Patient -- Word for the Day -- Saturday, July 19, 2008

Patient

Definition:
1: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint
2: manifesting forbearance under provocation or strain
3: not hasty or impetuous
4: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity
5 a: able or willing to bear

I looked throughout the blog and can't believe I haven't used this word before, so bear with me this evening. Be patient as you read.

Patient and/or patience is a person, an ability, a situation and totally not where I was today. Just when you think you have the system figured out, someone comes along and puts a stick in your spoke.

TGIF -- I really look forward to that day because it is my day off. I realize for now it is a day to make a routine trip to UAMS. I have been fortunate this week in that Chemo Sabe felt so good to take himself. Labs showed WBC being at 0.50 on Thursday so it was evident.

We were at the Infusion Center at 9:00 a.m. as requested for the rep and head nurse to view the port infection spot. It was still oozing a yellowish/green substance. They took photos for use in training and for side effect purposes since it was caused by a new dressing that came out. We were told to go back to the Infusion Waiting area to await further treatment.

We waited about an hour. We again had the experience, as in the past, of patients coming in after us and waiting about 15 minutes and being called back. We were patient. When we finally got back we were advised the antibiotic drip (Red Man) had to be done again. If you remember from yesterday, that takes two hours. This gave me an opportunity to leave and do some honey-dos. Get syringes for Parker, buy 55 lb. of dog food along with cases of canned fruit to quench Chemo Sabe's taste buds. He has been craving fruit since the first round of chemo.

After picking him up at 12:30, we headed home. We were going to buy some more new fish for the aquarium. I have been transferring my 35 gal tank to a 55 gal tank and it has been working nicely. Well, a phone call from UAMS put a dent in our afternoon planning. Why were we not surprised? Platelets were down to 15 and we needed to return. Chemo Sabe tried to sway them to today, but they insisted we come back. We took our time and got back around 2:00 after a quick sandwich.

Again, he had to wait in line so I just dropped him off and went to Penneys. After all, they were having a weekend sale. These trips really are expensive.

Today we decided we would go back to the 3:00 p.m schedule. Arrived at 2:50 and talked with Roger and Ruthie. Patients began arriving after us and going back within 15/20 min. We were patient. At 4:30 p.m. Chemo Sabe went to the desk... We went back and was informed another antibiotic drip (two hours) was necessary. This is where the 'stick in the spoke' comes in. The young lady at the desk had not turned in his sheet for treatment. DUH!

If you ever see me coming down the hall crying -- Katy bar the door! You will know I am one highly hot momma. Hence the biker name "Pepper". That is far, far and few between, but it ain't a pretty sight. To keep from embarrassing Chemo Sabe I just turned and went back to the Infusion Waiting and sat to calm myself. I realized then he needed something to eat so I went to Wendy's..

You know, when you are having a bad day, sometimes it just gets worse. My order was completing opposite of what I asked for. I was in the drive through and the young lady asked me if my order was for take out or dine in. Am I the only sane person today? My son tells me if people were more like him and myself, the world would be perfect! ha

Picked Chemo Sabe up at 6:30 p.m. We both crashed in the den until 10:00 p.m.

Sorry, you had to go through this, but there is a good ending. A smile came across his face as he opened an employee from an associate in Atlanta. Two do-rags came out of the brown envelope. BT sent them to him and explained he envied Chemo Sabe for riding a motorcycle because he found it difficult to sometimes ride a bicycle. Thank you, BT for making our day of non-patience worthwhile.

Don't you think patients deserve being non-patient at times when they have to wait for treatment so long? We are changing our schedule tomorrow to noon. We tried the early, the late and we still can't seem to figure out the system. Everyone has the same appointment times, so what could it hurt?

We truly are patient people, but .......

Oh.... Billy and Sherry got to go home yesterday. Yeaaaaaa... They will be back for the stem cell transplant on July 29. We are hoping Roger and Ruthie are next.

Good evening and love --- Pepper (mean momma)