Bekah, shown in the picture with her proud gramma, is here with me now and reminded me that during her week with us last year things were not good. Marsha had fallen twice that week and was badly bruised. Bekah helped me get Marsha off the floor one night when Marsha had the worst fall. She also had other difficulties that for a woman with the modesty, dignity, and grace of Marsha was horrified by. Laura had spent the week earlier and it was a good week, but Bekah got to witness and be involved in the problems. This date a year ago the three of us headed to Conway for a second chemo treatment. After Marsha went in for the usual pretreatment blood work and check of her vital signs we were told that her red blood count was too low and she needed a transfusion. She was given orders to be admitted to Conway hospital for the procedure and off we went. The wait for a bed was not particularly long by many hospital situations I have seen and soon she was taken to a room. I left Bekah with Marsha because they needed a complete list of medications and that was at home in Myrtle Beach. Marsha was already been bruised in several places from the falls and Bekah watched as they tried and tried to get the IV started. Marsha was in pain as they moved the needle and removed the needle and reinserted the needle without success. Each attempt resulting in more bruises. Bekah called me more than once upset that they could not start the transfusion and worried that they would not be able to do it. I knew from experience that hospitals always have the one exceptional individual that they will find from some other section of the hospital when this kind of difficulty arises. When I got back they had managed to start the transfusion but it was then clear that she was going to have to spend the night. Bekah said yesterday that she was glad she was here to see the bad week because she felt like she helped and she got to connect with the reality more. Looking back with the shared vision of two memories it had been a tough week that I thought was next week. I know I was not in a good place when I went to bed that night. I was emotional drained and although I had been assured that his was not out of the range of normal by the oncologist I was seeing the beginning of the end. Weeping had been a big part of this week when Marsha started being so frail.
Saturday, March 13, 2010
Disappointment & Despair
Bekah, shown in the picture with her proud gramma, is here with me now and reminded me that during her week with us last year things were not good. Marsha had fallen twice that week and was badly bruised. Bekah helped me get Marsha off the floor one night when Marsha had the worst fall. She also had other difficulties that for a woman with the modesty, dignity, and grace of Marsha was horrified by. Laura had spent the week earlier and it was a good week, but Bekah got to witness and be involved in the problems. This date a year ago the three of us headed to Conway for a second chemo treatment. After Marsha went in for the usual pretreatment blood work and check of her vital signs we were told that her red blood count was too low and she needed a transfusion. She was given orders to be admitted to Conway hospital for the procedure and off we went. The wait for a bed was not particularly long by many hospital situations I have seen and soon she was taken to a room. I left Bekah with Marsha because they needed a complete list of medications and that was at home in Myrtle Beach. Marsha was already been bruised in several places from the falls and Bekah watched as they tried and tried to get the IV started. Marsha was in pain as they moved the needle and removed the needle and reinserted the needle without success. Each attempt resulting in more bruises. Bekah called me more than once upset that they could not start the transfusion and worried that they would not be able to do it. I knew from experience that hospitals always have the one exceptional individual that they will find from some other section of the hospital when this kind of difficulty arises. When I got back they had managed to start the transfusion but it was then clear that she was going to have to spend the night. Bekah said yesterday that she was glad she was here to see the bad week because she felt like she helped and she got to connect with the reality more. Looking back with the shared vision of two memories it had been a tough week that I thought was next week. I know I was not in a good place when I went to bed that night. I was emotional drained and although I had been assured that his was not out of the range of normal by the oncologist I was seeing the beginning of the end. Weeping had been a big part of this week when Marsha started being so frail.
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