*It's A Two Post Kinda Day... So Strap In!*
I got The Man Showered and ready for his Cardiologist Appointment and The Young Prince helped him get Dressed and came to me and said, I don't think Grandpa is doing good. I agreed, so was glad we were going to see Dr. Pham that Morning. Well, he wasn't in so we saw an East Indian Female Cardiologist who was seeing Patients for him, she was very nice but when they saw his Blood Pressure was tanking, after taking the Readings 3 Times, she says, "Can you drive him to an ER right away?!" Fuuuuck, Yeah, I can, we were way out in Verrado so I guess it was quicker than getting an Ambulance, Cheaper too since Medicare & TriCare won't pay for an Ambulance anymore, so it's about $1,300+ a Ride out of Pocket now.
So, I spent all of Wednesday in the ER with him and they determined along with the dangerously low Blood Pressure, he has Pneumonia now too!!! Last Week it was the Heart Attack and Surgery, this Week Pneumonia, mebbe from being put under, which, is fairly common after a Surgery, but can be deadly. So, he's waiting for a Room to Open Up and I rushed Home to retrieve the Kiddos from Work and get some Paperwork the Hospital needed that I didn't have with us. They said to take my time, he's in good Hands, and I know he is, so I got something to Eat too at the Hospital Cafeteria, which wasn't all that good, but I was Mad hungry and ate it anyway, and am trying to decompress from the Stress now a bit before going back to the Hospital.
The Son's Lifelong Friend Q came over with Pizza and Wings for the Family when he heard what had happened to The Man, so that I didn't have to try to cook in between back and forth to the Hospital. It was Sweet and very good Pizza and Wings, Comfort Food for everyone coz of coarse the Kiddos are all Stressed Out about Dad/Grandpa again. At least Hopefully we caught everything in Time enuf again? And Hopefully he's going to respond well to Treatment? What made me upset is I was at the VA Pharmacy only Yesterday picking up his Meds and they told me they only had the One for his Ozempic, I knew there should be 3 more New Ones his Cardiologist Ordered to replace some they want to take him off of.
Well, they said they didn't get a request for them, so I questioned the Cardiologist and Hospital and they claimed they did Fax an Order to the VA Medical Center Downtown. So, they Faxed it again and just for a safeguard, also Faxed a copy to a Civilian Pharmacy coz he should be on these right away with no delays. Splendid. This is the kind of thing that tends to happen all the time and confuses Families a lot when you're seeing both Military Docs and Civilian Docs, also Specialists, everyone changing things all the time, not much communication between them all going on, and you're left to sort it all out yourselves satisfactorily!!! *Le Sigh*
He's got Two Pages worth of Meds he's on, I'd have to be a Pharmacist to sort all that out and know about it all, what it does, what it's for, remember all the Names off the top of my Head, why he's taking it, why they're discontinuing or replacing it? Becoz along with his Meds, I have to keep track of my Meds, the Kiddos Meds, it's just a LOT to expect of someone not Medically Trained. I do my best, and sometimes it gets very confusing if it's not explained well, or at all, and changed constantly too, it's all rather overwhelming, I'd need a personal Nurse at my disposal and why I'm grateful for Nurse Remi coz she checks it Weekly for me to ensure it's being done Right, both by me, and by whoever is prescribing it. She's better at explanations too that I can understand and make sense to me.
Anyway, I went back to the Hospital and he had an episode that looked like he was having another Heart Attack so they brought a Cardiologist in who was on Staff that Afternoon. He was a Middle Aged East Indian Guy who probably is a good Cardiologist, but not very likeable as a Person, a Doctor with an obvious big Ego. I didn't like this one, he was arrogant and dismissive, even to the Nurses IMO. So I'm glad we had Dr. Pham before, who isn't pretentious at all and has a great Bedside manner and sensitivity to the Patient, their Family, and the Staff who are any Hospital's Support System and so vital too.
Anyway, he didn't stay long, I didn't actually mind, since I did not LIKE him. *Winks* And our Head Nurse made an Insider Joke after he left and the other Two Nurses giggled, I think she could see he rubbed me the Wrong way, The Man sure did. *LOL* I don't like being Patronized as a Patient and/or Family Member when a Crisis is unfolding that is alarming and potentially Life Threatening. Don't ask me an important Question about what brought us to the ER and then not act like you're even Listening and your Thoughts are clearly somewhere else. I'd rather you not ask a Question at all if you're half Listening or not Listening, what's the Point? Since another Cardiologist at Dr. Pham's Office, also East Indian, but a Female, is the one who felt it Urgent enuf to take him immediately to an ER, I felt that was important to pass along?
