Men are not good patients!

After the last five months, I have come to the conclusion that men, in general, do not make good sick people...God help us all if modern science figures out how to let a man carry a baby for nine months. After my last post from Methodist Hospital with George, I added the fifth flamingo to the flock...yet another Tuesday event. If it is Tuesday, the Pickle clan is at some medical facility received some treatment, artificial body part or reworking the plumbing. Obviously, Tuesday is a big surgical day in Houston...which baffle me as to why getting to the room after the surgery and wake up time is such a fire drill. Does not matter which of our fine medical centers you have chosen for treatment, it is hurry up and wait for your procedure (even if your arrival time is 5:30 AM), poor, if any information...until you speak with the doctor after the procedure, a quick post op visit, then the four hour wait for a room. Excuse me, they know how many are coming, how many rooms they have, how long the surgery normally last, so why do these places fail the math word problem, every time. There should be an app for that... Oh well, last Tuesday (June 5th), Eddie had he right knee replaced (for those keeping score-that is 6 surgeries on Houston Pickles, 1 c-section surgery on a Pickle/Day since the first of the year). Is there a trophy or something for that? Patient Eddie is not a good patient..he hates hospitals...he conned his Doctor into letting him come home in 2 days...yikes! So on Thursday morning, he had me arrive at 9:00 AM to spring him from prison. I knew we would not leave until 1:00, they want to charge you for the next day (probably why rooms aren't ready when people come out of surgery) but he was sure we would be out for 9:30..I win. Besides being a grumpy old man, he was in loads of pain, complete with nausea and vomit...of course, let's go home and let Florence Nightengale take care of him. (my friends call me Flo-ren for short). So, home we came. Did you know That if you have your knee replaced, you can't bend down to barf in the John? I guess that is why the area behind your sink is called a backsplash...clean up on aisle 3. It was a ver-r-ry long weekend...while he tried to be undemanding, when you have limited mobility, there are simply things you can not do...and Eddie is not patient. We have spent the week doing the physical therapy, but he is totally unsatified with his progress...remember he got a gold star for his left and was completely able to flex his knee by end of week three. So, it has been a long week at Camp Pickle, for sure. George has done well, stitches removed, just waiting for the all clear to resume eating a more normal diet. While he has been fine with his low residue (read white bread, pasta, and potatoes) he has tried of fin and feathered meats... He is looking forward to something red on a hoof...between my taste bud/semi queasy all the time issues, Ed's flat out queasy/barfing, and George's restrictions, I am more of a short order cook attempting to cook a meals that appeals to everyone. Will be glad when this part of our joint journey over...I feel like I cook for Luby's every day. Come Monday (curve ball for the Pickles, 'cuz chemo is in Tuesdays) my friend, Deb will be driving me to the MDA in the Woodlands for my last Chemo treatment...can I get a hallajuah! I am so looking forward to placing my last flamingo in the yard...and saying goodbye to all the pesky side effects that have been my constant companions for the last 16 weeks. I will not miss any of them, there will be no farewell party. I will have four weeks before my 6 weeks of daily radiation begins. I'd like to brag that I doing something fun and exciting, but, MDA, and all the others doctors on my dance card want to have a dance with me before I start to radiation. Add Ed's doctor visits and PT sessions, and there is no rest for the wicked and weary. I am sitting in Lauren's house watching my precious grandchild, Eli, who is almost four and a half months old...and keeping Cali busy while Lauren and Drew work. Tomorrow is Father's Day, Drew will celebrate his first, Ed's his 29th as truly wonderful fathers to their children. We are blessed in so many ways by the men in our lives...even though they are not great patients.