The First Rule

When things are going good, you shouldn't talk about things going good.  Muuhahahahha.  Insert evil, over tired, confused laugh here.  Sunday we were all having a Star Wars marathon with lime sriracha butter popcorn. We already did our Costco run and I vetoed laundry.  Tra le la and the patient is all I can't get my arm to stop tingling.  So we move him to the chair, give him a few minutes, and then off to the ER we go because it is still there.  They take him straight to the CT scan (so that was a really nice response).  They don't see anything specific on the scan but do believe he is having an ischemic stroke.  A small one that doesn't really seem to effect much.  He had one moment of confusion where I was thinking oh snap but everything else seemed normal.  His blood pressure was higher but that was also a lot of stress and bustle.  Anyways, based on risk (aneurysms, age, history) they decided not to give him the clot buster medicine.  I support that decision.  Because of his history, age, condition, they have decided to keep him for a day or three for observation.  They are doing carotid artery ultra sounds, CT scans of back for pinched nerve, EKGs, and an MRI.  He is also not having as much success as we would like without the catheter.  They are doing straight cath every 8 hours.  I see this procedure being in my future.  He is probably borderline UTI.  Lots of waiting.  A tad bit of discouragement, but the patient is in such a better state than the last time he visited the hospital.  The Drs are all speaking positively about it and I think it helps the patient to feel encouraged.  He does not seem to be anxious.  Just settled in and is patiently waiting for discharge.  I was really hoping not to have to add anything to the worry list, but if we must we must. 

The most discouraging moment of my day shall be described next.  The patient's wife and I left the hospital around 1:00 AM.  Around 4:30 AM, Hunter was downstairs getting ready for work.  The patient's wife was looking for the patient.  The patient's wife had forgotten that he was at the hospital.  Hunter had to remind her. This really gets me in the gut and heart. I also know that stress, lack of sleep, and missed medicines can really mess up the patient's wife's memory and that the patient's wife was half way asleep at 4:30.  Anyways...just gonna leave this right here and try not to think about it.  Maybe I am reading too much into this.

I worked 7 minutes today, ate a large #2 meal from McDonalds (ate every fry, I did), and took Kate to soccer practice.  Side note..I love how excited Wyatt is about Star Wars.  We got the Golden Books and he really loves the characters and story line.