Home Sweet Home

I'm home, with a beautiful bouncing baby shoulder! And, to put a positive financial spin on things, my deductible and out-of-pocket expenses are paid, so that I am at 100% coverage. Yahoo?

[that means that in less than two months, i've paid $7,846.00 in heath insurance costs. that's roughly $3636.00 more than i had trickling in...]

In a 3-hour marathon, another PICC was inserted because I.D. just loves to put me on i.v. antibiotics. No problem, though, if it improves the likelihood of success.

This go 'round, I vocalized my concerns about the nurses and techs who seemed to delight in causing me pain by messing with my legs -- vocalized *before* admission, that is -- and it helped. I also became self-sufficient faster than was probably wise, but it sure paid off. There was no need for anyone to touch moi! And I pushed for discharge straight away after opening my eyes Monday evening!

Anyway -- heartfelt thanks to my talented, patient, and persistent surgeon, to Bob, to Mary Lou, to all who... helped get me home with one more joint to call my own!

The Fredster is slowly destressing but also is having to do most everything -- I was chagrined to find that I cannot even make coffee -- and, even were I able to, I cannot lift the carafe to pour it.

I am true to form in that I'm febrile -- the left shoulder remains exceedingly painful but I don't see how in heck it could be infected, not with all these antibiotics! We are all convinced that it is either mechanical (the spacer has moved), or muscle/nerve related. Whatever it is, I am ready for it to be gone. Already, it's apparent that as the right side heals, it will way outclass the left in terms of range of motion.

I thought of many things worthy of the blog... but am kind of limp at the moment, so they'll simply have to brew a while.

R.I.C.E? Not the *best* idea!

I have meant to do this several times and forgot -- there is still an Ian over at ImpactEDNurse and he seems energized, having left his job in the Emergency Department and moved on to be a stellar member of his hospital's Medical Emergency Team.

Still didactic, but in a caring/sharing way, I was really surprised by the latest research he showcased on caring for sprained ankles:

Its funny how something we consider best practice will often be replaced by
something we previously considered worst practice.

In a new study of 600 patients published in the Lancet, a below knee cast has been found to be more effective than a compression bandage in the management of sprained ankle.

In fact, a tubular compression bandage, combined with ice, elevation and advice to mobilize as soon as possible (which is pretty much current practice), was consistently found to be the worst treatment of all those examined.

Yes, I know I said I was done blogging until after surgery. Well, kiss my grits! I am overwhelmed at the moment with getting my life in order -- before I go to the hospital, the ducks, they are in a row! The house clean. The important papers easily found but not glaringly obvious. Bills paid. Small bag packed.

I never know whether to bring my computer or not. It physically hurts to use it and it is undoubtedly stupid, as it could easily "walk" away. So... decision! It stays home.

I need to luxuriate in Hibiclens... Wash and condition the crowning glory hair... Figure out what would be fairly healthy and yet extremely comforting to eat before going NPO at midnight... Help the Fredster with whatever organizational issues remain... and I need to sleep. I usually don't, so why I think tonight will be any different, I've no clue.

And so ends a post about how happy I am that Ian is back, and without ever really going away.