And to make sure I got to the right room.
Morphine has a way of getting its way in my path, and I forget where I am going, or decide to change horses in mid-stream, ie like trying to go through a corner instead of around it.
Catherine has been coaching us on how much time a person might really get with a specialist.
Five minutes if you are lucky, seven minutes outstanding and 10 minutes right over the top.
Catherine told us to go in with a small booklet and a pen because it would be unusual to remember everything that the doctor says to you in these cases.
Catherine said I should have all of my questions written out.
I had 2 questions, a small book and a pen.
As well Catherine was willing to interrupt her clinic to be there.
By the miracle of cell that all of us carry, all questions were asked and answered.
As well, Catherine asked questions I wouldn't have thought to ask.
Who is the attending physician? answer, the doctor at the ER isn’t a fulsome enough answer. I’ve seen him once and will probably never see him again.
Is my attending physician, my regular doctor back in Calgary?<br/><br/>I haven’t seen her for over a year.
Should I use Bonnie’s new physician as a referral patient.
Is it my attending doctor Dr. Lam, whom Rebecca goes to, one who will give you the option of Eastern medicine or Western medicine, licensed to practise in both systems?
I think we might have saved a week's time doing the paper work that Catherine suggested, having the endoscopy medical unit refer the paperwork right to the oncology people.
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I don't like dogs, but Penny doesn't know that so she hangs out with me on the couch. To get off the couch she makes a flying leap and somehow my stomach is her launching pad. Ouch. I have changed couches -- easier than teaching her just one animal/person per couch. |
Five minutes if you are lucky, seven minutes outstanding and 10 minutes right over the top.
Catherine told us to go in with a small booklet and a pen because it would be unusual to remember everything that the doctor says to you in these cases.
Catherine said I should have all of my questions written out.
I had 2 questions, a small book and a pen.
As well Catherine was willing to interrupt her clinic to be there.
By the miracle of cell that all of us carry, all questions were asked and answered.
 |
| Yellow band means this person might fall. White band is my name and birthday. Red band? Potty Mouth. Just jokling. Red band yet to be determined. Yet to be identified. |
Who is the attending physician? answer, the doctor at the ER isn’t a fulsome enough answer. I’ve seen him once and will probably never see him again.
Is my attending physician, my regular doctor back in Calgary?<br/><br/>I haven’t seen her for over a year.
Should I use Bonnie’s new physician as a referral patient.
Is it my attending doctor Dr. Lam, whom Rebecca goes to, one who will give you the option of Eastern medicine or Western medicine, licensed to practise in both systems?
I think we might have saved a week's time doing the paper work that Catherine suggested, having the endoscopy medical unit refer the paperwork right to the oncology people.
A new journey.
Your description of morphine getting in your path took me back to my earliest experiences with needing significant pain management support. I thought about its impact on my ability to read. I was a University student, capable of reading and comprehending complex texts prior to tearing ligaments in my knee. Post surgery, pain meds on board, I couldn't manage to read a comic book. The morphine got in my way of retaining information from one comic pane to the next so I could get the joke. I didn't like that. I did like not feeling the pain of the post surgical recovery period.
ReplyDeleteWhen I returned from my reverie of my own experience, and finished the paragraph with this metaphor, I realize you were also saying it quite literally got in your way of finding your way out of a corner as you walked along in the hospital. I liked your joke, your seeing the humour in navigating space with morphine on board.
It took me a long time to find Penny in this photo. At first my focus was on zooming in on your beautiful face, studying it for signs of peace or pain.An old habit that is hard to give up.
ReplyDeleteThen I was distracted by the blanket. Were those emojies? No,M&Ms. Mmmm. How can one sleep covered in images of candy?!! Just take me to 7-11 now.
Next it was the red flower in the plant outside the window that caught my attention. An hibiscous, I wondered? Name is flowers and names of medicine, it's all Greek to me (or is it Latin)?
Then my thoughts about morphine drew me into my own memories. I still have a very vivid recollections of a green leprochaun flying towards my face and me trying to fight it off with my arms in terror transforming I to an image of my boyfriend's smiling face hovering over me but now I was laughing at the bandaid hanging off his chin, and then seeing in my periphery my hospital room mate trying to hide a cheese burger from me. These were all hallucinations. The part that wasn't a hallucination was you heading off to tell the nurse my meds were too strong. Thank you for doing that for me. So good to have someone there by your side, keeping you out of corners of a room or your mind.
I like seeing your name, dob, sex, and age on your wrist. I wish everyone worn one of those. Just kidding, but not kidding.
ReplyDeleteAs for the red band, it must be for good sense of humour and superior blogging. Alternatively, I guess it means well loved human, treat with extra care. Or, she's a runner, have a vice handy or she'll be out the door and picking up rocks. Ok, last guess -cardiac history, handle heart with care.
Thanks for the permission to go learn what attending means. I had wondered before why my family doctor's name was on the E.R report when I hadn't even seen them at the hospital. Attending = physician overseeing your health care makes a whole makes a lot more sense than them being there and not stopping in to say hello. I mean, look at how fun I am. Could you resist not stopping in to see me if you were my physician and you happened to be at the hospital? Oh, my middle of the night self esteem is so good. I think I'll go back to sleep and delete this comment tomorrow if my self-esteem drops in the light of day.
ReplyDeleteI love you. I hope you had a chance to visit with Wyona and Moiya before heading to bed yesterday.