Tuesday, July 15, 2008

(Tell Me Why) I Don't Like Mondays....

My apologies to the Boomtown Rats... But I've gotta tell ya, I've had better days. Lou got rushed to the hospital and is in ICU. She has a ton of problems going on with her and I got a phone call at work today from Terri who was bawling and said that Lou was taking a turn for the worst. I went numb. I got in my car and drove over there. I went into the ICU and was expecting to see a very grim and bleak scene. To my relief, I saw Lou with her eyes open, awake, and alert. They told me that her blood pressure was in the toilet but when I looked at it for myself, I was feeling a bit better. She has got a real long road to go... dialysis, removing fluid from her, and they've made the decision that she's now going to have to lose her other leg too... This whizzes... but I'm trying to keep my thought process on the fact that she can still have a quality of life if they can treat her other issues... Lots of things going on with her... Say a prayer if you could, okay? Thanks. Terri is still trying to deal with her own chemo treatment and couldn't go to the hospital and was torn apart over it... But her immune system is so compromised, that she couldn't afford to catch anything hospital-borne... But I went over and kept her updated. It's wierd. I'm frustated a little bit because it always seems that crap like this happens around my birthday. Let's see... Lou nearly exits stage left in ICU. The anniversary of my dad's passing is tomorrow (wednesday). And here I sit, another year older and sitting in an intesive care unit watching one sister fight for her life and then I see my other sister battle at her home for a shot at life... It's tempting to feel sorry for myself... But I know that my sisters would give me a big crap-burger if I did.... here's a perfect example of Lou letting me know that she's still got plenty of life in her....
The scenario: I'm visiting with her in the morning and I step out so that the nurse's aide can help her with a bath. I'm sitting in the waiting room and Lou's best friend Nan shows up. I talk with Nan and I don't see my kid sister Angie walk by and head into the unit. After a little while, I let Nan go in to the ICU to check on Lou. She sees Angie and they proceed to have the following conversation (as related to me by Angie):

Nan: Hi Angie
Angie: Hi Nan
Nan: So Lou, are you feeling better?
Lou: Mmmm... no, I still hurt. And I'm hungry! Get me some food...
Angie Don't worry Lou, lunch will be here soon...
Lou: Okay, so Nan, where's my brother?
Nan: He's out in the waiting room.
Lou (to Angie): go get him and tell him I said to get his a** in here.
Angie: Uhhhhhh....
Lou: He said he was here to visit me but he's out there and that's just bullsh**
Angie (shaking like jello, trying not to laugh out loud): okay Lou....
Nan (jaw aptly dropped and could not get words out)

Even the nurses were cracking up about that one... I've got more hope for her at the end of the day than I did at the start.... thanks to her busting my chops.

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