In NO - OT

Just got finished typing a looooong note and this stupid laptop keeps
losing it (or maybe they're all being posted - if so I'm sorry). My
daughter and SIL are taking the opportunity to go home, get cleaned
up, and get fresh clothes to bring back up while I'm here with
Brooke. We're trying to get her out of bed and involved with
something, but she seems a bit down and doesn't want to get out of
bed.

The staff here are great, but the hospital itself is still showing
signs of Katrina - like missing baseboard and the walls at the floor
still show water marks. Hopefully that's just cosmetic.

They still haven't given us a diagnosis - they're supposed to tell us
something tonight. Poor baby has been put through the wringer - given
every test in the books. This morning she had a gallium test (that's
supposed to give info down to the cellular level. I have to say
they're leaving no stone unturned in getting all the medical info you
could possibly have.

I'll try to check back in tonight as soon as we have some
information.

For those who sent cards, thank you so much - she is getting the
biggest kick out of getting cards from all over the world.

Hugs,

CatNipped

On Feb 6, 12:20*pm, wrote:
Just got finished typing a looooong note and this stupid laptop keeps
losing it (or maybe they're all being posted - if so I'm sorry). *My
daughter and SIL are taking the opportunity to go home, get cleaned
up, and get fresh clothes to bring back up while I'm here with
Brooke. *We're trying to get her out of bed and involved with
something, but she seems a bit down and doesn't want to get out of
bed.

The staff here are great, but the hospital itself is still showing
signs of Katrina - like missing baseboard and the walls at the floor
still show water marks. *Hopefully that's just cosmetic.

They still haven't given us a diagnosis - they're supposed to tell us
something tonight. *Poor baby has been put through the wringer - given
every test in the books. *This morning she had a gallium test (that's
supposed to give info down to the cellular level. *I have to say
they're leaving no stone unturned in getting all the medical info you
could possibly have.

I'll try to check back in tonight as soon as we have some
information.

For those who sent cards, thank you so much - she is getting the
biggest kick out of getting cards from all over the world.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Lori -- watch her for any signs of infection.... low grade fever, more
pain than expected, depression, not wanting to move around a lot...
when my son had major surgery he wound up with a couple of abcesses
that the drs/nurses didn't catch right away. In fact, we wound up
back in the ER a couple weeks later because of that. Stay on top of
them to be sure she's healing right.

other than that, spoil her rotten does she have an ipod yet? a
cell phone of her own? maybe just sneak a couple of her friends
in.... get her mind off what's going on and try to encourage her to
have some fun.

Best of luck to you all -- purrayers and prayers headed your way from
Michigan!

sara

On Feb 6, 12:55*pm, hopitus wrote:
On Feb 6, 10:20*am, wrote:



Just got finished typing a looooong note and this stupid laptop keeps
losing it (or maybe they're all being posted - if so I'm sorry). *My
daughter and SIL are taking the opportunity to go home, get cleaned
up, and get fresh clothes to bring back up while I'm here with
Brooke. *We're trying to get her out of bed and involved with
something, but she seems a bit down and doesn't want to get out of
bed.

The staff here are great, but the hospital itself is still showing
signs of Katrina - like missing baseboard and the walls at the floor
still show water marks. *Hopefully that's just cosmetic.

They still haven't given us a diagnosis - they're supposed to tell us
something tonight. *Poor baby has been put through the wringer - given
every test in the books. *This morning she had a gallium test (that's
supposed to give info down to the cellular level. *I have to say
they're leaving no stone unturned in getting all the medical info you
could possibly have.

I'll try to check back in tonight as soon as we have some
information.

For those who sent cards, thank you so much - she is getting the
biggest kick out of getting cards from all over the world.

Hugs,

CatNipped

I hope you don't mind another insight but re tests: I agree, the more,
the
better diagnoses.
What I wanted to tell you is no big secret from anybody: kids, even
big
ones like Brooke, look at "tests" - even gallium scans - completely
diff
than we do. To us, certain tests may be thought of as "terrifying" as
they
may give us some *very bad news" about what ails us. I learned early
on
at the pedi hospital I worked at that kids' #1 worry/concern is: will
it
hurt? If so, how bad?!!! Not the results, the test itself. Luckily
most of
tests I did and went on around my area of work might have at worst
been
"obnoxious" (drinking barium, getting injection of contrast with
small
needle) but not really "painful" so the kids rarely feared me or my
work
room unless they were toddlers. You can't reason with toddlers, so
many times we had to restrain them (and parents were welcome to do
do for us if they wished to). Parents were always welcome during the
tests, unless pregnant (radiation). No aprons for mothers-to-be. Your
granddaughter is old enough to be worried about the results, but keep
what I say above in mind.
The docs may allow you (above childbearing age, excuse me) to go with
her for some of the tests, if any more.
I am sure she is happy to have you near now.

