NEXT!

I hope the worst night is behind us.
Kathy accidentally pulled her I.V. out when the x-ray tech came to get her.
That was bloody. Blood thinners do that.

New shift. New nurse again. Insisting on repositioning Kathy every two hours. We tried to tell the nurse that Kathy was repositioning all night trying to crawl out of her own skin to escape the pain. Any movement of her leg causes excruciating pain. The new nurse is by the book. Doesn't give in to Kathy's requests. Cindi has never seen The Excorcist, but the look Kathy just gave the new nurse when denied again, as Kathy growled, "WHO ARE YOU?" was classic.

Apparently the new nurse, Nurse Ratchett, thinks we have been pushing Kathy's pain button for her (We haven't been).
We got the lecture from one of her doctors about the dangers involved in doing that. We're not idiots!
Besides, even if we were (and we're not), the thing is on a timer that only allows the doctor set amount between a restricted time period.

I talked to Nurse Ratchett about hoping this isn't just a job to her. A caring bedside manner, even when you go by the book, can mean all the difference in the world. I think calling her out on this has helped. Nurse Ratchett has changed her demeaner. A little softer, little more patient.

Saw x-rays of the pins & plates in her lower leg/knee. It looks like that game "Pick Up Sticks". They wouldn't let me take pictures of it because of privacy laws!?! We can get a C.D. of it later.

Still not able to move or feel her toes or most of her left foot. Found out from the doc that Kathy still has one more surgery on her left knee to go. It won't be as bad as this last one though.

I don't know if she could do that again.