After anesthesia, he looked like how I feel when I've had too many, wanting only to be still and near the porcelain.
He sat by the water kettle, rubbing his head against the spout, getting head and throat wet, then sitting up and very still. I brushed out the massive amount of dandruff and loose fur, which seemed to help him feel a bit better. Eventually, he settled on the mud room rug. We put down the wool army blankets there in a nest roll. He spent most of Friday in them, slowly recovering from his involuntary bender.
Today, everyone subdued, but fine. Eleanor on the sofa, Moby found where I put the wool blankets in the back room. Eleanor is a funny cat, Moby much more serious. He likes his privacy, his solitude. He has a deep, dark gravitas. But both of them, one on each side, snuggled up to me last night after work, offering comfort.
D says, "Not feeling well? Apply cats bilaterally."
Had the distinct impression that Eleanor knew this was part of her job, and glad to be useful, as only a cat can be. Really did make me feel better, cat armrests.
Nearly won* last place last night. Patient with an old, complex injury, she and surgeon decided at the last moment to add a procedure. Consent adjusted, surgery proceeded. Nearing the end, I knew he hadn't done the additional step, and I seriously considered not saying anything, perhaps he'd looked at the area and decided to omit it. But when he said "ok, we're done" I knew I had to at least ask.
"I hate to say this, late on a Friday, but... weren't you going to do (this bit)?"
He closed his eyes a moment, nodded, "What I meant was, I'm done with this part of the surgery, now I will do (this bit)."
Really didn't take that long, even with Dr. Slow. There really was never a doubt that I would question, just a matter of how and when. It only felt like should or shouldn't in my Friday afternoon head.
We cleaned the room, shut everything down, went to check on the winning* room, and they'd taken their x-ray gowns off. Well, that could only mean one thing. I worked on getting all the equipment out of their room, we had them nearly cleaned up before they took the patient out. All left together.
*Winning, meaning to run latest. Call it sarcasm.
3 comments:
I'd like to have you on my side when I'm having ops and procedures. Too many so far and I don't altogether trust the overworked staff, nurses, surgeons, anaesthetists.
Certainly no longer trust ward staff.
before now I,'ve had to look out for old, more confused patients on the same ward, when the nurses ignored them.
Zhoen, I'd like to follow this blog but I see I'll have to go over to the other side. would you follow me too? Only if you want.
Love the way the cats comfort you, animals always know when we aren't so well. My dog has been sitting in front of me, blowing me little kisses and squeezing delicate little whimpers out of her throat.
Friko,
For me to do the follow thing, I have to go to the newer template, and I have no idea how to keep my Girl on Motorcycle photo with that set up. So, I don't update. Please visit often. I'm just not concerned about how many people read here, so I'm apathetic about the whole following thing.
I've been very fortunate to work in hospitals with an overwhelmingly wonderful staff, surgeons. Rare exceptions of mediocre people who don't much care. I wish I could gather you in and walk you through, be your bulldog. Your dog would do it, but they won't let her in.
"Not feeling well? Apply cats bilaterally."
Cats are the best armour to wear in the battle of life.
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