Yes since day before Xmas Eve a continual nightmare. The surgical decision was hard.
Hard as well the 20 hour days. And leaving evidently is to be a protected struggle. Then once home the great battle begins.
I decluttered quite a bit. Not as much as I desired. In doing so somehow I managed to disconnect the Fire TV from operating. Internet works but not on home network. I am sure the task will require a bit of time.
Greetings to y'all. This experience must be completely mind numbing. I don't know how you continue to write from the real belly of the old beast. Is your wife conscious and aware of that is happening? Can you two talk?
Is there anyone there to talk with besides the patient? How are the nurses? Sometimes the nurses, doctors, other staff have a human streak and are worth a conversation.
But hospitals, widely regarded as a place to get well, are built and operated more as prisons - much like our schools and other public spaces. Feel better y'all and get out of there safely!
She is able to converse a bit despite medication and continual staff visits as the spirit moves them. Impossible to discourse with staff. The human streak is present but this is Neurosurgical recovery staff. I engaged this morning at 8:00 AM asking how soon we can go-when will doctor visit, give us prescription and paperwork. Between 9-11 I am told. Then another two hours of bureaucracy at minimum. Nurse said for sure before 3PM. I asked my friend last night to pick us up in AM when I call.
Yes I have been around those NICU specialty units. They are pretty terrifying. Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow then? Wow nerve racking in the extreme. Are things set up for recovery at home? Will there be support? Lots to think and worry about for certain. Those storms hitting CA are pretty epic. We eventually get the disturbances here. The usual warm then cold again roller coaster. Hang in there.
No surgery was Friday. Today she leaves hospital at some point and the recovery begins. For both of us. Living in Kaiser for 240 hours is a life shaping encounter requiring much thought. So far the one big thought is M.D means machine doctor. The patent is trapped by machine data. Everyone consults machine. Follows routine. I think now and then of UPS drivers on time clock with package deliveries or my youth as a night watchman with a clock I keyed at different locations in a factory.
Ah. Thanks for clearing that up. Rather important point. Yes indeed those hospital stays anywhere I believe these days is a life shaping encounter. We seem to have lost whatever plot we may once have had. They can't even live up to the MDieties as in the old Charles Shultz cartoons. Yes those old algorithms and clock mandated times. Make me think of Ada Lovelace accessing the algorithms of the looms in old European cloth factories. Cheerless.
We have been home for 31 hours. I estimate 3 days are required for each day of hospitalization prior to surgery. Post Surgery depends on multiple factors so I estimate 60 days for each day in the Neurosurgery department.
In my view after 200 plus hours of observation hospital is a circle in Dante's hell and Neurosurgery hospitalization or heart hospitalization is a force that crushes mental health and weakens the human subject to the tender mercies of Hirelings.
Exhaustion of the body and brain after 23 days is tremendous. And the only thing I can think of is modern medicine in the 1400's started with corpses and bloodletting. Now we have health plans and hospital care and rhetoric covering up the crazed idea of care. Time clock care. Understaffed and overworked staff. Mostly guest workers after Covid. And given doctor caused death is among the leading causes of dying the recovery takes time at age 80. Less at 40.
Another thought arose as well which turns a sharp knife on the medical process. Kaiser delivers high quality inexpensive care. Judith's surgery out of pocket with no coverage would be about $160,000. They collect premium payments of course to make a profit and grow and invest in more medical buildings and employees and equipment.
In addition there is an overall Dead Hand gripping the throat of care built day by day alongside all "growth" in modernity. Education of staff inculcates and reinforces a proper way of care. Everything is digitally documented. Everything flows from presuppositions about expense and treatment. The doctors are taught, trained, and Employed by using machines. Staff as well. Now the Hospital Administration has a bottom line and is certain "quality care" is delivered by the machine process. This way staff reduction - especially post-Covid - is justifiable. However profit also arises from "medically necessary" treatments justified by agreements with end payees like US government or State government or local
So built into the medical process is first profit centered medical care. Second the employment requirement of following Kaiser rules-if as in Judith's situation veins cannot be sourced for blood draw or IV and considerable pain arises from multiple attempts more attempts are in store even in the case of explanation, begging to stop, bad bruising, and screams. Only in the end after ideology, employment rules, and great failure do employees kick can upstairs to Doctor to decide what next. Next to last night in Hospital with badly bruised arm failing to work nurses try other arm almost as bad -for IV. Over 7 hours -11:00 PM to morning multiple attempts fail and after the first three attempts ended in her screaming like a banshee is it ended. Her daughter managed to make her stay one more day but no IV. Then the fight was daughter wanted Safe and Effective nursing rehab or her house-not home but I won that round.
Sounds like you're going through hell, Bruce. I send a prayer to you and your wife for better days.
Yes since day before Xmas Eve a continual nightmare. The surgical decision was hard.
Hard as well the 20 hour days. And leaving evidently is to be a protected struggle. Then once home the great battle begins.
