[misc.handicap] Nadine - Update

Betty.Draughon@p10.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org (Betty Draughon) (12/05/90)

Index Number: 12208

Hi, Gang!

Nadine had surgery this morning on her wrist and the plan had been
to admit her to the hospital overnight, and discharge her on
Saturday morning.  Even though she had general anesthesia, and she
lives alone, they sent her home - without assistance.

I think she will be fine, but light the candles anyway.  It seems
to me that it would be somewhat difficult to check your own blood
sugar, titrate the dosage of insulin and inject yourself with only
one hand usable.  But, perhaps I'm over-reacting.

I'll keep you posted.

                                   Betty

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Pandora.Nigh@f3.n157.z1.fidonet.org (Pandora Nigh) (12/14/90)

Index Number: 12483

   Oh Betty that is terrible, I'm glad she was able to get some help at 
that just drives me nuts that the people that are supposed to understand 
medical problems and prognosis can't be bothered to take responsibility 
for the patient when the are setting them up for home. There is no 
excuse for the doctor, the social service staff, the nursing staff or 
hospital administration for not setting up with VNA for Nadine before 
they released her. I guess we have to be aware and take things into our 
own hands when we get that kind of treatment and ask or call ourselves 
to set up support help. I had a DC a few years ago prior to my 
hysterctomy and Medicare decided that that should be an outpatient 
proceedure. It was a real riot. Ray drove me to the hospital in the 
morning and waited the hour and a half for them to release me. He had to 
go to work and I ended up at home alone. It was terrible, I use my 
stomach muscles for alot of movement and they were so so and spasy I 
couldn't move. I couldn't operate my manual chair because I needed to 
shift weight forward and back with my stomach muscle to get the strength 
to move the chair and I ended up just sitting on the toilet till Ray 
could come over after work. It was terrible. I called my doctor and told 
him if they thought I was going to have a hysterctomy as an outpatient 
surgery they were nuts. He assuered me that it wouldn't be and he kept 
his word, he also arranged for me to stay longer than they considered 
the "proper time" so I could be in semidecent shape to go home. Boy have 
I learned to be cautious about that.
                                   Pandora

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Betty.Draughon@p10.f1.n360.z1.fidonet.org (Betty Draughon) (01/23/91)

Index Number: 13114

Cross-posted from the Coffee Club

G'Mawning...

Spoke to Nadine last night and here is the update I promised.  She
was too sick to go to the doctor on Friday from the lupus.  So, she
has made another appointment for Wednesday.

She will see three doctors that day:  Her regular physician who
treats her lupus; her ophthalmologist who will check her eye and
retina; and the orthopedist who will see what he can do with her
hand.  That should wipe her out for the rest of the week.

She tried to read a little of her mail and answer some of it
yesterday, and the pain was so bad she had to stop.  She can no
longer read her monitor without her glasses.  She fears that the
sight is going in that eye.

A neighbor across the street has an old tri-cart that he is
allowing her to use.  She hates the loss of independence, and the
tri-cart is also too small for her, but it DOES help her in moving
her around.  She needs a new one that is large enough for her, but
the agencies all say that they can't buy her a tricart.  It's not
in their budget.

Somebody out there must have the funds to do this, but the question
is who?  Which agency has $2500 they can spend to make life easier
for her?

Just thought you'd want to know.  Keep the candles burning...

                                             Betty

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