# What's going on



## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, I felt that the regulars deserved to know why I'm absent so much in recent weeks. 

My husband is quite ill. There is no diagnosis yet but what they're thinking is attention getting. And not in a good way. 

I do check in each morning, so far. I guess I didn't this morning because I had to call 911.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Robin, I am so sorry for all you've been going through lately! I will be praying for the doctors to have wisdom to find correct answers and treatable outcomes for your hubby. I know you don't know me, but if you need a listening and supportive ear pls don't hesitate to message me.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Of course I know you, maybe I've never met you in person but the interaction on this forum says so much about someone. And I'm liable to take you up on that offer once more is known. 

His sis is coming up on Monday so there will be that backup for a bit.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Thank you! I'm glad you are going to have family to come and be with you both!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Robin, I'm sorry. Will send prayers for your hubby and you. Glad you have family members that can chip in.


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## dawg53 (Aug 25, 2015)

Robin. You, like me and most likely others in this forum could write a book about stress. I'll say a prayer for you.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Robin,my thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband.


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

Keeping both you and Hubby in my prayers! So sorry that he is having serious health problems. You are so dedicated that when you are absent we know it is something serious and important. Focus on both Hubby and yourself, and keep us posted when you can, but certainly don't stress about things over here!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Thank you everyone. I have nothing new to report except that he is receiving good support in the hospital. Weekends really suck for things like this. 

This forum can be an escape when the world we actually live in is trying to break us. 

You all don't know the full goings on but dawg hit on it about the stress. And yes, it's a good thing someone is coming to lend a hand because after so much time dealing with this has certainly taken a toll. And I'm not 20 any more.


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

Whenever I see you posting a fresh post in here, I'm hoping that you finally solved this medical problem. Many of us really care, so keep us posted.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Yup. This is a good place for a break from stress. Just like hanging outside with your chickens.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

seminolewind said:


> Yup. This is a good place for a break from stress. Just like hanging outside with your chickens.


Poor birds, they're getting the bare necessities at this point. Same with the dogs, the cats don't really care.


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## zamora (May 26, 2015)

I'm sorry to be the 'last to chime in' but I don't get on the computer every day. I'll put you and your hubby on the prayer list and will be hoping that everything works out for the better for you all.


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## CFAdmin (Dec 16, 2015)

robin416 said:


> OK, I felt that the regulars deserved to know why I'm absent so much in recent weeks.
> 
> My husband is quite ill. There is no diagnosis yet but what they're thinking is attention getting. And not in a good way.
> 
> I do check in each morning, so far. I guess I didn't this morning because I had to call 911.


So they think he's faking it if I read that correctly?

That's nonsense if that's the case. I hope the Docs realize that and take of your husband.

My ex had an issue and everyone thought she was chasing painkillers. Turned out a Dentist left something in her mouth, a huge chunk of resin and that was causing all the issues.

Sometimes I swear...

Regardless I'll keep you guys in my thoughts.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

The first hospital wouldn't do squat. I could not ask for better care in the one he's in now. 

I've got a glass of wine in front of me at the moment so forgive me if I sound weird. Any way, I'm home for the evening. And thank you Zamoro for the kind thoughts. 

I'm waiting on his sister to find her way to our place. Hope she makes it, after a glass of wine it might be rough going to find her.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm so glad he's in a good place now , Robin! I'm sure the wine is much needed right now. I know it will help you relax a little.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Yeppers, it is doing that. And bonus, I'm having a good visit with the SIL.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Awesome! I'm glad she made it so you don't have to go find her.


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## CFAdmin (Dec 16, 2015)

robin416 said:


> The first hospital wouldn't do squat. I could not ask for better care in the one he's in now.
> 
> I've got a glass of wine in front of me at the moment so forgive me if I sound weird. Any way, I'm home for the evening. And thank you Zamoro for the kind thoughts.
> 
> I'm waiting on his sister to find her way to our place. Hope she makes it, after a glass of wine it might be rough going to find her.


You earned that glass of wine so no worries.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

Omg Robin I didn't even noticed this post until just now. I'm so sorry that you and your husband are having a difficult time. And you even took the time to chime in on my posts the past couple of days. I really appreciate that you did that. But you just focus on keeping your sanity and getting you and your husband through these tough times


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## havasu (Jun 21, 2012)

...and keep that wine flowing!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

That bottle of wine has been in my fridge for a year. I went out and got it when the doc realized that statins and I don't get along. Until now I never got around to opening it.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

chickenmommy said:


> Omg Robin I didn't even noticed this post until just now. I'm so sorry that you and your husband are having a difficult time. And you even took the time to chime in on my posts the past couple of days. I really appreciate that you did that. But you just focus on keeping your sanity and getting you and your husband through these tough times


This forum gives me a break from that stress. I don't have to do much physical, just a bit of typing and I so enjoy reading about the success' happening here.


