Somehow, I don't feel so lucky at all this St. Patrick's Day.
Yesterday, I had to be admitted (AGAIN) to the Cleveland Clinic.
I heard that I was one of the "overflow" patients, which means that I was supposed to be an outpatient, but they had too many other outpatients, so I'm an inpatient.
My nephrologist had told me that I'd be here for about 3 - 4 days. We shall see if that's the case. My surgeon told me that I'd be here for about 1 - 2 days.
Who knows. I'm under the impression that the right paw doesn't know what the left paw is doing.
Here's the scooperoni (again): I had a graft put in my right arm on Jan. 28th. Said graft was supposed to be a wonderful thing...practically the 8th wonder of the world. Last week or so ago, I went to have said graft unclotted, as it had suddenly stopped working the week before. But, this couldn't be done, as said graft had supposedly developed an infection. I did, indeed, test positive for another systemic infection. So...here I am. Said graft had to come out, faster than it went in. This means they again have to use the catheter for dialysis (of course), and also this means my arm, where the graft was, has to stay bandaged up because I couldn't be stitched back closed.
This makes for a longer recovery time than usual, which is what I'm doing here.
The surgery today went OK. I mean, I was put to sleep for it, so I have no idea what happened during the actual surgery. What I do know is that, when I woke up, I started crying. I don't mean a little. I mean, I was obviously and absolutely in tears. If I can put it this way, I cried myself awake. I had remembered that only a week or so ago, things weren't going well for me at all. That's what made me cry. I had managed, single-pawedly, to turn everything in my life upside-down, and so far, nothing I have been able to do has made anything better. Now, with limited Internet here, I'm almost powerless, but I'm doing the best I can.
Speaking of crying: yesterday, and again tonight, I've had to drink this awful stuff. It looks and tastes like medicated coffee. I've found that putting a ton of sugar and/or sweetener in it helps, but it's not a sure-fire cure. I'm putting off drinking it as best I can, but my nurse keeps coming in to see if I've taken it yet. This God-awful junk is supposed to lower my potassium, which has somehow gotten high apparently. It sure would be nice if there was such a thing as potassium binders, that I could take just like I take my phosphate binders. I hate this junk!!!!! I guess, if my headache ever clears up, I'll just do a "down the hatch" type maneuver...IF my headache clears up, because I find it hard to drink anything fast when I have a headache. This stuff even smells horrible!!! I feel like I've died and gone to hell here! And, I'm getting nauseous again. And, the Morphine hasn't yet helped any of the pain.
Did I ever mention...I'm sure I did...that I'm sooooooooooooo past sick and tired of all of this dialysis-related B.S.????? Yes. I seem to recall pointing that out.
DAMN!!
Although I just took two Percocets, being without painkillers for so long has made the pain almost unbearable, though at least I can still type.
Thanks to another splitting headache, I just asked for Morphine. That should help all of the pain I'm having. I wish I could take Morphine on a daily basis...not just when I'm here.
I'm in a wing with very limited Internet. Some of my favorite websites, I can check on my cell phone (Wireless Web, from Verizon). Email, I can still do from my computer. WLS-FM, my favorite radio station which I can only listen to online because it's in Chicago, will have to wait till I get home. This sucks. If I hadn't brought a Dick Biondi aircheck CD with me to listen to, I'd have to be Biondi-less. That's no fun at all; I've put myself through that before. FYI: I met Dick in person once, three years ago; we've kept in touch by phone before (until my last birthday, that is). He's a wonderful, wonderful person. This world would be a much better place if there were more people like Dick Biondi in it...if you happen to feel up to it, you can let him know I said that, and I mean it.
So anyway...I came by here to wish you a very, very Happy St. Patrick's Day. Personally, I don't have enough Irish blood in me to fill a thimble, but if someone wished me a Happy St. Patrick's Day, I'd be appreciative. Just a thought.
Enjoy this little Irish kitten, will ya??
And, as long as I'm here, I'll check back when I can. I presume I'll be home by next Monday. Damn, I hate being in the hospital for a whole week when I feel "fit as a fiddle"!!!!!!!! This is nuts! Just get me outta here and let's treat the infection on an outpatient basis again!!!!! (oops; sorry; I wasn't talking to you!)
Take Care!
