Up and Down Day
Jason had his test (7th floor gastrointestinal) to see if the surgeons would be able "to take down/reverse" his earlier surgery. The tests results were positive for surgery to proceed. So that was an excellent way to start the day! However, in PT when Kyla cut away Jason's bandage from his left arm surgery on Friday, his left arm was every color of the rainbow and continues to be very swollen. Made me uneasy looking at the wound. This was the downer for my day.
One of the persons I got to meet today was Senator Chuck Nagle, a Vietnam Veteran and a Republican from Nebraska who questioned the war in Iraq. I thanked him and want to send him an email. He said he continually works to have the VA system adequately funded to provide care for the vets. Sen. Nagle visited with the patients in PT and OT. He said he tries to visit WR at least once a month. I told him that I was very disappointed that our own IL senators had not visited Jason during his stay at WR.
When I met him about 2 PM as Jason was heading back to PT having missed the morning session because of the testing; he asked me, 'What do you think this is?" It looked like lymph fluid to non-medical me oozing from his surgery wound. I said, "Jason please see Dr. Wickman or Dr. Farber today." The wound has no stitches but is held together with serri strips and everyone has been telling Jason, "Use the wrist as much as possible."
Jason returned to the room about 4 PM after PT and I said,"Did you see the Doc?" "Yes, the bruises are normal, the swelling is normal. The ooze is called 'post-operative blisters." I asked, "What are those?" Jason said that is all the Doc said. Humph... Martha Turner is still doing tests at Walter Reed and said she could meet me at about 5 PM. When Martha arrived I asked Martha to give her opinion of the blisters. Martha said, "Oh yes, I have gotten them every time after surgery. It is an allergic reaction to the tape." I thought, "That is why they call them post op." Earlier Jason had said, "Why don't you two skip going to Quixote and we'll go out to celebrate my upcoming surgery!" Martha said, "YES" and so around 5 PM we headed out to a Chinese Restaurant on Connecticut Ave.
The review of the restaurant on the web said the food was standard Chinese, good. However, that is not why we chose to celebrate there. This restaurant has "United States/Russian history" writ large in its rooms. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, an ABC reporter named Scalia (representing Pres. Kennedy) and a Russian named Fromin (representing Krushev) had their first and last meeting in this restaurant to resolve the crisis! We sat in a booth (I tried to get the waitress to tell us what booth they met in but she did not know). But it was awesome to be able to be in such a place of history. I remember so clearly the black and white photos on TV and wondering "Will the missiles from Cuba be able to hit Michigan where I lived?" I remember very much how fearful I was that we would unleash nuclear weapons on Cuba. I knew the destruction would be enormous and would Russia enter the war and unleash the weapons it had aimed at the USA? If it did, both of our countries would be destroyed and probably the world's environment.
We decided to celebrate with Peking duck for the three of us. It was wonderful and we toasted to the success of Jason's surgery to come and a rich and rewarding life for him. We talked about his leaving WR in time for school this fall if possible and Martha's world travels as RN/PHD extraordinary. Her plans include a potential project with the Army in Afghanistan. Martha will not have your "average retirement." She said it feels really strange when people ask "Where do you work?" I am sure God will keep Martha as busy as she wants to be!
Martha remembered that when she first met Jason how she brought work because she thought he would be asleep. Instead they had great conversation and she got busy doing "nursing things." God has given Jason such a special angel in Martha and we are truly blessed to have her in our lives.
A Note of Mutual Support:
While Jason was having his test this morning, I sat in the waiting room next to an outgoing probably octogenarian woman who said, "I do not know what to say. I want to say thank you for the sacrifice you made for our country." Jason went in for the procedure and she and I spent the time talking. First about her own husband wounded as a paratrooper, his shute did not open during the Korean War. He spent his career in the Foreign Service including a stint in the backwoods of Vietnam during the war. Then I shared Jason's story including sharing a picture of his HO model. Marianne was bright and witty and just the support I needed this morning as we both waited for our patients, her husband was have a colonoscopy.
A woman sitting next to her said she was waiting for her husband who was having the same procedure. We got into a lively discussion about how the MD's definitely do not tell you the "ins and outs" of what it means to prepare for and to undergo a colonoscopy! I couldn't believe we were having this conversation but it was for me an eye opener about how medicine says one thing but in real life practice the Docs do another "Its no big deal" we were all told. Ha! You drink a gallon of stuff until you puke at one end and run at the other. The actual procedure you are "out for" but the prep almost kills you we all very strongly agreed. We supported each other and our family members and I felt lifted in my spirit. What a way the Spirit of Love works, through the sharing of the rough times, we know we are not alone and can face the challenge individually. Blessings on these women and their spouses for the gift they gave me today.
When Jason reappeared, I introduced Marianne and she began to talk about her husband, telling Jason a few things including "and he's really good in bed." We all looked at her and she was smiling! I said, "Jason will have to be sure to tell his girlfriend that retired vets have active, satisfying sex lives!" She also said, "With a mother like yours, you may even be President someday. I know Jason will have a very rewarding life." She has high expectations for Jason just like I do! Blessings for Jason given by a wonderful wise woman. How I hope to be like her as I complete my life.
