Text 10072, 138 rader
Skriven 2011-04-29 09:02:00 av Glen Jamieson
Kommentar till en text av Michael Loo
Ärende: NO 263 10429
=====================
-=> Quoting Michael Loo to Glen Jamieson <=-
ML> In New Orleans I didn't notice much sex except for the
ML> voyeuristic variety. Sleaze and booze aplenty, though.
When my niece and I were checking into our cheap hotel, a couple ahead
of us asked what the hourly rate was. The manager indignantly denied
that this was that sort of hotel.
GJ> eateries on or near Bourbon street, and incredibly bad wine was
GJ> served in the strip joints, but good food and wine was to be had in
GJ> small, out of the way restaurants away from the madding crowds.
ML> I've not been in a strip joint in NOLA. Maybe I should check
ML> one out sometime. Do you have a recommendation?
Quite a few advertised their particular forms of entertainment by
window displays, and Nora dared me to take her into one that she
chose. To both our surprises, the performers were transvestites.
Nora found it very educational.
ML> Some guy on the plane the other day brought up San Antonio
ML> and its Riverwalk, but I haven't been there in quite a while
ML> and could add nothing to the conversation.
The Riverwalk is very pleasant, although I preferred the old Spanish
governor's house and other historic buildings associated with the
battle of "The Alamo". That city has had a remarkable history, under
a variety of rulers. There are also some excellent restaurants, and
we found the natives very friendly.
Now follows the final part of my recent hospital experience.
Hip Hop-eration (Continued)
(In the last episode, I left this world, as far as I knew, forever...)
When I awoke, I was confused by moving lights, people, rooms, before
being transferred to my hospital bed in Room 3, Mitcham Ward, where my
blood pressure was checked several times during the rest of the night.
I was hooked up to an oxygen dispenser, and still had needles in both
arms, but one of them was blocked off. Morphine was pumped into the
other one when I signified I needed it for pain relief by squeezing a
control button. A drain from my wound area was connected to a bottle.
My voice was hoarse, as result of the anaesthetic tube having been
stuck down my windpipe. I had need to pee into the bottle, lots,
which was rather difficult in the dark.
In the morning, Thursday, my bp was checked again, and Prof Krishnan
visited me and reassured me that the operation had gone very well.
(My cheque was good.) I asked about the possibility of getting
possession of the piece of my thighbone which had been cut off, but
the Prof apologised and said that hospital regulations didn't allow
it. Bother! Dr Stanley also checked on my welfare, and the drain was
removed at about 8am. Without the morphine, I was given oral pain
tablets, but I found that I could not keep down any food for the first
day or so, vomiting twice. During the morning 2 male nurses gave me a
sponge bath in bed. Several medications were tried to combat the
queasiness. As I had my mobile phone, I got text messages from Arlyn,
Jason, Kevin, Lee, Nancy, and phone calls from Rudy and Arlyn. During
the afternoon Kevin and Greg called in, then Nancy and Liz. Finally,
the charming Mellissa, the physio, came. She helped me to get out of
bed and stand on both feet for a while, and showed me some of the
exercises I had to learn to do in bed and out.
Friday, things started to improve gradually, although I was still in
pain, and needing Panadene 4-hourly for that. My breakfast bounced,
so different anti-vomit injections were tried. A male physio
supervised my exercises, which included moving around with a walking
frame, down the passage past the nurses' station. I was assisted to
have a shower, while seated on a toilet raiser. My wound was
bleeding, and soaked the dressing and bed sheets, which had to be
changed, twice. The pain was not too bad, but having to lie on my
back all the time was very uncomfortable. That evening the dinner of
vegetable soup, and spinach dumpling was accompanied by a glass of red
wine, as I had ordered. I kept that down. The lovely blonde Danish
nurse gave me a back rub, and I dreamed of her...
On Saturday, things improved further, and I showered myself. I walked
over 100 metres or so. At 11am I was taken to have a check X-ray,
which everyone was happy with. Dinner of scrambled egg on toast came
with more red wine, and I had my regular pills. The wound kept
leaking, making a mess of the sheets, which had to be changed. The
pain level was bearable, with Panadeine.
Sunday breakfast was porridge and prunes, which worked. Krishnan and I
discussed the X-ray together. The socket was pressed in, and the bone
will grow into it. Two spikes stopped rotation of the socket.
Wednesday departure, as originally scheduled, was approved. Morning
walking went well, and I was instructed on other exercises. The
dinner of French onion soup and beef pie, with a glass of red, was
reasonable, and one of the best served at the hospital.
On Monday I walked some more, with frame, but deliberately increasing
the load on my leg. I also practiced walking with just my stick for
support and steadiness. With Melissa in attendance, I demonstrated my
ability to climb up and down stairs, with my stick. I arranged for
hired walking frame, toilet raiser and bought pickup stick to be
delivered to the hospital next day, for Jason to take home for me.
Kevin visited, and promised to come on Thursday to cook for me. Nancy
came and arranged to take me home on Wednesday.
Tuesday, I prepared for departure next day. The aids were delivered
to my room, and the walking frame height adjusted to suit me.
Departure Day, Wednesday 13th April! Doctors and Katrina in
attendance. I was told I can eat a normal diet (including 2 glasses
of wine) without affecting the Rancef antibiotics, which I have to
take for several days more. The blood thinner, Xarelto, has to
continue for the rest of the 35 days of the course. I was told to
keep walking, but occasionally spend some time lying down. Half the
staples were removed from the 16cm wound, and the dressing replaced.
I was taken in a wheelchair down in the lift to the reception office,
where I had to pay the remaining $5.80 owing on the hospital charge,
and also $10.50 for the medication I was taking. I threatened to give
the few dollars change to the nurses for a tip, but the nurse said
firmly that they didn't take tips. (Then, very quietly, she said, "We
do accept chocolates, though.") Finally, wearing nightgown and
dressing gown, I walked out of the hospital at 10.50am, of course with
photographs of the occasion being taken by Nancy. After being loaded
into her car under the supervision of the nurse, I was taken home by
Nancy by 11.15, and settled in with lunch.
Since then I have worked out a routine, with chairs in front of the
computers and dining table high enough to keep knees no higher than
hips, and a bed likewise. Getting in and out of the high bed is no
problem, and I have worked out techniques for dressing without bending
at the hip too far. A long shoehorn is essential for putting on
shoes. By the end of the first week home I was walking a kilometre
each day, with my stick, and Lee accompanying, and after a few days
more, up to 2 km a day. I can now get to the wine shop and the
supermarket, so life can return to more or less normal.
___ Blue Wave/DOS v2.30 [NR]
--- FLAME v2.0/b
* Origin: Braintap BBS Adelaide Australia (3:800/449)
|