The antibiotics they are using are some kind of strong.  Eventually the vein they are putting them in gets tired and needs a rest.  The veins themselves let you know by hardening up, you can touch the skin over it and feel it.

As i had predicted, there was little sleep, as the vein gave it up around midnight, with two more bags of meds to go until morning.  The nurse and i had been discussing it, and we hoped to get another good vein in the arm, but not the crook of the elbow (where i wouldn't really be able to bend the arm much at all) or in the back of the hand, as it's the "good" hand now.

Two others were tried, and both refused to rise to the occasion.  One vein rolled and got blown, the other had only one good spot and it was on a valve, which is highly painful.  Back of the hand was the only option, but i've got two huge ones there that are easy sticks, so we went with it and i'm dealing with the very minor compared to everything else aggravation of a hep lock on it.  Port hooked around the back of the thumb, line twice around the wrist and threaded between pinkie and ring finger, it can't be easily yanked as i move and it's not in the way getting caught on a fork as i eat or the pen as i write something.

The rest of the night went as predicted, fall asleep, wake when you need meds, fall asleep, wake when they need vitals, fall asleep, wake when it's time for a trip to the loo.  It's okay, i have the rest of my life after i'm well to sleep.

It's funny the thoughts that come to you in the middle of such a night.  No, not the big questions about life, the universe, and everything.  My beliefs are that G-d will take care of me now as He did when i lost Tori.  No, i don't have all the answers, but He does and i'm content to leave it that way.

No, my middle of the night fuddled brain musings go more like:

why, of all the times i have to land in the hospital, was it when i decided to skip shaving for a day or two?

how many times tomorrow will everything be totally quiet and then someone will arrive at the same time that the phone rings and it's time to get meds?


why, when one of the female nurses or PCAs offer to refill my stainless-steel-super-duper-double-walled-never-leaks-never-sweats-Flylady water bottle, does she put the top back on just to where it is snug like it's supposed to be, but when a male nurse or PCA does it he feels he has to prove his strength is akin to Samson's by tightening it down so much that we have to ask a nearby maintenance worker to get it open?


why do radio and TV stations, when they have to play that emergency signal and let us know about some emergency, never, ever interrupt the commercials, no matter how dire the emergency is, but wait for the show or the music to come back on?  

(Really, have you ever heard them interrupt a commercial?  Can you hear the conversation now; "Boss, there's an emergency, the whole planet is about to be fried by invaders from planet Z!"  "Fred, don't you dare play that emergency signal during the commercial break!  Wait until we cut back to the show, our sponsors pay the bills!")

My breakfast is now predictable.  Watery oatmeal, coffee, fruit juice, and a piece of fruit or small cup of cut fruit.  It's enough, and more than some people on the planet get, so i'm grateful.  The very nice man from nutrition services, who claims he wants to talk to me more about my diet because he's a sugar addict, too, has learned, and tries his best with the other meals.  There's only so much you can do, and i'm glad for Bigger Girl's huge purse that can smuggle in plenty of other choices.  (She carries a purse so big, and with so little in it, she could probably smuggle in half of a health food store if she wanted.)

The doctor came by after noon, and decided i need an x-ray to rule out bone infection in the place where the swelling is still worst.  They are concerned also about whether or not the cat may have had something on her teeth that could have lodged in there.

So a nice orderly came, and the PCA got me an extra gown to wear backward so i wouldn't be flying with my flaps down and scare the natives, and when i was rolled out of my room in a wheel chair i said, "Oh, scenery!"  They continue to think i'm funny, and indeed, i got a million of 'em, all bad.

As we came back, the orderly said , "I'm almost sorry that went so fast, x-ray wasn't busy at this moment, and you didn't get to stay out long."  Smiling, i told him it was okay, any trip out of the asylum, no matter how short, was welcome.

In the midst of it all, poor Sweetie about had a meltdown.  His adventures would fill a book, i'm sure, but the worst was when he got to church to prepare for the big event and was asked if he got the email  "What email?" he asked.  "I'm not at work this week, I'm up here as I have the week off, and my work email is the only one you guys have!"

Long story short, they decided instead of pure white button down shirts, of which he has about 10, all pressed and ready, they were going to ask all the men to wear black button down shirts, of which he has one, which is dirty, since i'm not there to do laundry and his work clothes can wait until he's back at work and needs them.

