S.Clay Coming Home This Week
Weirdos in the hospital!
It’s been a harrowing 2 1/2 weeks. One in the ICU, where it took everything to convince the rude doctor to even TRY to bother saving his life. He didn’t want to send a probe into his stomach to find out why he bled in there. After only two days, he strolled in and said “We shouldn’t even put in a feeding tube. He’s DYING, so why prolong the inevitable?”
He said that in front of Wilson, who understands what is said. I was FURIOUS.
And to ME, with no gentility nor preparation. I told him it’s not a conversation in which Wilson can participate, since he can’t speak. We will NOT scare him like that!
I fought for him every day in that unit, where many mistakes took place…..then went home and collapsed.
Before he was moved upstairs, out of the ICU, he had the probe performed. He has an eroding esophagus, and of course, terrible lung congestion which they suctioned. It’s considerably better but not perfect. They removed the feeding tube, and he’s eating bland puréed food & thickened water. He has some dangerous swallowing issues, but we hope to move on to finely chopped food soon.
But we have been LAUGHING a lot! Yesterday Rena showered him in the deluxe bathroom in his room. I trimmed his 2-week whisker buildup, then shaved him. He looks beautiful, and was so happy with all the attention he was positively beaming. He looked at Rena so adoringly while she dried his hair we both laughed…”He’s NEVER looked at me like that” she said, acting annoyed but secretly pleased. It bordered on the bizarre, actually. He was virtually SWOONING, looking up at her, while I took pictures. I’ll post them just as soon as I figure out how to use the new phone.
This afternoon, at around 1 o’clock, I happened to ask when they planned to discharge him.
“Oh…in about 45 minutes” said the Case Manager.
WHAT? I was home, doing a few things before going to the hospital. They’d have driven past me! We need a new hospital bed, groceries, and some extra organizing…like removing the beds we’ve got in there, and rearranging things! Another nightmare. Now I’m hoping he’ll be discharged on Thursday morning, and we’ll be ready. But I won’t know til later in the morning.
Wish us luck! It’s going to be challenging to lift Wilson in a sling, and swing him into a chair…then back again. He is extremely frail now, but with the right equipment I’m hoping for the best. I look forward to having him back home…where love resides. I’ve gone to check on him in the night many times, forgetting he’s in the hospital.
I miss having him here at home so much.
P.S. The photos are from yesterday. Wilson is in the book (and on the cover) by Jon B. Cooke. Other artists included have been taking selfies with the book, and posting them on Cooke’s Facebook page. I wanted to have Wilson join in this tradition, even though he’s in a hospital gown! The one wearing shades looked a bit too “Weekend at Bernie’s”, so I’ve added ones that show his beautiful Baby Blues.