I decluttered quite a bit. Not as much as I desired. In doing so somehow I managed to disconnect the Fire TV from operating. Internet works but not on home network. I am sure the task will require a bit of time.
However then other tasks too must be done.
No time to do them while she is in Hospital.
Greetings to y'all. This experience must be completely mind numbing. I don't know how you continue to write from the real belly of the old beast. Is your wife conscious and aware of that is happening? Can you two talk?
Is there anyone there to talk with besides the patient? How are the nurses? Sometimes the nurses, doctors, other staff have a human streak and are worth a conversation.
But hospitals, widely regarded as a place to get well, are built and operated more as prisons - much like our schools and other public spaces. Feel better y'all and get out of there safely!
She is able to converse a bit despite medication and continual staff visits as the spirit moves them. Impossible to discourse with staff. The human streak is present but this is Neurosurgical recovery staff. I engaged this morning at 8:00 AM asking how soon we can go-when will doctor visit, give us prescription and paperwork. Between 9-11 I am told. Then another two hours of bureaucracy at minimum. Nurse said for sure before 3PM. I asked my friend last night to pick us up in AM when I call.
Yes I have been around those NICU specialty units. They are pretty terrifying. Her surgery is scheduled for tomorrow then? Wow nerve racking in the extreme. Are things set up for recovery at home? Will there be support? Lots to think and worry about for certain. Those storms hitting CA are pretty epic. We eventually get the disturbances here. The usual warm then cold again roller coaster. Hang in there.
No surgery was Friday. Today she leaves hospital at some point and the recovery begins. For both of us. Living in Kaiser for 240 hours is a life shaping encounter requiring much thought. So far the one big thought is M.D means machine doctor. The patent is trapped by machine data. Everyone consults machine. Follows routine. I think now and then of UPS drivers on time clock with package deliveries or my youth as a night watchman with a clock I keyed at different locations in a factory.
Ah. Thanks for clearing that up. Rather important point. Yes indeed those hospital stays anywhere I believe these days is a life shaping encounter. We seem to have lost whatever plot we may once have had. They can't even live up to the MDieties as in the old Charles Shultz cartoons. Yes those old algorithms and clock mandated times. Make me think of Ada Lovelace accessing the algorithms of the looms in old European cloth factories. Cheerless.
Good to hear how you are doing.
Noticing more comments from you on other Substacks.
Best wishes,
Cairn
We have been home for 31 hours. I estimate 3 days are required for each day of hospitalization prior to surgery. Post Surgery depends on multiple factors so I estimate 60 days for each day in the Neurosurgery department.
Good grief.
Time is the best healer indeed.
Best wishes,
Cairn
In my view after 200 plus hours of observation hospital is a circle in Dante's hell and Neurosurgery hospitalization or heart hospitalization is a force that crushes mental health and weakens the human subject to the tender mercies of Hirelings.
Exhaustion of the body and brain after 23 days is tremendous. And the only thing I can think of is modern medicine in the 1400's started with corpses and bloodletting. Now we have health plans and hospital care and rhetoric covering up the crazed idea of care. Time clock care. Understaffed and overworked staff. Mostly guest workers after Covid. And given doctor caused death is among the leading causes of dying the recovery takes time at age 80. Less at 40.
An obstacle course endurance test.
Is one getting work done on one's body only because an interesting case.
Something for students to observe, like the cadavers of old.
At least they wash their hands now a days.
Another thought arose as well which turns a sharp knife on the medical process. Kaiser delivers high quality inexpensive care. Judith's surgery out of pocket with no coverage would be about $160,000. They collect premium payments of course to make a profit and grow and invest in more medical buildings and employees and equipment.
In addition there is an overall Dead Hand gripping the throat of care built day by day alongside all "growth" in modernity. Education of staff inculcates and reinforces a proper way of care. Everything is digitally documented. Everything flows from presuppositions about expense and treatment. The doctors are taught, trained, and Employed by using machines. Staff as well. Now the Hospital Administration has a bottom line and is certain "quality care" is delivered by the machine process. This way staff reduction - especially post-Covid - is justifiable. However profit also arises from "medically necessary" treatments justified by agreements with end payees like US government or State government or local
So built into the medical process is first profit centered medical care. Second the employment requirement of following Kaiser rules-if as in Judith's situation veins cannot be sourced for blood draw or IV and considerable pain arises from multiple attempts more attempts are in store even in the case of explanation, begging to stop, bad bruising, and screams. Only in the end after ideology, employment rules, and great failure do employees kick can upstairs to Doctor to decide what next. Next to last night in Hospital with badly bruised arm failing to work nurses try other arm almost as bad -for IV. Over 7 hours -11:00 PM to morning multiple attempts fail and after the first three attempts ended in her screaming like a banshee is it ended. Her daughter managed to make her stay one more day but no IV. Then the fight was daughter wanted Safe and Effective nursing rehab or her house-not home but I won that round.
That daughter makes a very difficult situation ten times worse.
What a stress out.