You are so right about a kids first concern being will it hurt/what
will happen. I remember when I was in the hospital as a kid a few
times and they were running tests. I always wanted to know exactly
what was going to happen, how long it was going to take, would it
hurt. In particular I remember having to have a brain scan done - you
are injected with a radioactive isotope of some kind and then a huge
thing is put just a hairs breadth from your nose. Of course that made
me worry about different thing - was the radiation dangerous - I was
old enough to know about radiation, would it make me feel funny (it
didn't), and how much did the thing that was going to be over my head
weigh. Once I found I how much it weighed, I worried about how well it
was held up and was it going to fall on my head and smush me (it
didn't )

I was always worried about my comfort and my safety. The hospital stay
with the brain scan was when I was a teenager,so pretty close in age
to you niece to give you an idea of how a kid worries about medical
stuff. The unkknown is just scary.

hope your niece starts feeling better.

Bridget - also posting from a hospital room. Free internet in the
hospital is a lifesaver. It has kept me occupied and connected this
week. Nothing serious, just running tests, but I am tired of being in
a hospital bed no matter how nice they are to me. I go home tomorrow.
Hallelluia.

On Fri, 6 Feb 2009 20:15:55 -0800 (PST), Bridget
wrote:

You are so right about a kids first concern being will it hurt/what
will happen. I remember when I was in the hospital as a kid a few
times and they were running tests. I always wanted to know exactly
what was going to happen, how long it was going to take, would it
hurt.

I completely agree with this. My mom was very careful about this sort
of thing. I remember when we were kids she would find out from the
doctors (more usually, the nurses) what exactly would be done to us.
Then she'd explain it to us - as in, they're going to take your arm
and put a needle in to take a little blood, and it might pinch or hurt
a little when the needle goes in, but you don't have to look, and it's
only going to take a few seconds, etc etc etc. Doing it that way has
passed on to the later generations - even explaining it to a little
kid that you think might not really understand (they sure seem to,
though). It certainly seems to help!



Jeanne Hedge

============
http://www.jhedge.com

Bridget wrote:

You are so right about a kids first concern being will it hurt/what
will happen. I remember when I was in the hospital as a kid a few
times and they were running tests. I always wanted to know exactly
what was going to happen, how long it was going to take, would it
hurt.

Ha - kids? *I* want to know all those things, too! I'm usually less
worried about "will it hurt" but that's only because I haven't had to
have any painful tests or procedures in a long time.

But I always want to know what they're going to do, when they're going
to do it, why they're doing it, and - a big one - how long it's going
to take. Medical professionals generally don't talk to patients while
they're doing their work. They don't even tell me what my blood pressure
or temperature is, I almost always have to ask. Don't they think patients
are interested in that information?? What happened to the "inform the
patient" movement that was happening in some medical circles some years
ago?

In particular I remember having to have a brain scan done - you
are injected with a radioactive isotope of some kind and then a huge
thing is put just a hairs breadth from your nose. Of course that made
me worry about different thing - was the radiation dangerous - I was
old enough to know about radiation, would it make me feel funny (it
didn't), and how much did the thing that was going to be over my head
weigh. Once I found I how much it weighed, I worried about how well it
was held up and was it going to fall on my head and smush me (it
didn't )

Eek! I would be a bit nervous about that, too.

Bridget - also posting from a hospital room. Free internet in the
hospital is a lifesaver. It has kept me occupied and connected this
week. Nothing serious, just running tests, but I am tired of being in
a hospital bed no matter how nice they are to me. I go home tomorrow.
Hallelluia.

Glad you're going home tomorrow! Have you had a service kitty with you
this time?

