Donna in Hollywoodland

Getting Out of There

I was getting bored. Watch TV, Go for a walk with the IV-on-A-Cart, more TV, more walking.
And not to be negative, but when I was going for a walk, I was walking around people who were way sicker than I was. And that can't be healthy, physically or emotionally.

Thank God for cell phones.
My doctor had said she would come by to release me, and she wasn't there yet.
So I called her office.
They said they would give her the message when she got in.

She finally arrived about 10am. I said "Oh, just disregard the message I left for you at your office."
We talked alittle bit. Six lymph nodes out, a tumor in only one.
She mentioned an Oncologist and Chemotherapy - neither of which I want to hear about.
I asked her to show me my incisions in the mirror. I don't want to look at them first thing by myself at home.
We go over to the bathroom, and look in the mirror.
Thank heavens, I am all bandaged up. I can't see anything yucky.

Right breast - incision on top, where they removed the "questionable" material
Left breast - incision on bottom, where they removed the cancerous tumor
Left Armpit - There is a long tube coming out of my armpit. The tube goes down to my knees and has a collection bulb on the end.
This last thing is the most difficult. I don't want to deal with pink yucky fluid in a little cup.
And as gross as it sounds, I smell like the pink yucky fluid.

The doctor tells me I can shower with the drainage tube, though it might be difficult. She says the nurses will explain how to empty it.
And they will be having a Home Nurse coming by to help me for the next week.
And best of all - she is releasing me to go home. Yeah !
I just need one more dose of antibiotics before I leave.

After the doctor leaves, I go walking around the floor some more. The doctor gave a prescription for painkillers to take at home. And I need to get my strength up because we will need to stop at Rite-Aid pharmacy on the way home - so I better Walk.

A new morning Nurse comes by, and introduces herself, along with an assistant.
Soon, the Floor Manager comes by, and asks me if I met my nurse and what was her name.
I say "Yeah, she came by and introduced herself. Um, no I don't remember her name, but she was wearing a lavender top."
The Floor Manager looks alittle mad that I don't remember my Nurses name. This must be some kind of new rule she is implementing with her staff.
"Um, I'm leaving pretty soon", I try to explain.

It is taking the nurses forever to get me my last antibiotics, and give me my drainage tube instructions.
They say they are trying to book a home nurse for me, and it is difficult to find someone who can come out to my neighborhood.

So I wait, and I call the person who was going to pick me up and I tell him its going to be a while longer.

Finally we do the Drainage Tube instruction. And they put the antibiotics in my IV.
The new morning Nurse asks me if I want my last painkiller shot.
I figure I'll be stopping by the drugstore on the way home, so I better get the shot.
She comes back, and holds the needle right in front of my face - and it is the biggest flippin' black needle I have ever seen in my life.
I say "Oh, no, no - thats not what they were giving me. The evening Nurse last night had alittle needle. This isn't right."
She insists that is what they have already given me twice, and gets my chart to prove it.
I decline the shot. "No, no - nevermind, I don't need the painkiller."
It isn't until a few days later when I think about it, that I realized the first Nurse had the needle retracted somehow - so I thought I was getting a shot with a little needle. He was very bright to fool me like that.
And this new nurse, not so bright to show me the huge gigantic needle.
And if the needle size scared me so much - I really don't think I needed the painkiller that much. Believe me, if I was in pain, I wouldn't have cared about the needle size.

Its still taking them forever to get me the Home Nurse Information. I am waiting.
Yeah ! The antibiotic is finished, and they take the IV out !
And I am still waiting.
So I decided I am staying for Lunch. Its similar to dinner last night. Chicken, white rice, salad with iceberg lettuce, lemon-lime soda.
They finally get me the information on the Home Nurse.
And my friend arrives to pick me up.

I had wanted to be out of there by 11 am, but it is now 1 pm. I am so happy to get out of there, I almost take off.
I say good-bye to the Nurse, and she stops me. I need to wait for one of the Transport Guys to take me in a wheel chair.
Ok, whatever.
He wheels me out to the lobby, and I get in my friends car and we are off to home.