Being home is still settling in. I wake up each morning and it's so fantastic to realize I'm in my bed AND got to sleep all night with no interruptions for vital signs, blood draws, or just checking in. I'll give you an example.
When you're in the hospital, they measure your output of pee. If you don't pee, they become very concerned and insistent that you produce on demand. Not a big deal for most, but a very big deal for Adam. He goes three times a day, and not on their schedule. And, following surgery, where he has gone without food or drink for many hours, as well as having been given drugs to dry him up, he does not pee. You can do everything in your power, but until he is completely hydrated again, AND his kidneys have awoken from drug induced slumber, it ain't happening. This can take thirty-six hours or more for him to regulate. It drives his nurses crazy!
We had a wonderful male nurse for three nights after Adam's last surgical procedure. He was kind and considerate, but he was very worried about Adam's inability to pee at night. It didn't matter that he had gone during the day, he HAD to go overnight. I explained that it probably wouldn't happen, but Henry insisted. So we tried to comply. I made Adam drink water, I ran the water in the sink, and I begged him to try. He gave me the sly eye glazed over look that means, "Leave me alone". Even warnings about being catheterized made no difference. Henry checked with neurosurgery and checked back with us; he woke Adam three times the first two nights. Neurosurgery told him it was ok for Adam to go twelve hours without peeing, but he couldn't deal with that. The morning nurse told him to let it go, that Adam was like this, but the second night he did the same thing. The next morning she told him again to leave Adam alone; Grammie knows him best and he had gone enough during the day.
The third night, I gave Henry an ultimatum; leave Adam alone or he was fired! He laughed and said "You're kidding me! You'll fire me?" I told him he was on probation. We laughed and he said he would leave us alone.
About three o'clock in the morning, Adam woke up with a frantic urgency to go. I gave him the urinal and he filled it. Yes, that's right, filled it. I went to the door and called "Henry!" and held up the urinal. He came quickly down the hall and reacted with an "OH MY GOD!!!!" And I simply said, "I told you so." He asked me if he was off probation now, and I assured him that he was.
What a good nurse, and what an excellent sense of humor. It's things like these that make the time spent cooped up more bearable. Henry was off probation and he got the award for putting up with my sense of humor and also for his excellent care of Adam.
This is just one of the many stories of the kind of care Adam receives while he was in Stony Brook UHMC. All the nurses, all the staff, every person who works on that floor do their work with a spirit of excellence. We couldn't ask for better. I actually resist telling any particular story because every person who worked with Adam deserves to be mentioned in length. Perhaps I'll tell some more stories as the days go by and I have more time.
Blessing and peace to all my readers; we appreciate you!
When you're in the hospital, they measure your output of pee. If you don't pee, they become very concerned and insistent that you produce on demand. Not a big deal for most, but a very big deal for Adam. He goes three times a day, and not on their schedule. And, following surgery, where he has gone without food or drink for many hours, as well as having been given drugs to dry him up, he does not pee. You can do everything in your power, but until he is completely hydrated again, AND his kidneys have awoken from drug induced slumber, it ain't happening. This can take thirty-six hours or more for him to regulate. It drives his nurses crazy!
We had a wonderful male nurse for three nights after Adam's last surgical procedure. He was kind and considerate, but he was very worried about Adam's inability to pee at night. It didn't matter that he had gone during the day, he HAD to go overnight. I explained that it probably wouldn't happen, but Henry insisted. So we tried to comply. I made Adam drink water, I ran the water in the sink, and I begged him to try. He gave me the sly eye glazed over look that means, "Leave me alone". Even warnings about being catheterized made no difference. Henry checked with neurosurgery and checked back with us; he woke Adam three times the first two nights. Neurosurgery told him it was ok for Adam to go twelve hours without peeing, but he couldn't deal with that. The morning nurse told him to let it go, that Adam was like this, but the second night he did the same thing. The next morning she told him again to leave Adam alone; Grammie knows him best and he had gone enough during the day.
The third night, I gave Henry an ultimatum; leave Adam alone or he was fired! He laughed and said "You're kidding me! You'll fire me?" I told him he was on probation. We laughed and he said he would leave us alone.
About three o'clock in the morning, Adam woke up with a frantic urgency to go. I gave him the urinal and he filled it. Yes, that's right, filled it. I went to the door and called "Henry!" and held up the urinal. He came quickly down the hall and reacted with an "OH MY GOD!!!!" And I simply said, "I told you so." He asked me if he was off probation now, and I assured him that he was.
What a good nurse, and what an excellent sense of humor. It's things like these that make the time spent cooped up more bearable. Henry was off probation and he got the award for putting up with my sense of humor and also for his excellent care of Adam.
This is just one of the many stories of the kind of care Adam receives while he was in Stony Brook UHMC. All the nurses, all the staff, every person who works on that floor do their work with a spirit of excellence. We couldn't ask for better. I actually resist telling any particular story because every person who worked with Adam deserves to be mentioned in length. Perhaps I'll tell some more stories as the days go by and I have more time.
Blessing and peace to all my readers; we appreciate you!