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

Jeanne Hedge wrote:
I completely agree with this. My mom was very careful about this sort
of thing. I remember when we were kids she would find out from the
doctors (more usually, the nurses) what exactly would be done to us.
Then she'd explain it to us - as in, they're going to take your arm
and put a needle in to take a little blood, and it might pinch or hurt
a little when the needle goes in, but you don't have to look, and it's
only going to take a few seconds, etc etc etc. Doing it that way has
passed on to the later generations - even explaining it to a little
kid that you think might not really understand (they sure seem to,
though). It certainly seems to help!

I spent a lot of time in hospital as a child, after I developed type I
diabetes at the age of 5. I was never afraid of the insulin injections
(although the needles were HYOOGE back then) but I was scared witless of
having blood drawn from the elbow. I feel sorry now to think of Mum and
the lab nurses who had to deal with me. I used to kick up such a fight,
screaming and crying. Even to this day, I can't watch when they draw
blood, which is pretty silly considering I inject myself some 5-6 times
a day and take my BG from my fingertips several times a day. You'd think
I'd be used to it after 39 years of regular blood tests from the elbow, too!

--
Marina, Miranda and Caliban.
In loving memory of Frank and Nikki.

Marina wrote:
Jeanne Hedge wrote:
I completely agree with this. My mom was very careful about this
sort of thing. I remember when we were kids she would find out from
the doctors (more usually, the nurses) what exactly would be done to
us. Then she'd explain it to us - as in, they're going to take your
arm and put a needle in to take a little blood, and it might pinch
or hurt a little when the needle goes in, but you don't have to
look, and it's only going to take a few seconds, etc etc etc. Doing
it that way has passed on to the later generations - even explaining
it to a little kid that you think might not really understand (they
sure seem to, though). It certainly seems to help!

I spent a lot of time in hospital as a child, after I developed type I
diabetes at the age of 5. I was never afraid of the insulin injections
(although the needles were HYOOGE back then) but I was scared witless
of having blood drawn from the elbow. I feel sorry now to think of
Mum and the lab nurses who had to deal with me. I used to kick up such a
fight, screaming and crying. Even to this day, I can't watch when
they draw blood, which is pretty silly considering I inject myself some
5-6
times a day and take my BG from my fingertips several times a day. You'd
think I'd be used to it after 39 years of regular blood tests from
the elbow, too!

I really hate injections which is why I'm well overdue for a tetenus (sp)
shot. When it comes to have blood taken I've no problem with that at all,
I've had a few bllod tests in my life and donated blood more than 60 times.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk

On Feb 7, 7:49*pm, hopitus wrote:
the noise you hear as a patient
sounds exactly
like that of a video game!

Dave swore blind it sounded like a "Hawkwind" gig in the MRI scanner-
indeed he found himself thinking things like "Could do with a bit more
bass there". He liked it so much the technician left him in there a
bit longer because he could see he was enjoying it

Lesley

Slave of the Fabulous Furballs

Adrian wrote:

I really hate injections which is why I'm well overdue for a tetenus (sp)
shot. When it comes to have blood taken I've no problem with that at all,
I've had a few bllod tests in my life and donated blood more than 60 times.

That's interesting. So it's not needles that you hate, but having something
injected into you? Do you know what that's about?

I'm impressed that you've given blood 60 times. I gave blood once and had
a terrible reaction - sudden blood-sugar drop that made me really sick for
about 90 minutes - so I've been reluctant to try again. And yes, I had
eaten a full meal prior to donating. The nurse there was convinced I was
having an anxiety attack, so all I was given was a paper bag to breathe
into. Didn't help at all. I was on the verge of blacking out the entire
time, except that I was already lying down, so I just kind of stayed in
that state. I couldn't sit up, had no strength, I just had to lie there in
a cold sweat. Ugh. Finally, someone thought to give me some actual food,
and within a few minutes, miraculously, I was able to leave. But I've been
afraid to donate blood ever since.

Maybe it's time to rethink that fear! I can bring my own snacks.

--
Joyce ^..^

(To email me, remove the X's from my user name.)

wrote:
Adrian wrote:

I really hate injections which is why I'm well overdue for a tetenus
(sp) shot. When it comes to have blood taken I've no problem with
that at all, I've had a few bllod tests in my life and donated blood
more than 60 times.

That's interesting. So it's not needles that you hate, but having
something injected into you? Do you know what that's about?

All the injections I can remember have been painful, especially tetanus,
maybe because they were into muscle I don't remember any intravenous.
--
Adrian (Owned by Snoopy, Bagheera & Shadow)
Cats leave pawprints on your heart
http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk