A DAY IN THE LIFE OF A WIFE IN THE ICU WAITING ROOM

No more than 2400 mg of Sodium, no more than 2 eggs per week, reduce fat in his milk to 1% otherwise Jan can really remain on the diet that is part of his lifestyle. Adjustments, have you noticed the older you get the more adjustments you have to make as far as your health is concerned.

Did I tell you that when I returned from lunch there was a black lady in a hospital gown, no shoes, and a bit out of it making an unauthorized visit to the cafeteria to score some Chic Fil Lay? She was making her way back to the 9th floor from where she escaped; I hope it’s not the Psych ward. But she had the dilemma of hiding the bag with her lunch inside while riding on the elevator. So, she thought about it. First it went under her nightdress mounted on her stomach, but then she thought about it some more, and transferred the package in between her legs. If I didn’t see it unfolding before my eyes I wouldn’t have believed it. I wonder what the dietary department would have made of such an incidence as this? There are some funny things that happen in a hospital.

The little nurse returns to our room. We start to chat and she tells us that she has been transferred from the Cardiac ICU Unit upstairs because of lower back problems. She works three 9-9 shifts three days a week, no weekends and loves it. Nice unit here 22 beds in the Cardiac Post Intervention Unit. Looks brand new to me. Here she comes, out to get a piece of gauze. Took out the needle from Jan’s vein, removed the contact patches from his chest, and unplugged the cardiac monitor. Jan got dressed quickly. The little nurse’s name is Sherri. It’s written on her nametag. The first name is very big and her last name is very small. I wonder what that’s all about? Sherri is very sweet and bubbly.

She told Jan he could walk down to the lobby at first she wanted to get a wheelchair but she would have to escort us. Before that, Jan would have to walk the halls backwards and forwards. To make sure he was stable enough to leave, which he did very well.

We got to the lobby and said good-bye and thank you to sweet Sherri, the nurse. Jan was a free man, praise the Lord! We walked about 300 paces from the hospital door to the car. Jan got in but had to get out to direct me out of the space. Someone parked illegally at the rear of my car therefore space was at a premium. I needed some help to navigate out of the space. He got back into the car and we were home by 5:30.

Lots of calls on the answering machine, Vera, Cousin Ann, Pastor Jim, Hank, Laurie, Sylvia, Alexandra twice, all these people had to be called. Jan went straight to bed. He was still somewhat groggy from all the drugs that he was given today. I cooked some dinner for him, which he said he would eat later. I made a salad and returned some phone calls, then checked my e-mail. I was exhausted emotionally feeling like I had ran an emotional marathon. I’m off to bed myself. Tomorrow is a new day.