Frantic calls located one black shirt at a local department store that he could get to and get back on time, and it happened to be his size, and they were even willing to take it out of the packaging they always come folded in and steam it for him so that it would be ready for the big night when he got back to the church with it.  Thank you, Dillard's; i'm not a clothes horse who has to were designer stuff, but you came through in the clutch, and i won't forget it.

Oh, and the x-ray?  No results yet.  Another night to go through before i see the doctor, more meds to hang, more traveling with my leash.  It's all good, G-d is in charge (which is good, because if i were, i would foul it all up big time). 


Today is

Alexandra Rose Day -- in the tradition started by Queen Alexandra 100 years ago, roses and rose emblems are sold in London and the UK, with the money going to charity

Arrephoria -- Ancient Greek Calendar (Athens, festival to honor Pallas Athena, date approximate)

Baby Boomer Recognition Day

Father's Day -- Egypt; Jordan; Lebanon; Syria; Uganda

First Nations Day / National Aborginal Day -- Canadian Native People

Go Skateboarding Day -- and break something?  leaving this to the young

Helen Keller Festival -- Tuscumbia, Alabama, US (through the 24th)

London 2012 Festival -- London, England (cultural festival leading up to the Olympics and beyond; through Sept 9)

Little Bighorn Days -- Hardin, MT, US (celebrating the life and legends of the American West; through the 24th)

Martyr's Day -- Togo

Midnight Sun Baseball Game -- Fairbanks, AK, US (begins promptly at 10:35pm local time, and played without any artificial lights allowed)

National Aboriginal Day -- NT, Canada

National Peaches & Cream Day

Newfoundland Discovery Day -- Canada

Recess at Work Day -- www.recessatworkday.com

Shakespeare on the Green -- University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE, US (through July 8; nonprofit professional productions of the Bard's works, including preshow seminars, workshops, period music and entertainment)

St. Alban's Day (Patron of epileptics, people with hernias; against epilepsy, hernias, kidney stones)

St. Aloysius Gonzanga's Day (Protector of young students, young men; Patron of AIDS Caregivers and patients)

Tiger-Get-By's Third Birthday -- Fairy Calendar

Ulloortuneq -- Greenland (National Day)

Watermelon Thump with World Champion Seed Spitting Contest -- Luling, TX, US (through the 24th; fun for all, and lots of juicy watermelon, bring lots of wet wipes!)

We Tripantu -- Chile (Mapuche natives winter solstice festival)

World Handshake Day -- no one likes them fishy, and it's not a contest; practice a firm grip and a smile!

World Music Day


Anniversaries Today:

New Hampshire becomes the 9th US State, 1788


Birthdays Today:

Kris Allen, 1985
Prince William, 1982
Juliette Lewis, 1973
Berkeley Breathed, 1957
Meredith Baxter, 1947
Michael Gross, 1947
Ray Davies, 1944
Mariette Hartley, 1940
Maureen Stapleton, 1925
Jane Russell, 1921
Jean-Paul Sartre, 1905
Al Hirschfeld, 1903
Reinhold Niebuhr, 1892
Daniel Carter Beard, 1850
Martha Dandridge Custis Washington, 1731
Increase Mather, 1639


Today in History:

Jews are expelled from Nurenberg Bavaria by Emperor Maximillian, 1498
The Incident at Honno-ji takes place in Kyoto, Japan, 1582
In Montreal in New France, a slave known by the French name of Marie-Joseph Angélique is put to death, having been convicted of the arson that destroyed much of the city, 1734
Halifax, Nova Scotia, is founded, 1749
The first Victoria Cross is awarded during the bombardment of Bomarsund in the Åland Islands, 1854
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police fire a volley into a crowd of unemployed war veterans, killing two, during the Winnipeg General Strike, 1919
The first successful west-to-east navigation of Northwest Passage begins at Vancouver, British Columbia, 1940
Columbia Records introduces the long-playing record album in a public demonstration at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, 1948
Ellen Louks Fairclough is sworn in as Canada's first woman Cabinet Minister, 1957
In handing down the decision in Miller v. California 413 US 15, the Supreme Court of the United States establishes the Miller Test for obscenity in U.S. law, 1973
SpaceShipOne becomes the first privately funded spaceplane  to achieve spaceflight, 2004.
Pluto's newly discovered moons are officially named Nix & Hydra, 2006
Greenland assumes self-rule, 2009