One PCA who'd been away for three weeks on vacation was back. She's very bubbly and friendly so she was missed. Another PCA was collecting for a baby shower gift for the PG PCA and asked me to sign the card and if I wanted to contribute. I did. I'm not sure if I'll make the party since I may be home with the kids.
The MDS lady, PT G, was still there, and didn't seem hopeful about leaving the next day. She seemed somewhat out of it again ("woofy" as she calls it). I sat with her and she talked. This time she told me a lot about her family - the social worker had made her get in touch with her brother, despite MDS lady's protestations. She gets along fine with her brother, but he's not nearby and is not someone who will be able to deal with affairs in her house and so forth.
Her family - her brother married three times, first time to a girl he got PG in high school. They had four children. He then married another woman, but they were not together very long. He married another woman, with whom he had a son who is a good kid now in the navy (having completed college). They separated because he longed to move to Las Vegas and stop having to deal with NE winters. She wanted to stay put, near her family. Conveniently, she was diagnosed with cancer and died shortly after, thus ending the marriage. PT G (MDS lady) had got along fine with all of these women, and children. The problem was her mother, who sounded like a difficult woman. She'd never liked wife no. 1 and had also not engaged with those grandchildren. The father just went along with this, despite of whatever opinion or feelings he may have had. The mother died of lung cancer around 10 years or so, which, said PT G, was fortunate since no one would have wanted to take care of her if she'd died after the father. The father also died about 3 years later. The upshot is, PT G is relying on her friend and her husband for assistance. However, there'll be a problem soon since her friend has to have surgery which will limit her movements.
The social worker is working with PT G to find a rehab facility near her home. Seems like the doctors and the SW are beginning to come up with a plan for ongoing care.
I also visited with PT K, who had gone home. He'd returned early that morning having spent the previous day on a different floor and prior to that 17 hours in the ER. He'd been at his rehab place when they got a call with blood culture results: one was positive for some kind of infection. He was ambivalent about going to the ER about this, since, in his experience this would be due to his catheter and would probably go away with no serious consequences. He was thus annoyed with himself since he allowed himself to be "brow-beaten" into going. Since he wasn't acute or a trauma PT, he'd spent 17 hours in the ER waiting for a room, then he was on the wrong floor (orthopedic) where they didn't understand his meds. Finally he gets to the oncho floor, by which time he learns that the result was erroneous and due to contamination. He was due for some more chemo by now, so he was staying put for a few days.
It seemed like the PT in the first room - nearest the station and always occupied by the most sick/needy PT is now occupied by a youngish man who is dying of cancer. He was very nice, but from time to time moans in pain when sitting on his commode.
I also helped PT G's roommate, a Russian Jew, PT T. She has her own food. She's kosher, but doesn't want the hospital food (they supply kosher food). She has bowls of soup one of which I heat up for her.
Back in the first room I met PT G, there's a sweet lady next to the window having breathing treatment. I joke with her that it looks like she's smoking something sketchy. She's in good spirits.
I go into a contact room to see PT M who is not A and O x3 - he knows who he is but not where or when. He's having trouble eating. I try to get him to eat his breakfast, but he won't.
I'm not able to say goodbye to PT G before I leave since I have to leave the room when her doctor comes.
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