Its been an interesting couple of days. On Friday I had this neat test called uro-dynamics, which measures the pressure in your bladder. Don’t know if I have said this before but I’ll tell you the way it is. I am wearing an condom catheter which means every day I get a condom on which is attached to a bag and that’s how I Pee. And I have had one on ever since I have been here. The issue with my bladder is I have a big urgency to pee, and I can probably hold it for a few seconds to a minute. But having the catheter saves me the bother of someone rushing around to find me a urinal. From the Uro-dynamics they found that the pressure in my bladder is about twice normal, which causes the urgency. High pressure in a bladder is also hard on my kidneys, so I am now on another drug to get the pressure down in the bladder. If they do get it down, the condom may not be required as I’ll have time to get a urinal in I have to pee. That would be a great relief as I would then have a lot more control over my peeing. But a really interesting test as they put a sensor in your bladder via a catheter and they put a sensor in my bum, which really felt like a light bulb but I don’t think it was. Then they put electrodes all over my bottom. Once they had the sensor in place they fill the bladder with water and then ask questions about when I have to pee, and when I can’t hold it any more. I guess from that data they determine how much medication I need. The big problem with the uro-dynamics was I missed physio and didn’t get to ride the bike on Friday and I won’t get on it again until Tuesday…..Grrrrrr.
I was going to talk today a little bit, about the things I used to take for granted, and they are very very simple things, such as casually wiping your eye. I don’t know how many times I used to do it before, but I sure need it done quite a bit now, particularly when I need someone else to do it. Since I am getting a little better use out of my right arm, I am able to wipe my eyes quite well, rub my nose and clean my moustache I have now named a wash cloth “Wilson” from Tom hanks, movie castaway, The volleyball. Seems now I have to take Wilson everywhere I go. I named it Wilson as I really didn’t want to call it blanky like Shroeder ( I think that is the characters name) in Charlie Brown. So at night time I ghave to have 2 Wilson’s because I may drop one in a place I can’t retrieve it and I would really hate to call the nurses, just to give me a Wilson.
I have been thinking about nursing types and before I start this I just want to say that all the nurses and PSW that work here are fantastic, and we should tell Mr. McGuinty they should get a big raise and we need more of them. I have found there are several nursing types and it goes on a scale from being very efficient to being very caring and bonding. Since they are busy all of them have to have a certain percentage at the efficiency end or they couldn’t get the job done. But the more efficient nurse is concerned with getting the job done as quickly as possible, with out really connecting with the patient. Caring nurse or a bonding nurse on the other hand, spends a lot more time talking to you and finding out exactly what your needs are, and how they can best address them. For example I have a number or things I need before going to sleep, and that is about the toughest time for me is about 8 o’clock at night to about midnight when I get my sleeping pills. Since I had the cortisone shot in my knee its not quite as finicky now and once I get it positioned properly its usually good for the night. But, now there is another nagging issue, and that is my left shoulder as the rotator cuff muscles are very week. I am now have a winging scapula. It appears that the back rest on my wheel chair has slid down and when I sit in the chair the top of it slides my shoulder blade slightly upward causing some muscle pain in my back. Now before going to sleep at night I have to get the scapula/ shoulder positioned properly. The nurses have been very good at positioning and repositioning my shoulder as needed.
I am on hydo-morphine, I take the time release one at 8 in the morning and another one at 8 at night. And at any time during the day or night I can get 2 mg of hyro-morphine every 2 hours. For a few days when my knee was really bothering me I was taking it every 2 hours during the day and once or twice at night which Is a way to much. Since the cortisone shot I have been able to cut back to once or twice a day, for example its about 2 o’clock now and I haven’t had a pill since midnight last night….yeehaw. As you know I have mvoved to room 487 and I have a new roommate named Denis and he is a great guy to talk to. And he should be leaving in a couple of days. We have the same philosophy that we aren’t bossy or demanding we are simply directing our own care….hehehehe. A new movement this pst week is I am sitting much straighter in my chair and I am able to hold my head up even when driving my wheel chair. And I can now flex my body left and right and forwards and backwards, which means I can actually hold myself straight up in my wheel chair, it also helps the nurses when they roll me as I can now roll my shoulders over to assist them. Since it is a long weekend Monday will aslo be a ho hum day with no time on the bicycle.
Thanks for all the visits! much appriciatedTalk at you later.
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