Patient patients


Had a busy day yesterday, bopping back and forth between Mom and Jo-Ann. Alex and I did our paper route an hour early so I had time to get into Windsor and pick up Jo-Ann for her 8:30 a.m. appointment.

The biopsy ward was extremely crowded and things kept backing up.  The nurses were raiding other wards for more beds, and calling management for more staff as many had stayed over, past their shifts, to help out with the overload. This is what Michael Moore didn't film about the Canadian health care system. It's always in crisis. Reminds me of how we make cars.

The first good news of the day was that Jo-Ann's liver was okay. No need even for a biopsy as more x-rays didn't show the spot that was on the first one. It was an artifact, maybe a flare from cosmic radiation.

But the biopsy of the adrenal gland over her kidney was a problem.  Using ultrasound to guide the needle didn't work, because her spleen was in the way. So after a couple of attempts they sent her over to the cat scan department for a more detailed look for a route to the node in question. Eventually they got there, poking the 15 inch needle through her back. After two hours of post op observation they let her go home at 6 pm.  She gets the results next Wednesday.

Mom experienced an even longer day. There were so many emergency surgeries at Hotel Dieu that late in the afternoon she was transferred to Met, the other hospital in Windsor, and she made it into their operating room at 9 pm. Forty-five minutes later she had a stainless steel hip. By midnight she was out of recovery and back upstairs in her new bed.

Talked to Jo-Ann this morning and she can't walk more than a few steps. Her nurse had warned her it would be difficult for a day or so.

On my way in to see Mom as soon as I finish this. When Dad had his hip replacement he didn't remember it the next day. I'm told they've improved the anesthetics since then.

Posted: Sat - November 3, 2007 at 12:51 PM          

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