.
One of the persons I got to meet today was Senator Chuck Nagle, a Vietnam Veteran and a Republican from Nebraska who questioned the war in Iraq. I thanked him and want to send him an email. He said he continually works to have the VA system adequately funded to provide care for the vets. Sen. Nagle visited with the patients in PT and OT. He said he tries to visit WR at least once a month. I told him that I was very disappointed that our own IL senators had not visited Jason during his stay at WR.
When I met him about 2 PM as Jason was heading back to PT having missed the morning session because of the testing; he asked me, 'What do you think this is?" It looked like lymph fluid to non-medical me oozing from his surgery wound. I said, "Jason please see Dr. Wickman or Dr. Farber today." The wound has no stitches but is held together with serri strips and everyone has been telling Jason, "Use the wrist as much as possible."
Jason returned to the room about 4 PM after PT and I said,"Did you see the Doc?" "Yes, the bruises are normal, the swelling is normal. The ooze is called 'post-operative blisters." I asked, "What are those?" Jason said that is all the Doc said. Humph... Martha Turner is still doing tests at Walter Reed and said she could meet me at about 5 PM. When Martha arrived I asked Martha to give her opinion of the blisters. Martha said, "Oh yes, I have gotten them every time after surgery. It is an allergic reaction to the tape." I thought, "That is why they call them post op." Earlier Jason had said, "Why don't you two skip going to Quixote and we'll go out to celebrate my upcoming surgery!" Martha said, "YES" and so around 5 PM we headed out to a Chinese Restaurant on Connecticut Ave.
The review of the restaurant on the web said the food was standard Chinese, good. However, that is not why we chose to celebrate there. This restaurant has "United States/Russian history" writ large in its rooms. During the Cuban Missile Crisis in 1962, an ABC reporter named Scalia (representing Pres. Kennedy) and a Russian named Fromin (representing Krushev) had their first and last meeting in this restaurant to resolve the crisis! We sat in a booth (I tried to get the waitress to tell us what booth they met in but she did not know). But it was awesome to be able to be in such a place of history. I remember so clearly the black and white photos on TV and wondering "Will the missiles from Cuba be able to hit Michigan where I lived?" I remember very much how fearful I was that we would unleash nuclear weapons on Cuba. I knew the destruction would be enormous and would Russia enter the war and unleash the weapons it had aimed at the USA? If it did, both of our countries would be destroyed and probably the world's environment.
We decided to celebrate with Peking duck for the three of us. It was wonderful and we toasted to the success of Jason's surgery to come and a rich and rewarding life for him. We talked about his leaving WR in time for school this fall if possible and Martha's world travels as RN/PHD extraordinary. Her plans include a potential project with the Army in Afghanistan. Martha will not have your "average retirement." She said it feels really strange when people ask "Where do you work?" I am sure God will keep Martha as busy as she wants to be!
Martha remembered that when she first met Jason how she brought work because she thought he would be asleep. Instead they had great conversation and she got busy doing "nursing things." God has given Jason such a special angel in Martha and we are truly blessed to have her in our lives.
A Note of Mutual Support:
While Jason was having his test this morning, I sat in the waiting room next to an outgoing probably octogenarian woman who said, "I do not know what to say. I want to say thank you for the sacrifice you made for our country." Jason went in for the procedure and she and I spent the time talking. First about her own husband wounded as a paratrooper, his shute did not open during the Korean War. He spent his career in the Foreign Service including a stint in the backwoods of Vietnam during the war. Then I shared Jason's story including sharing a picture of his HO model. Marianne was bright and witty and just the support I needed this morning as we both waited for our patients, her husband was have a colonoscopy.
A woman sitting next to her said she was waiting for her husband who was having the same procedure. We got into a lively discussion about how the MD's definitely do not tell you the "ins and outs" of what it means to prepare for and to undergo a colonoscopy! I couldn't believe we were having this conversation but it was for me an eye opener about how medicine says one thing but in real life practice the Docs do another "Its no big deal" we were all told. Ha! You drink a gallon of stuff until you puke at one end and run at the other. The actual procedure you are "out for" but the prep almost kills you we all very strongly agreed. We supported each other and our family members and I felt lifted in my spirit. What a way the Spirit of Love works, through the sharing of the rough times, we know we are not alone and can face the challenge individually. Blessings on these women and their spouses for the gift they gave me today.
When Jason reappeared, I introduced Marianne and she began to talk about her husband, telling Jason a few things including "and he's really good in bed." We all looked at her and she was smiling! I said, "Jason will have to be sure to tell his girlfriend that retired vets have active, satisfying sex lives!" She also said, "With a mother like yours, you may even be President someday. I know Jason will have a very rewarding life." She has high expectations for Jason just like I do! Blessings for Jason given by a wonderful wise woman. How I hope to be like her as I complete my life.
.
posted by Katy (Scott) Zatsick | 4/19/2006 01:40:00 PM
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