back to the road again
Nov. 9th, 2005 09:25 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
luciabBack to KY for another few days. I'll be gone from here for a week, but two of those days will be on the road.
I talked to Mother last night about Aunt Susan's condition. She's going to be in ICU for "several more days," say the docs. She has an MRSI, which is a (M-something) Resistant Staph Infection. That's what they called it when they told me about it before I left. They haven't used the word "infection" when they talk to Mother, and for some reason she thinks that it isn't as bad to have "staph" as it is for her to have a "staph infection." I think this is one of those things that she won't understand until I explain it to her a half-dozen times, and it will finally sink in and she'll get it. I might talk to the nurse again to make sure I explain it right. Hell, she might be right, but that would go counter to my understanding of the word "infection."
The thing that I find most distressing is Mother's description of Aunt S's condition. It didn't surprise me that she hasn't the strength to stand on her own, much less walk. As far as I know, she can't even turn over by herself. What did surprise me was that Mother says Aunt S has been saying, Help me! PLEASE help me! repeatedly for the last two days, and her eyes are "all big and pitiful" when she says it. She doesn't seem to know exctly what help she wants. Sometimes when they ask, she says Please hold my hand, but often she can't say what she wants. When Mother tells me this, she uses the inflection that Aunt S uses, and Mother's voice is old enough that I can easily imagine how Aunt S sounds. Horrifying. I saw the expression of fear on her face a couple of times before I left; it disturbed me terribly then, and she wasn't vocally pleading for help at that point.
I was trying to think of foods that would tempt her, but if she's that disoriented it'll be hard to ask her what she'd like. The nurses keep telling her she needs protein. I don't know whether she's strong enough to chew regular meat; we'll have to find out.
Last time I took the WV route, which all the map programs recommmend for some reason. It took me an extra hour. Tell me why exactly that would be desirable? At least gas is 30 cents a gallon cheaper up there, but of course I never need gas when I'm there. Sigh.
Time to gird my loins and go. I'm going to try to keep in touch from there.
I talked to Mother last night about Aunt Susan's condition. She's going to be in ICU for "several more days," say the docs. She has an MRSI, which is a (M-something) Resistant Staph Infection. That's what they called it when they told me about it before I left. They haven't used the word "infection" when they talk to Mother, and for some reason she thinks that it isn't as bad to have "staph" as it is for her to have a "staph infection." I think this is one of those things that she won't understand until I explain it to her a half-dozen times, and it will finally sink in and she'll get it. I might talk to the nurse again to make sure I explain it right. Hell, she might be right, but that would go counter to my understanding of the word "infection."
The thing that I find most distressing is Mother's description of Aunt S's condition. It didn't surprise me that she hasn't the strength to stand on her own, much less walk. As far as I know, she can't even turn over by herself. What did surprise me was that Mother says Aunt S has been saying, Help me! PLEASE help me! repeatedly for the last two days, and her eyes are "all big and pitiful" when she says it. She doesn't seem to know exctly what help she wants. Sometimes when they ask, she says Please hold my hand, but often she can't say what she wants. When Mother tells me this, she uses the inflection that Aunt S uses, and Mother's voice is old enough that I can easily imagine how Aunt S sounds. Horrifying. I saw the expression of fear on her face a couple of times before I left; it disturbed me terribly then, and she wasn't vocally pleading for help at that point.
I was trying to think of foods that would tempt her, but if she's that disoriented it'll be hard to ask her what she'd like. The nurses keep telling her she needs protein. I don't know whether she's strong enough to chew regular meat; we'll have to find out.
Last time I took the WV route, which all the map programs recommmend for some reason. It took me an extra hour. Tell me why exactly that would be desirable? At least gas is 30 cents a gallon cheaper up there, but of course I never need gas when I'm there. Sigh.
Time to gird my loins and go. I'm going to try to keep in touch from there.
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no subject
Date: 2005-11-09 03:36 pm (UTC)Take the computer. LIke I said, I'm almost 90% positive you'll be able to log on to a dialup connect through Earthlink at the very least.
And you can always call (919) 280-2909, if you just need to vent or talk.
Here's to sanity.
no subject
Date: 2005-11-09 04:08 pm (UTC)