The Hospital

I am breaking a cardinal rule here and posting my Sunday column on Wednesday night on my blog. But, I figure the 6 people who come here are the ones I would really love to have praying for my Mom.

08-12-07 The Hospital
Nothing like getting to know a place up close and personal, is there?
Tuesday was voting day. Mom and I are very patriotic and take our responsibility personally. I had to go to work early that day because it was the first day of school for some and I wanted to get first hand experience at it. It’s been too many years to count since I’ve had a first day at school, college doesn’t count.

So I got my pictures and swung by home to get Mom to go vote really quick then on to work. Just another day.

Mom wasn’t feeling well. We went to Urgent Care since she didn’t have a local physician, yet. Dr. Stephanie Harper took one look at her EKG and called the ambulance, then called Highland to let them know she was on her way.

A lovely lady took all Mom’s information and then I caught up with Mom in the hall of the Emergency Room. The hospital was very busy Tuesday morning.

Beth took Mom under her wing and took such good care of her. Then Dr. Danielson stopped by to take another look at her EKG. Things in her chest had calmed down by that time. She was feeling pretty good by then.

Someone came out of one of the ER rooms and moseyed down the hall. When she came back she told me,
“Go to Hattiesburg. They are really good there in Hattiesburg.”
“For heart troubles?” I asked.
“Oh, no. Hip replacements. I’ve had three.”
Sigh…

More blood work and then finally Dr. Barton comes around. He’s adamant that Mom will visit here a while.
“How long ‘a while’?” I asked.
“A couple of days probably. We’ll need to run these tests and then get her on medication.”

Atrial Fibrillation is when the upper heart muscles are just sitting there like quivering jelly and the lower muscles are pumping like crazy. That is my definition, not Dr. Barton’s or Dr. Danielson’s. They both used most excellent hand motions that better describe the condition than my words, but maybe you get the picture. It is something that is not an unusual condition in the elderly. Which reminds me that once someone called Dad 'elderly', just before he died and he took great exception to that. I think, the term is more in the eye of the beholder than in the beheld.

Anyhoot... I wanted everyone to know that the nurses and doctors at our little hospital here in Picayune are most conscientious and dedicated and Johnny-on-the-spot.

Mom got up and moved around a bit, and the nurse monitoring her heart functions was right there asking if she was all right.
At first Mom was puzzled, “Well, yes. I’m fine.”
Then as Mom got finished with other morning things, the nurse was back again asking if she was all right.
“Well, yes. I’m fine. I was just brushing my teeth.”
“You heart monitor is saying that your heart is racing, so I wanted to make sure.”

Mom is getting better care there than ever at home. I do not serve her breakfast in bed, or any meal in bed. For that matter, I don’t make up her bed, either. She may not want to come home tomorrow.

I do not want to have anything wrong with me like Atrial Fibrillation, but gee… it would be nice to have breakfast served to me in bed. And someone could bring me a cherry limeade from Sonic, don’t forget the lime slice and the cherry, please.