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## chickenmommy (Apr 30, 2013)

All of us appreciate you joining us n here robin!! Your like our momma hen


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Ahhh, thanks.


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Robin's been a very special person for a long time. It's easy to support her at this time.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

OK, do you want to join me on the magic carpet ride? I'm not sure any of you have seen this side of me yet. I do know others have.

Hubs has been on a ventilator since last Sunday. They removed the tube two days ago. I walked in the room just after they performed the procedure. His nurse is sitting there just outside of his room. I walk in and know immediately something is wrong, former respiratory tech here, I go back out and tell her to get the pulmonologist back ASAP. She says she would call him. Several minutes later still no doc and hubs is struggling. I go out again and tell her to get him, did she try again I don't know. Then the SIL went out. Finally he shows up, tells me things are fine. Then hubs does what I was seeing and doc goes, we need to re-intubate. 

They wander off to set up for the intubation and the hub's O2 sensor starts alarming. The thing does this on a regular basis so SIL and I check to make sure one of us hadn't irritated it. Nope. I'm checking fingernails, looking at his face and had made the decision he was in trouble. When in she walks. I tell her this is not a false alarm, she grabs a portable O2 sensor and finds I was right. Did she get nailed by someone besides me? I don't know. But she wasn't there the next day.

The nurse he had the past two days was wonderful. But she thought she was going to meet someone completely different than she did. I guess they passed the word around that I would not back down when things weren't right and that I wasn't stupid. She apologized to me the moment she met me. I have no idea why. I simply told her that when I say something's wrong then listen. Don't get all defensive because I caught it before the nurse did. 

She asked me to make sure to let them know how he does. 

I forgot to mention he was transferred to UAB in Birmingham today.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That's such a scarey thing, Robin. I've been through the vent thing with gramps twice. I have pretty much chewed a nurse manager out a time or two , myself for just negligence. 
I'm glad you got your guy out of there.
They usually take more notice when they realize that I know whats happening and what needs to be done....NOW!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Almost every single person dealing with him was wonderful. There was this nurse, she wasn't alert enough to realize I knew a thing or two, that shouldn't have been working the unit. And an RT I banned from the room. When she suctioned his mouth it was like they do with lipo suctioning. That amount of roughness is uncalled for. 

The very first nurse caught on that I wasn't totally naive when it comes to medical stuff. I usually hide that or try to. But because I comprehended everything she said it gave me away. She said everyone else stops her several times as she explain the care and when I didn't?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I guess she's gone then ,or not allowed into his room. Just in my experience though, esp in specialty areas, new nurses don't get nearly enough training , oversight or support from their managers. The work ethic on a lot of new employees is non existent so they need a lot of oversight.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

This one created more work than was there just because she flitted from here to there. She was too hyper for the unit where they try to maintain a calmness for such serious health issues. I told his last nurse the one didn't belong on the unit. Her look told me she agreed. 

I can tell you one thing, had it been his first nurse or his last one, none of the other would have happened.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm glad you could get things taken care of!


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## 8hensalaying (Jun 5, 2015)

Robin, Keeping you and Hubby in my prayers! Hope they get him well soon!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Oh no Robin! Sorry I haven't seen this thread until now. That's scary -- I'm so sorry you're going through this. I spent all of my teen years and half of my twenties in and out of hospitals. I know damn well what you mean when they say your husbands just trying to get attention, I had the same thing happen to me --- specialist after specialist after specialist, and if they couldn't figure you out in the seven minutes they were allowed to talk to you then they'd chalk it up on the fact I must be nuts! It's infuriating! 

Now I am older I still don't get listened to because I'm just another complaining house wife type. Misogyny is so rampant in medicine the doctors don't have a clue! So happy you don't let them get away with it. Keep on yelling, it's the only way you're going to get an answer! 

Crossing my fingers and hoping they figure it out.... So sorry you're going through this.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Thank you for the well wishes. I'm in Birmingham with him for now. There is no doubt he's very sick.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Good thing you have a medical background,sometimes it makes the difference between life and death.Been there,done that.My thoughts and prayers are with you and your husband!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Once again, thank you. I really appreciate the well wishes for us.

I'm home until Sunday morning. The sis in law tossed me out. She has to leave on Sat for FL, I will return to Birmingham on Sunday. And I'm so darned tired I need to be in my bed for a couple of days. And the down side? I have to stock on animal food and clean waterers.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm glad you're getting to rest in your own bed tonight. At least you don't have to think about cleaning waters and feed the critters. I hope your hubby is improving! Is he still on the vent?