I got the sense that Cardiologist was dismissive about the other one's alarm, I personally don't think so, his BP was like 75 over 52 and dropping as they took it 3 times at the Cardiologist's Office. She was visibly shaken, enuf that she thought if I could get him there quicker than waiting for an Ambulance, I should. I don't know what the ETA for an Ambulance would be out in Verrado, but I knew I could get to the closest Cardiac Hospital damned quick myself coz on the Freeway next to the Cardiologist Office, it's a straight shot and Traffic was light. I also know an Ambulance ride puts many Seniors in Debt every time they take one coz Insurances aren't covering it anymore, no matter how critical the Need for one.
Anyway, Arrogant Cardiologist Guy spent mebbe 5 Minutes evaluating The Man's Condition, that the Nurses, who seemed quite competent, were very worried about, which is about all of him I could stand anyway. *Winks* I felt he was in better Hands with our Head Nurse, I liked her, she was Experienced and on top of her Game. I'm not a Medical Professional, but I can spot one whose an asset to their Profession and been doing this more than a Minute. She seemed very respected, even by this Arrogant Doc, tho' among the Nurses I could tell he is not popular around there. *Bwahahahaha* I watch People a LOT, I pick up on even subtle Nuances and listen to what's being said among folks and what is being unsaid and communicated in other ways that speak louder than Words.
Anyway, he's in there mostly for the Pneumonia, the Pain was so Bad for his Chest tho' they wanted to give him Morphine, but he can't have Morphine. So, I don't know what they could sub for someone allergic to Morphine, Penicillin and Codeine? Those are Three Medications he just can't have. And his History of Opioid dependency is something he also doesn't want to relapse into, so he's hesitant to be prescribed one for Pain Management and makes that known. It was due to severe Medical Issues he got addicted to Opioids in the past and kicked it many Moons ago. He had to or I was saying the "D" Word as an alternative. Only time I ever have, but I had too much going on to be Married to another Addict. My 1st Husband went down that Road due to Opioid dependency coupled with Alcoholism, is No Bueno for me to be in that kind of a relationship.
I'm Ride or Die with you, but, one of my Deal Breakers is Addiction you have spiraled out of Control with. It changes who a person is and makes them also not Safe to be around, so, if you Use, I'll likely Step Off with you and let you destroy just yourself and not me too. And as a Mother and Grandmother, I don't want that around my Family and all the collateral damage it causes Families having to Deal with Substance Abuse and Addictions. It wrecks a lot of Lives it touches. So, anyway, no fears about him taking something he'd have a problem with, he always refuses it now and just tells them it's problematic to him. I've found now a lot of Medical Professionals don't push it like they used to and respect it has become a National Scourge/Problem. Often created by their Industry... and then tends to Morph into Illegal Drug Use once dependency is ensured and thus must have it... or an equivalent.
Sorry to go down that Path of a Topic if it's a Trigger for you too? It is for me so I'm adamant I don't want it around me, period. I just want him to be able to Recover and not add layers of problems to what's already problematic for him that isn't a Choice. I'm very Worried about him and don't have a Peace about his Condition. I'm trying not to dwell on my Intuitions about it and push that out of the way coz it's making me too anxious and edgy. Q had stayed over after he heard what was going Sideways with The Man, he's always called us Mom and Dad, he is like a Son from another Mother to me and always been there for our Family. He's not particularly close to his own, so since he was little, he's been closer to ours. He's a Good Guy and like a Brother to The Son, people think they actually are Brothers. *Smiles*
His Name is Quinardo but we've always just called him Q, he's a big Bear of a Man and Strong as an Ox. He's Married now with Two Sons and the Youngest One has a lot of Medical Issues. So they've had to Deal with the Medical System and astronomical Medical Costs for that Son's Care. He's still a very Medically Fragile Child and the Family don't have much in spite of Q working a good Job, and his Wife working, becoz most Earnings have gone towards what the Insurances wouldn't pay for that their Child required and has literally cost Millions of Dollars now and he's still in Grade School. This is why I am a proponent for America adopting National Healthcare like every other Progressive First World Country already has for their Citizens. But I digress.
Enough of all of the Medical Stuff for now, it could consume me if I let it when we're deep in the throes of yet another Medical Emergency and Personal Crisis. I knew this would be a difficult Post to Wade thru the Weeds of. So, on a Positive Note, a Silly one in fact, our Antique Mall is within Sight of the Hospital he's in. So, when I finally left the Hospital coz Visiting Hours were over and I'd been there literally all day again from Morning to Night, I went in to Work to foof my Showroom and pull a Printout on my Sales. Sales had been so Strong and then 3 Days {this Mon-Wed} of not a Single Sale! *Le Sigh* That's how it has been tho', it's all or nothing. Luckily they have been Strong enuf and I've got 3 more Days before the Pay Period Closes.
