bom) cra-ZEE TOWN! This will be stuck in my head all day. Thank you sir :)

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