Roommate Blues

Mom's new roommate was not treated very gently by two nurses the other day. Mom and I were witnesses to it; we've told the doctor/director and they are thoroughly investigating the incident. Our neighbor was in a lot of pain, had earlier asked for her pain medicine, but these nurses insisted on bathing and moving her first in such a rough manner that she was bleeding afterward, which required some emergency attention (her leg had been amputated just the other day). It was so sad. Mom asserted herself by asking for a particular nurse who is very gentle and he did an excellent job of soothing the patient and knowing exactly what needed to be done. We 've been around long enough to know which staff members are outstandingly good, but also the ones to watch out for. I hate that any patient is ever treated any differently from any other. This is also causing stress for Mom, but we have been lucky that she had the freedom of a private room for over two weeks until now. She will be free from hospital stress by Thanksgiving, but her neighbor will probably be hospitalized for much longer. Our heart goes out to the other patients, especially those who have few or no family members to advocate for them.

The Xrays are going to be viewed by an orthopedic surgeon--Mom may get to have the cast removed from her right wrist before discharge. On the other hand, literally, she is having some swelling and pain in the left wrist. The doctor says that it is edema caused from her increased activity and should subside as long as she tries to elevate the wrist whenever she is reclining. Her legs cleared up so we believe her wrist will be fine.

Because of her rapid weight loss, Mom's skin had been looking rather loose and without muscle tone, but I am simply amazed at how well her skin's elasticity is returning and her muscles are toning up again, within days after her increased exercise. We are lucky to have such healthy resilience in our family. I've never been very consistent about weightlifting but I have noticed that I easily build muscle. My sisters and I were once asked if we were decathletes when we were teenagers, even though we really weren't very involved with sports besides inheriting natural muscularity. I suppose that we would have done well among the cave dwellers in the past. I was embarassed by my own strength when I was a child, because I thought girls should be feminine and delicate, but I'm grateful for it today.