The Rockin' Chair

Good morning! For once, it is early in the morning and I am ready for breakfast. But Theo is not up, so am writing a bit.

Yesterday we spent the morning at Sharp Hospital ER in Chula Vista. We went there because, as I was preparing breakfast, Theo came in and gloomily announced, " I just took 24 units of R."

He takes two forms of Novalin, N and R. N is the long-acting, taken to carry him over a number of hours as his pancreas fails to do its job to handle the blood sugars. He's supposed to take 24 units of that in the morning.

Instead, he took 24 units of R, the quick-acting one which goes to work instantly with a pow.  He was supposed to take five.  That's a lot of R. So I immediately gave him some granola bars, and he took glucose pills of which he had only two.  We called the Kaiser nurse who after much questioning asked for me and said, "He isn't making any sense," and recommended that we go to the ER.

The Kaiser ER is about 20 miles from here over freeways congested by early morning traffic, so we opted to go to a local hospital, and chose Sharp, as we've tried Scripps before on a similar venture and got bawled out...Sharp was very welcoming. They have a beautiful hospital here. My two younger grandchildren were born there so the hospital is about sixteen years old, as Isabel was born there when it was about new. 

The people were really nice. And in the lobby they had one of those huge ice-water and lemon-slice configurations which I thought very thoughtful and generous of them.  In all we stayed about four hours, while Theo was put on a line and they observed him to see that he was going to be OK.

As we left, I remarked to Theodore that old age used to be marked by inactivity and repose (supposedly) instead of the frenetic activity we now undergo when a crisis arises.  Old photos show folks on long porches in their rockin' chairs. They sat in those chairs for as long as they could, then they fell out and went down for the count. I don't say that we don't have it better today. People can go on for years and years, with periodic rushings to hospitals or calling the first responders.

I think it's strange, though, that though they can prolong life (they being the doctors and health care providers) , they cannot do the basics of making it easier like having a simpler care system for the elderly.  People who call in daily to help people not take 24 units of R when they should be taking N; people who come and help out when what's needed is just some stronger muscle power; a hospital system that can be closer to hand if we do have to dash out in a car (I told Theo that if he keeps this up we should move to Santee where the Kaiser ER is).

I am a poor caregiver in that I get impatient and resentful. I've felt that I have done my share--and yet, no one ever determines their share because our share is appointed by God.  I guess.  And I get hacked when the doctor or nurse turns to me and says,"This is going to be up to you."  Yesterday  the doctor asked, "Have you thought about what to do to keep this from happening again?"  I said, "Yes, we have already discussed it.  I will keep the R in the kitchen where I am usually preparing the meal as he's supposed to be giving himself the shot. He will come and take it there in front of me." 

But those of you who know me know how irksome I find that role. God give me the grace to be more gracious in it. YAZZYBEL