So the plot thickens. Cindy is ill with similar symptoms and weakness I had, but essentially arrived from Vancouver and felt that way a few hours later, which in the absence of time and transmission events is surprising. Makes me wonder if mine had an incubation period and hers did too from last weekend. I was weak but not ill on the last race day. I've got "stuff" in for lab tests, but it would seem the guess of simple water borne or food borne stomach bug as slipping if transmission is an issue in this context. iPads are the medical system's friend. The battery life is longer than the longest wait and I can do newspaper, read work stuff, games and general communications. The other people here got through the stack of crummy torn up magazines quickly and are staring at walls. At least I know this place is only 2 blocks from my house for future reference. Spent a disproportionate amount of the day at a walk in and wait forever clinic. After that they said go to Sheldon Chumir slightly more hospital type thing where we wited, got the shivers/shakes, then went in for blood tests, IV and sleep.
Departure from Chumir was different than entrance. Waiting area was darker and definitely more alcohol aroma and blood in sight. This place must be a gong show most nights, especially during stampede. Highlight of my drive to Foothills Hospital was the next guys trying to attain emergency patient status by long boarding down the bike path on the 19th street hill complete with near simultaneous double wipeout when hitting the street/curb interface at the bottom of the hill and the ensuing full flail rag doll finish. I drove myself and they took her.
Foothills on Saturday night is morbidly fascinating. Thuggish types in full shackles with police. A drunk native couple where the girl's bleeding face and missing teeth are due to falling off a bike. I suspect otherwise, but that's for later. Coincidentally a client who's rushed in to see a father. Relative to Chumir they seem much more intent on keeping guests away, which I guess makes sense, at least in the short run. The drunk "cyclist's" partner made a commotion then left. She later fled from her room, found him in the lobby, and had a messy argument involving cops, missing teeth and bloody face no obstacle to this. These two clowns in my estimation are NPV negative on their tax base vs. societal services equation.
The extra IV, anti inflamatories, and test to rule out meningitis (spinal fluid sample) in a negative pressure room were interesting, as is the 4 doctors and half dozen nurses medical problem solving question sets and logic I've been party to hearing over the last few days. We went home at 3am which was a long day. I got some sleeping in on the floor of the Foothills room, but was happy to do own bed. The conclusion is nasty virus, but not meningitis. I still don't have my sample test results back, but seems like we're both on virus patrol. Nasty virus means buckle down and treat symptoms but body needs to solve it. I had no jump start hydration with 3 IV bags, so she's ahead there, plus gravol and over the counter flu medications to reduce fever and the other bad feelings. Still not fun.
I'm on home nurse duty. Hot and cold are the main vocabulary, it's funny how much it shrinks. Shivers to sweats. Other than that I'm a revivalist jello maker, tea with honey maker, mini yogurt flavor picker, blanket arranger, and so forth. For me it was the worst (by intensity and duration) I've ever had.
I got out for a short ride with a co-worker yesterday morning for an out and back on Coal Mine Road before we started the medical system episode. Lovely morning in every respect to be on a bike, none of that awful wind. The easy pace felt very hard for me and subsequently my Achilles doesn't like the feel of stairs. This is the next thing to address now that I'm past gross illness. Craig has similar crepitus (we both had creaking Achilles). Aspirin, elevation, rest, gentle stretch, some gentle movement, ice, and physio with massage, ultrasound and electric stimulation seem to be the modern remedies. Doesn't add up to a showing at the giver8er next weekend.
No comments:
Post a Comment