Day 2 of Infection

Saturday, October 16, 2010

It is amazing to me how many nurses don’t know how to read or should I say they choose not to use this skill. Because I have cancer and lymphnodes were removed there is no more nothing on my right arm… PERIOD! No blood pressure, no blood draw, no nothing, but somehow every time the came into the room they were grabbing for my right arm AND there was a sign directly behind me that said NOTHING on RIGHT arm (well it was something like that, but way more pleasant). By the end of my stay the words that came out of my mouth, and I am not exaggerating, “DON’T TOUCH ME!” and “LEARN TO READ (as I am pointing on the wall)!” My tolerance for stupid people is low.

How can you just walk into a patients room and not know anything about them? I don’t know, read the chart, ask, whatever, because if it is someone who cannot communicate then they, the nurses, are endangering them and it isn’t cool, at all. I don’t know, read, it can be good for you job performance.

OK, enough on that…. Saturday went well in the hospital, it sucked I was still in there, alone, no husband, and all I wanted was a shower. The drugs they put you on make you sweat profusely and I was just feeling disgusting. Now, I am a very modest person and can’t just flaunt myself to anyone so I waited for Jeremy. Was supposed to be early, but he was late. I guess carrying a watch would have been too difficult, or wait a minute, caring what time it was to come see your wife wasn’t a priority. I think that one fits better.

My nurse, Janice was amazing and she made it all bearable for sure. She had the Lymphadema specialist come in and talk to me about life after removed sentinole nodes. She was wonderful and filled up a good hour and a half of my time. She measured me, asked questions, answered questions, and after she left I decided losing nodes was much more serious than cancer, are you kidding me. I don’t want to wear a stupid compression sock around my arm and there are so many things I have to be more careful about. Apparently, this part will be harder than I thought. No more recklessness on my part – dang it!

OSU played that night so I did have the game to look forward to, that was great. Jeremy showed up around five, I got some help showering, we noticed quite a bit of puss and drainage on one of my drain holes and let the nurse know. This was the first sign of infection outside of the body. She cleaned me up and showed Jeremy how to do it and now I had to clean it once a day – wonderful.

Jeremy discovered a waiting room with a larger TV that we could go and watch the game in. since I wasn’t constantly hooked up to an IV tower, it was easy for me to leave my room. We went down to the area and watched the game. I lasted the entire game, but was in a great deal of pain by the end. Maybe it was because we lost, but somehow I doubt it for I don’t get that involved in it. At one point what was strange is a nurse came in and said, “When are you two leaving?”

My jaw kind of dropped because I wasn’t sure how to answer this question and the way she asked it was awful, and my husband is slinking down further into the couch – he hates confrontation, I say, “uh, not sure I understand what you are asking?”

“When are you guys leaving, you can’t just hang out in here.”

“I am a patient here,” I respond.

“So why are you down here?”

“Watching the game,” as I talk really slowly, and point at the TV, the obvious reason of why I am in this room. Remember my tolerance for stupid people is low, and right now my tolerance for rude staff is even worse.

“Oh,” she says and turns around and leaves. WOW

Then Jeremy pipes up, “Maybe we should just go back to your room.”  This from a man who hates confrontation and can’t seem to stand up for anything at most times.

We stayed. Some rude nurse wasn’t going to scare me away from the game on a much larger TV than what was in my room. We should have won.

I never mentioned anything to Stormy, my night nurse, actually forgot about once I got back to my room. I told Janice the next day, and she told Stormy that night and she apologized to me and said she would talk to the nurse if I wanted her to. Nah, I think I said all that could be said. Some people should learn how to talk to people and not be so snotty and rude, this woman definitely needed some customer service classes.