Medical Monday

wow, Monday was a medically involved day.

We started the day back at the hospital for a previously scheduled test. No drama this time, just an upper GI, which for Maggieis a piece of cake. She doesn't even have to drink the stuff. They just put it in her stomach through the feeding tube. Everything seems to be working reasonably well, though I'm sure there's some little surprise awaiting us. The radiologist said he needed to "study" and "analyze" the films thoroughly. I've been around doctors enough to know that means he sees SOMETHING but wants Maggie's own docs to tell me. That's fine, because she's doing perfectly well and any "problem" will be academic only.

We came home and were heading up in the little elevator we have in the back yard. This thing just fits Maggie's wheelchair, but she can't be in it by herself, so I have to squeeze my ample butt in there. It's like a game of twister. I have to stand on tip toes to get the door closed while holding the button to keep the lift moving and I'm leaning across Maggie to do that. It's a slow ride to the deck outside her room. About 1/3 of the way up I heard a noise and watched as her trach popped out of her neck. The thing broke and was completely out and I'm balanced like a wanna be gymnast trying to keep the lift moving. No one else is home, of course.

There are procedures one is supposed to follow when this happens. These procedures are written by people who live in sterile laboratories and have perfect control of every situation. This is not the world I live in. I let go of the button and just shoved the broken trach back into place. Now I had to hold that in place and still get the other 2/3 of the way to the top. I switch hands. (right hand RED!) and contort to make it happen. I now have to get the door open and get her into the house driving the chair with one hand and holding the trach in place with the other. Mission accomplished, again.

If the lab people I described were watching, they would have fainted. We are several standard deviations away from sterile at this point. I knew Maggies' nurse would arrive momentarily and this woman is like clockwork, so I just stood there holding it. Changing the trach and threading a new one takes three hands.I have done it alone, but it's safer not to so I just waited a minute. She arrived right on time and we made the change.

Two hours later the new one broke and we did the whole thing again. This time, though, she was lying in her bed, so the drama wan't there. Maggie loves to yank on the ties that keep the trach in place and has successfully broken several of them. Her pulmonologist says she's his only patient that does this (I couldn't be prouder). The second one probably broke from wear, though, so I cannot blame it on the Magster this time.

We finished the procedure for the second time and headed off to another appointment.

Now, alls quiet on the western front. What excitement awaits us this evening??? Not my problem. I'm going out to dinner with some friends....