Wednesday, January 07, 2009

Thursday Thirteen #50

As many of you know, I was at the hospital almost all day today with my mom undergoing surgery to remove the bottom lobe of the right lung due to cancer. Here are 13 observations about my day.

1. Hospitals stink. I mean that literally. In the entry way, I was assaulted by the scent of grape couph syrup. The floors tend to smell like a combination of Pine Sol and dirt. One of the public restrooms smelled of urine. And oxygen has a pungent odor that reminds me of the smell of new vinyl.

2. My mom has many people who love and care about her. Four friends from church arrived this morning. Two of them sat with my sister and me all day. As soon as we got to mom's house, the neighbor was at the door. She is lucky to have people who care.

3. A thoracotomy is a long procedure when it entails a lobectomy, almost three hours in the operating room alone. The rib did not have to come out, but the ribs had to be separated to get to the lung.

4. The surgical intensive care unit will allow a ratio of one nurse for two patients.

5. The hospital is not a place to be if you want to sleep. With the constant beeping of machines, sounds of medicine pumps, drains, catheters, not to mention the nurse's station and the visitors of a hard-of-hearing patient in the next cubicle, it's not likely sleep is going to come. In addition to all that, the nurses come in frequently to check heart monitors, central lines, and so on.

6. A 12 inch incision with a tube left in it to drain the area must be awfully painful, not to mention the unpleasant drainage that comes from it. It looks like she was shot in the back.

7. The nurse basically told my sister to stay away tomorrow. They will attempt to get mom up, have her cough as much as she can to prevent pneumonia, and just generally torture her with some necessary treatments. That won't keep either of us away, though. Why wouldn't they want us to be there?

8. Hospital food is inexpensive. The flipside, you get what you pay for.

9. She will be in surgical ICU as long as her doctor deems necessary, anywhere from 3 days to a week. Then she will go to a regular room to continue her recovery, which according to the doctor, is going to be difficult.

10. If I ever have to be in the ICU, I would like to have a competent, experienced nurse rather than one who is still learning the procedures.

11. There are so many germs in the hospital! I felt like I had cooties when I left.

12. We won't have any news of the prognosis until the pathology report comes back, probably two days.

13. My sister and I still get slap-happy when we are emotionally and physically exhausted, and we can make each other laugh to relieve stress. A paper surgical mask makes a great prop!
P. S. Does anyone know what happened to the Thursday Thirteen home page? I can't find it anymore!

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  1. I hope all goes well with your Mom and she recovers rapidly. I know how it was when my Mom was in for a cancer in her colon.
    Bless you all and God Be with you all

  2. I hope she is better soon. :)

    P.S. They canceled Thursday Thirteen.

  3. I hope your mom has a very speedy recovery! I agree with all of your points!! My father has a terminal form of cancer and my little brother is in remission from another form of cancer. For a while, Daddy was in a hospital on one side of the state, while my brother was in a children's hospital in the middle of the state! I feel like I could walk blindfolded through bothof those hospitals. I'll be thinkig and praying for you, your mom, and your family!

  4. Sending lots of hugs and support over the miles - and tons of prayers.

  5. glad she did fairly well and will pray the results are what y'all are hoping for. I KWYM about hospitals....did my share of waiting too!

  6. My dad had a brain anyerism (sp?) years ago, and we were sleeping in the waiting room for days, and it was awful. They only allowed one of us back every two hours for 10 minutes after his brain surgery.

    I hope your mom does well today, and that she isn't in too much pain.

    Oh, and I posted a TT today, too, only to find out they aren't doing it any more. :(

  7. Yes they canceled TT but I noticed people are continuing it anyway.

    Number thirteen was my brother and I to a tee! We were so punchy and laughed constantly at the most politically incorrect things! Prayers for your mom and family!

    Hugs Sherrie

  8. I am glad you have your sister with you and I'm glad your mom has the two of you with her!

    I pray the results are what you want and her recovery goes smoothly & the pain is manageable.

  9. I completely relate with #13. I hope everything goes well form here!

  10. I pray she has a speedy recovery (dad said the rib separation was what hurt him even more than the incisions) and that the news is ALL good!

  11. Oh ... how your post brings back memories of times I've spent in hospital waiting rooms and later visiting recovering loved ones. It's never easy ... but one thing I remember about the ICU is how some close relationships developed with other families waiting for THEIR loved ones ... and how invested everyone became in the well-being of all. I suspect they told you to stay away because they think she'll be better off resting without visitors, but methinks I'd be there with my sister just like you plan to be. As for T-13 Tinkerbell put up a Mr. Linky today. It's possible others did also. One sometimes leads to another.
    Hugs and blessings,

  12. I hope everything will be okay soon and that your mother will recover quickly.
    Thanks for visiting my TT. There's a temporary solution on, so we can find the ones that still play along.

  13. I hope your Mom recovers quickly...I don't like hospitals at all, and your #1 is one of the reasons why!

  14. Thinking of you and unfortunately I know what you are going through.

  15. I've been there, also get the "slap happy", gloves make great balloons & puppets:) Thinking of you & your family. Praying for your mom & sending some healing vibes her way.

  16. same description of hospital here and there...
    I hope everything goes well with your mom


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