More Moaning

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Another night of worrying and fretting. Which is frustrating as yesterday itself was the most normal feeling day in a long time. I stopped by the hospital around 6pm, and the first thing the nurse said to me was that dad fell the previous night. He had woken up at 2am and bailed out of bed. The bed alarm had gone off, but the nurse was helping someone else and couldn't get to him in time. (Again, no injuries.) Why was I finding out about it at 6pm... 14 hours after the fact?  I guess it has become so common place that there's no need to call and let me know.

I do realize that we are fortunate in Canada to not have to worry about medical bills... of all my worries, that is not one of them. Though I cannot help but feel that you get what you pay for. There has been no continuity of care. That was evident in the pill mix up. I have found myself explaining our situation over and over ... and that dad cannot fall, please ensure that he doesn't.  No, our medical system is not perfect by any means, but at least we have something.  I suppose.

When I arrived there last night, they were putting him to bed at 6pm. Huh? No wonder he is waking up wide awake at 2 am... he has had 8 hours of sleep and ready to get on with the day.

I have not been introduced to the social worker on this floor. After the social worker on the 4th floor reassured me there would be progress meetings with all the staff etc when I met up with her three weeks ago. I saw her once. I have not laid eyes on the social worker on the 5th floor. I have so many questions. As in... what do we do if he can't leave on the 31st (etc)! I cannot postpone my life any longer. I have given notice on my place, my bags are (mostly) packed... I am ready to go. If we have to change plans again, I hardly have any time left to shuffle things around. Again.  I guess we're still at 'taking things a day at a time'. I'm getting pro at that, if nothing else.

3pm update...

Spoke with dad's OT this afternoon and she said dad is doing really well... he is walking with one hand assistance.  I would not know any of this if I did not ask, as every time I visit, he has been sound asleep.  4pm on Sunday, 6pm on Monday and 1.30pm on Tuesday.  I have asked the nurse to keep him awake tonight till at least 9pm... try to get him back into a regular sleep schedule.  At this rate, he can babysit for all my friend's children, as that is the other segement of the population who sleep and day and play all night!