White Dog and the Army have a long-term friendship with Elizabeth, my favorite nurse at the Care At Home Health Program. She is friendly, efficient, AND she is the only person EVER to consistently draw blood from my arm (as opposed to the top of my hand) on the very first stab! The WDA loves her for leaving no bruises of bloody gauzes.
She was here today to draw blood and to treat my toe ulcer. Everything went swimmingly UNTIL it came time to deal with the foot wound. The toe is uber tender to the touch, the foot around it swollen and the actual wound deep in the space between toes four and five.
Elizabeth had to measure the ulcer, including its depth, thoroughly clean the area with antiseptic rinse, dry the space, and apply medicinal honey into the ulcer. To do that she had to spread my toes apart as wide as she could; we all knew it would hurt.When we started, Opal and Zso sat inside the door as official "observers" but as the manipulation of my foot increased, so did the pain...and so did my deep breaths and not very brave whimpers. Zsofia called for reinforcement--Bailey, Siku and Bella. I heard Roman pushing against the kitchen gate in his attempt to join us.
Steve held the flashlight for Elizabeth at a different angle than her headlamp beam. It was getting crowded in my little bedroom space. I tried as hard as I could but some of the movements of the toe and the pushing between toes made me cry out. My furry nurses did NOT like my pain cries and began to lose patience with the RN.
"It is ok," I told them. "It DOES hurt but it will help me heal. Why don't you all go out to the living room with dad. He will give you a treat while Elizabeth and I finish up." I mouthed to Steve, "Close the hallway door on your way out."
When Steve answered my "All Clear!" ten minutes later the WDA flooded into the room. Each had to sniff my foot and all around the scene. Each gave the nurse a stern look. "I think you lost points, today," I told her. "Maybe I better quickly pack and make my escape before they eat me," she laughed.
1 comment:
Ouch....but better to heal.
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