Tuesday, June 7, 2011

hospital - again?

October 18, 2010 at 7:44pm
Went to the doctor today. My white cell count is still up. My hemoglobin level is stable but low. Still short of breath and hurting.

Doc decided that I should be admitted for a day, wait... A day or two, wait... Two or three days. So now it's echocardiogram time, IV fluids, antibiotics, antivirals and so on.

For the time being I am in Shands Lake Shore room 3150B.

Update: 9:25 pm, Monday
One 18 gauge IV in. Three large tubes of blood talen for cultures, four small(er) tubes taken for other tests - those from the IV side.
Another two tubes taken from the other arm.
Being typed and cross matched for transfusion.
Advance directive and DNR written awaiting witnesses.

The IV hurts, though it shouldn't.

They are measuring my pee.

And monitoring my heart.

And I saw an ex- classmate.

Someone down the hall is yelling... Alternating between "owww" and "help"... But I could be mistaken. No, that was definitely an "ouch!"

The good news is, I'm allowed to get up. The bad news is I don't want to move.

Update: 11:45 pm, Monday
Having an arterial blood gas test requires a needle stuck into an artery in your wrist. This process is painful. It is more painful if you tense up your hand when they stick you because your once prominent artery will vanish as it hides beneath your tendons. This will cause them to have to first hold the needle in place while coaxing the artery (does that ever work?) and then they will have to start all over. Flinching does not happen twice.

Part two: breathing treatment. That was fun. No, not really.

I would sleep if I could.

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