It was a busy day. I visited mom in the hospital in the morning, she had a quiet night. They put a heating lamp stand at the end of her bed and used it to warm her at night. Her temperature was low. Otherwise, she looked the same. I went to the bank and checked the accounts and changed the address. Went to the cell phone store and changed the plan. Got back around noon. Mom’s the same.
When i was at the cell phone store, I discovered mom’s health Insurance ID is missing. They use that as a form of identification. I started tracking it after lunch. First, I called the nursing home, they said they don’t have it. I asked the nurse station, they don’t have it. I went to all the lost and found in the hospital, they don’t have it. I went to the emergency room, they said they already gave it back. A clerk was nice enough to print out the receipt for me and it showed that the caretaker in the emergency room signed for it and yet when the nursing home found her, she said she didn’t get it.
Head nurse said we need to go and re-apply for one. We will need it when mom checks out. Nikon came to the hospital when I was talking to her. He said, let’s go and get it now. He happened to drive his car yesterday to the hospital, so he dropped me off at the health dept building and I went up with mom’s id and mine. It didn’t take too long, about 30 minutes. At least, that part was painless, they were efficient and it seems to be a usual situation. They checked your IDs and print out a new card for you. My number was 641. Could it be there were 600 people went through yesterday? Possible.
Nikon dropped me back at the hospital and went home. He volunteers for his community, and he was on duty last night. The caretaker left after lunch and said she needed to go and get some things. She said it’ll tkae about 2.5 hours. She asked the caretaker of the next bed to watch mom for her since our neighbor checked out around noon. She called around 4:15 and said she needed to take her daughter to the doctor and would be late. Finally, she called around 5pm and said she was back. She went home and brought lots of food (including raw eggs and fresh vegetables) from home. They were eating goodies when I got back to the room 15 minutes later.
This caretaker is an experienced one and even the nurse trusts her and have her train the nurse intern on how she flips mom and how to clean her. However, she is nosiy. She complained to me that the neighbor’s nurse have other caretaker friends come and visit with her. She said she never talk to other caretakers. However, she has a friend that delivers business cards for her agency to all big hospitals that came and use her as a station in this one. The friend came a couple of days ago. She came again while the caretaker was gone in the afternoon and left her purse. Then she came back when the caretaker was back and stayed and talked and ate with her for at least an hour. They were noisy and loud and busy talking and eating. I noticed she hadn’t put the creme the doctor prescribed for the bruises on mom’s arms, so I started putting it on. She came over and told me she already did that, and i shouldn’t put it on again. Then she realized she didn’t. I knew, because the tube was sealed when I opened the box. She then took over and put it on. I was trying to talk to mom when I got back in the afternoon, but she kept talking to me and interrupting me on food she cooks in the hospital and such.
Maybe I am too nice to these caretakers, they all seem to take advantage of the situation and become bold and assuming. Last time, the caretaker learned how to knit socks from me and practically asked me to buy yarns for her. At least, she stayed in the hospital the whole 20 days and didn’t ask to go for a break for a few hours. I guess you have to put up with some of the nusances of having help.
One of the nurses told me there is a single room coming up the next day. But the head nurse seemed to think not. I guess I’ll find out when I get there today. Fell asleep exhausted around 10 and woke up at 3am. Couldn’t go back to sleep so it’s the best time to write and keep some record of what’s happening.
Mom’s situation seemed to have got better yesterday afternoon. They put the feeding tube back in and gave her some sugar water to see if her system can take it. Her temperature raised from 34.9 to 35.3. I was cheering when the nurse looked at me funny. I know it’s still low but it’s an improvement. She seemed closer to consciousness also, moved her arms, screwed up her face to show discomfort, and breathed with more effort. I was trying to talk to her then but the caretaker kept interrupting me and wanted to talk to me. It was a bit annoying. Generally, I like to be quiet but she is talkative and loud. sigh.
I got a dinner box with roast duck and had a little bit of brandy with dinner in the hotel room. Maybe that’s why I quickly fell asleep after dinner, the busy day also had something to do with it.
Nikon said the older cousin called and asked him what to do now that mom seems to be getting stable. Nobody knows what to do. I can stay for at most 30 days, I will have to change the itinerary for the flight back in that case. Or I’ll have to get out of the country and come back in to get another 30 days. But no one knows what’s going to happen. We’ll have to wait and see i guess. Life is unpredictable.