And, so anyway, I Needed a teensy bit of Retail Therapy, I bought a DAM Vintage Troll. Yep, didn't NEED it but Wanted it, and he was Cheap and I'd built up a Healthy Store Credit I used towards the Purchase. He's got Black Hair and is a Mid-Sized One, I got it from who I now call The Troll Vendor Upstairs. The Booths up there are Cheaper and so the more random Vendors tend to Rent Space up there, but it's where you can usually find some of the best Deals too on Merch. So, I only paid about Seven Bucks for him, he has Black Hair and a simple felt Wardrobe, an adorable expression, I'd say he's an earlier one, they came out in the 1950's but I'd say he's mebbe 1970-1980 Era? He just looks like the more Popular larger Ones of the Early 1980's to me. The 1960's were the heyday of Trolls. But they've made huge comebacks in the 2000's.
She had some earlier ones, and they were Larger than even this one, but some were New Old Stock from the very Vintage Ones so she wanted a Fair but higher price for them. I wasn't a Player right now to spend Twenty Bucks or so on one. Even tho' anywhere else and from any other Vendor at our Mall with the Older Ones that are Large, you'd pay $40 to Stratospheric Prices for them. Some of our Vendors really do have an "I Don't Really Wanna Sell It" Price on their Rarer Vintage Trolls IMO. They're clearly looking for that Beyond-The-End-Of-The-Rainbow Customer. *Smiles* In my Collection I do have several that could fetch Hundreds to a Serious Troll Collector wanting them. I've Sold some very Old ones when I Needed the Cash more than a Rare Troll. *Smiles* But, it's Silly at my Age, the Collection is one I Cherish enuf to not Sell Off unless I HAVE Need of the Cash. And I often add to the Collection instead.
I think I have definitely entered into my 2nd Childhood like Seniors can revert to? *Bwahahahaha* And, I don't fucking Care, we were Poor when I was a Child, so, now I'm not Poor I sometimes Buy a Toy, or Collect a Genre of those that are Collectible, that I either never could have or it was Sacrificial to my Parents to get me even One of. I think I had Two of the tinier Trolls growing up, one had long Black Hair, one had Orange Hair, both had the Horseshoes on the Feet and we bought at a Rexall Drugstore when I was an Older Child in the 1960's, but not yet a Grown Adult. In fact, since I've Worked from Age 14, I think I even bought them for myself?! I often did that, since I was a Child Hustler, if there was a Buck to be made, I was making it and Working my Hustle so I could buy what my Parents couldn't afford to. They were great tho', and Dad worked very hard to make a memorable Childhood in all the best of ways.
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He never owned a Toy growing up and Mom only recalls ever owning One, a Porcelain Doll she never even played with. She said she looked at it in the original Box from time to time, coz her Family were hard working but not affluent either. My Maternal Welsh Gran-Gran, due to his Cultural Background, never went to School and was illiterate, couldn't even Sign his Name, but could speak Several Languages fluently and was in The Trades. My Dad had perhaps a Grade School Education given at the Indian Schools, but he was a Smart and very Wise Man just like my Welsh Gran-Gran, and very Naturally Talented. Your Gifts always make Room for you in Life even if you were Denied many Opportunities Culturally. It's why I always told my Kiddos you can be anything you want to be and you can Succeed, if you Dream Big enuf. I've always had Big Dreams. If the Dream wasn't outrageously Big, I figured God wasn't even in it. *LOL*
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Coz if I could do it just by myself without Divine Partnership to attain it, then clearly the Dream wasn't BIG Enough, so Dream Bigger! *Smiles* True Story, when I was Two Years Old and we were living in France, I was Working my Hustle in the French Flea Markets my Parents took me to. No Money, just good Negotiating Skills, and I'd end up with whatever I wanted, coz at Age 2 I spoke several Languages... now I struggle with 1.5 Languages. *LOL* So, we befriended this Old French Gypsy who became one of my Best Adult Friends and she'd visit our Home from time to time. She knew my Mom's Heritage of being Didi Kai, and so that she'd take the Predictions Seriously. She told my Mom that tho' they wouldn't be able to Buy me the Education I Needed to be Successful, I'd find a way to get it for Free and be very Successful and get whatever I Wanted out of Life. She wasn't Wrong that Old Gypsy. But, I think every Child ought to Feel they can too.
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Coping with Trolls *Winks*, since, Why Not?... Dawn... The Bohemian
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