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

No, he was off it before he was transferred to UAB. He still has the trac, I'm tired I can't remember how to spell that, and will have it until he's capable of swallowing. 

The word I got is that they are going to try the IVIG on him because nothing is testing positive for anything. It's a shot in the dark but it's better than doing nothing because he doesn't fit the parameters perfectly.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Have they tested him for Lyme disease or Rocky Mountain Spotted fever?


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I sent you a PM. I can't get it to open to make sure that you got it...


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Got it, Patsy.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

So, to add to the complications in my life, I messed up my knee last night. Bad enough that traveling the miles of hallways at the hospital is not going to happen. So, off I go to the doc so we can do whatever is necessary because not being there is not an option.


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## chickenqueen (Jan 9, 2016)

Robin,wish I could do something to make life a little easier for you but I don't know what.Just remember I keep you and yours in my prayers.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

I'm so sorry! Can you tolerate any kind of pre-formed ace wrap? Take an ice pack with you to the hospital?


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

Robin, I hope things take a turn for the positive real soon!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Maybe we're just getting all this negative stuff out of the way all at one time. 

I feel the knee thing happened because of all the use it's gotten in the past two weeks walking the halls of hospitals. The biggie is UAB. It's probably a mile going from one building to another via skyways to get to the door that will take me two blocks to the UAB townhouse where SIL and I are staying. 

I have a brace now, an anti-inflammatory, and a temp handicap parking tag thingy. I forgot how long he told me it will take for this to heal. He said if it doesn't then I probably messed up the meniscus too.

I saved the best for last, he is already showing improvement with the IVIG. From what SIL is saying they are surprised how quickly he's showing signs of improvement. Yippee for us!


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## WeeLittleChicken (Aug 31, 2012)

Oh Robin, I am so happy there's improvement! I have been really hoping you could get at least that. Sorry about the knee, but I hope you are right - time to go up!


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## seminole wind (Aug 22, 2015)

I hope he is taking a turn for the better!


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

On the road again tomorrow. Luckily Birmingham is the only challenge for me. I don't do city driving well, never have and I've only gotten worse as I became an adult. Did I tell you my GPS took me in the wrong direction when I drove there the first time? I ended up at the Alabama Power building, then when SIL tried to talk me in, I ended up at the FBI building. I would have asked them how to get to the hospital but the place was like Fort Knox.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

And Google maps decided to fail before I got out of the city. For some reason the thing won't talk to me in the truck but it's chatty Cathy while I'm on the street. I make my turn on to 6th street, I look down and it still says to turn on 6th street. How do I turn on 6th street if I'm already on it? Because of the sun and cataracts I made one more turn that I knew was right, after that it went South. I cruised for a bit made another turn, saw the interstate but no way to get on then I spotted two cops sitting there with their lights going for a broke down car. 

I pulled over, walked up to them and pointed up and said I need to be up there heading South. The male cop started to tell me then pointed over to the female and said she should probably tell you. I was only two blocks off and luckily she warned me about the odd set up at the intersection or I would have been going north. As tired as I am I might not have noticed for a while. Then google maps came back on line, when I no longer needed it any more.

My SIL told me to stretch out to take a nap. I did, with a partial thought in my head "I'll never sleep . . ." I woke up three hours later.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Robin, we discovered that the phone has to be unplugged from the car electrical system for the voice. Jim has an iPhone and mine is android. You may have to turn your blue tooth off, too.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Got it, I'll give that a try tomorrow when I head in to the city. What happened the last time I came home, the phone went dead not being plugged in. Now that I know the route up until I reach Birmingham I can leave the map off until I get there.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

Except that's how it talks to me, through the truck. Well sometimes anyway. So, the bluetooth needs to be on. And without the bluetooth I have to answer the phone hands on instead of through the truck.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

Our son said that there is an option to choose the mode so that the sound will come through the radio. I have a new Jeep Cherokee Sport and he has the grand Cherokee so I'm going to have him show me how to do it when he's out to the house and I'm home. When that happens, I'll get back to you.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

For the phone or for the map?

The first time I used it it talked me all the way up to Birmingham, it was on the trip back that it decided to just talk once in awhile through the phone. This time it didn't talk at all except when I was out of the truck. Then it nagged at me to turn right .10 miles as I walked through Lowes.


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## nannypattyrn (Aug 23, 2015)

That sounds like a google map app problem. I use the hands free to answer my phone plugged in or not, and it comes through the speakers, but the maps or anything else, sound doesn't do that.


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## robin416 (Sep 8, 2013)

You were right, it can't be plugged in to the electrical system because it did talk to me, through the truck speakers no less. I can leave it charging until I get close to Birmingham and then unplug it.


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