Hospitals and Retail Therapy

First, nobody has to be a smarty pants and point out to me this is three posts in less than a week - maybe, just maybe I'm getting the hang of this, at long last. Though when I was in Texas our oldest got me all signed up with 'Facebook' so I could go there....are you kidding me...I've barely figured this out!!! But, who knows, maybe I'll really develop my cyber-skills!!!

Well, yesterday morning my sister and I packed up and headed to the hospital - to get eyes on my grandmother's unfolding situation. Since my brother-in-laws mother is in town, we could go and leave the two year old at home (which allowed my sister the option to make the trip!)...the two year old, Sara, is all about the 'adventure'; but really I'm not sure that any of the rest of us were up for a hospital adventure with her.

After getting in the general vicinity of the community where my grandmother lives/the hospital we stopped for some lunch. Had a nice cuppa soup and half of my hamburger....needed to use the lew before we left....oh my gosh, you could almost see your breath in there is was so cold, it was nutz. I had a little chill, thought it was because it was like Antarctica in that bathroom - so after packing up leftovers from our lunch, be skedaddled to the hospital.

This regional community hospital has 'free' valet parking...and for the record, it really is 'free'!!! Since it literally was freezin' cold yesterday and I'm due for an infusion in just a couple of days, and it really was 'free' we had this fresh faced young man (really, could he possibly have a drivers license???) park my car. As we walked in the front door we glanced up and who should be see walking across the second floor...all of our family walking... So the youngest aunt (a couple of years my senior) waited on us, and guided us to our grandmother's room.

We hung out for about an hour and then she made her entrance. My grandmother is a very dignified, proper woman - I've never heard her utter a curse word, I'm not even sure she knows what they are to even think them! She will wear pants - after all she has been the sole caretaker of the family farmhouse - you know, ladders to climb, cabinets to climb on, gutters to clean....and I'm NOT kidding!!! Well, let's just say, I'm glad that my grandmother probably won't remember yesterday - she was miserable. After a hip replacement they put this giant triangular pillow between your legs to keep your hips in 'proper alignment - this has to feel 'awkward' if not uncomfortable. Add into this she had/has a catheter, had just laid on a hard uncomfortable operating table for several hours, and that she's 94 (hello...94!!!) and has osteoporosis (her picture is by the word in the dictionary) - she had to be uncomfortable. Add to this litany of woes the fact that she is deaf as a door knob without her hearing aides and needs glasses (have I mentioned, she's 94) - she was just generally miserable - and there was no making it better, or convincing her it was going to be better....she just wanted the pillow and catheter gone - and to go home!!! Simple, huh?!?!?!?

I personally, was lobbying hard for some pain meds, from the get go. She may say she's not in 'pain' (that's really hard to believe, since she'd just had her femur sawed on and screwed into) - but if nothing else, she wouldn't be restless. Let's just say the tiny about of medication they gave her - which did knock her out, was barely a whif!!! But, it made her more comfortable - and therefore helped the rest of us feel a little bit better about life - at least for a few minutes.

Throughout these several hours I visited the ladies room several times....let's say the chill I had at the restaurant wasn't entirely because the temperature in there was igloo like. I needed to get going (in more ways than one....my kingdom for a Sprite) - and Amy really wanted to 'hit' the outlet mall that is down there.

So, off we were...only to be weigh laid by the fact that the 'valet' who parked my car was no longer on duty and there was no one else in sight. So, I checked with the lady at the front desk (it was her first day - I'm not kidding, I can't make this stuff up), and eventually she tracked down the right person...of course, there had been a 'change in shifts'!!!

Then it was off to the outlet mall for a little retail therapy!!! My niece is the beneficiary of some really, really cute clothes. Amy bought her daughter her Christmas ensemble complete with hat and purse, her Christmas Eve/morning jammies, and a couple of other cute outfits. I too got Sara some cutie clothes and leggings! And then, Amy and I each got our selves a few things, I got a pretty sweater and a blouse/sweater vest combo...Amy got pants, sweaters, shirts (she needed more clothes than me!).

Finally we headed home - I got my coveted Sprite. As a bonus I was able to buy gas for $1.54/gallon - it almost feels like stealing!!!!

Today - I've been laying low and taking it easy...kind of a nice change of pace.