Bedside Manor

When I am out here with Mom, I consider her hospital room my home away from home.  We camp out with our computers, books, and yarn.  We usually eat in the cafeteria and for the most part, just stay put!  But today, Cathy and I got out and went shopping for a gift for Mom for Mother's Day.  I don't think we have ever done that before.  We found something fast and both of us knew it was the right thing immediately.  We texted Cheryl, got her approval, and were out of the store within 15 minutes.  We did good!

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While we were out I told her about something funny that happened at the hospital today:

I was in the room with Mom and one of her nurses.  The nurse said to me, "When the doctors come in, ask them if they would take out the sutures from around there so that I can do this other thing a little easier."  (That isn't exactly what she said, but no need to go into detail on this story.)  I wasn't clear on her terminology, so I wrote down exactly what she said, read it back to her, and she said, "Right."

Dr. B. is a very good surgeon.  Everyone tells us this.  But he does not have much to say.  Today when he made his rounds he brought an entourage with him of about 37 (maybe it was only 8) doctors-in-training and they all came in our little room to check on Mom.  After he had said all he was going to say, I asked my well-rehearsed question.  "Dr. B, the nurse wonders if you could take out the sutures from around there so that she can take care of Mom better."

And all 38 doctors just stared at me.  It was very quiet in the room and I heard the clock make a few ticks.  I looked down at my notes and asked the question again.  You would have thought I was speaking Chinese.  He really had no idea what I was talking about.  Neither did I.  I was just asking for the nurse.  Then one of the doctors-in-training spoke up and explained Mom's surgery to her surgeon and he proceeded to tell me that the nurse needed more training and that, no, he would not be removing the sutures.

Which is fine with me and fine with Mom.

And that is the last time I will relay questions in foreign languages I don't understand to doctors who don't have much to say.

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I took this photo last week while Daryl and I were working in the garden.  I just love the little garden ball.  And I like this picture because I can see myself and Daryl in the reflection of it.

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Hope you had a happy Cinco de Mayo!