Hearing Bells

Nurses are used to hearing lots of bells and buzzers. When patients push their call button, a sound alerts the staff to come give assistance. When the IV bag needs replaced, another sound emits to alert the nurse to the situation. Monitors on patients go off when something goes a bit off there as well.

It has been so strange, sitting by my Mom's hospital bed, as I'm not a nurse there. She has nurses and aides and respiratory therapists and surgical staff to take care of her. My role has been that of a family member. 

It doesn't stop me from feeling like I need to answer everyone else's call light, though! I was sitting out in the waiting area and the elevator made that ding sound to announce it's arrival. 

Just like Pavlov's dogs, I felt the need to respond...not by drooling, though.

I think I'd feel better if I could do some of the nursing things for my Mom. She is, however, receiving great nursing care. I am so very grateful for those who have helped her. In fact, I am full of gratitude for all the medical care available to us. Really. She has been well cared for and will soon be home recovering.

Get well Mom!

Seeing Red

Before we begin, maybe I'd better provide a disclaimer.  This is kind of a nurse post.  You may as well know, nurses are not always appropriate.  It isn't our fault.  We are trained that way.


Nurses have to chart EVERYTHING about their patients.  We chart a lot about potty and poop.  I know, it's personal.  Have you ever been hospitalized? Well, I don't want to creep you out but somewhere there is likely a chart about how much you urinated and how many bowel movements (bm) you had.  Sometimes there is even descriptions regarding size, color, consistency.  I'm not kidding.  

Are you getting nervous?  If so, feel free to quit reading right now.  I don't want to damage anyone.

OK.  Anyone still reading?

First, let me start with a food review:

These chips are yummy!  Mike & I munched on them on a recent picnic.  The bag contains orange chips made from sweet potatoes.  It also has red chips made from beets.  I was proud of Mike for tasting one of the red chips as he is not a lover of beets.  I DO love beets!  The chips certainly do taste like their originating vegetables so it wasn't a surprise that Mike didn't so much enjoy the beet chips.  I did not mind that Mike gave me all the red chips to eat.  I thought they were delicious!

Several hours after the picnic, long after the taste of the chips were gone from my mouth, I experienced a worrisome symptom.  I wasn't sure what to make of the red color in the toilet bowl.  Surmising I likely had bladder cancer I am just glad that I hadn't already made a doctor's appointment.  Yep.  Once the beets were through my system everything returned to normal.