Pamphlet - The Patient's Trauma

Most recent update is now first on the list

MOST RECENT UPDATES



Monday March 27
Saturday March 11
Wednesday February 22
Sunday February 12
Saturday February 11
Friday January 27
Thursday January 19
Monday January 16
Monday January 09
Monday January 02 **New Motto**
Wednesday December 28 **MRI & Neurovascular Appointment**
Sunday December 25
Monday December 19
Saturday December 17
Monday December 12
Saturday December 10
Wednesday December 7
Sunday December 4
Thursday December 1
Tuesday November 29
Friday November 25
Tuesday November 22
Sunday November 20
Friday November 18
Monday November 14
Saturday November 12
Friday November 11
Tuesday November 8 - Discharged from Hospital
Monday November 7
Saturday November 5
Friday November 4
Thursday November 3
Wednesday November 2
Tuesday November 1
Monday October 31
Sunday October 30
Saturday October 29
Friday October 28
Thursday October 27
Wednesday October 26
Tuesday October 25 Waiting and walking
Monday October 24 ** Sleeping Beauty**
Sunday October 23 ** Flying Solo **
Saturday October 22
Friday October 21
Thursday October 20 **MASQUERADE**
Wednesday October 19th **TRANSFERRED**
Tuesday October 18th A New Day
Monday October 17th Monitored
Sunday October 16th Sleeping 5pm Awake
Saturday October 15th 10:30am *Still There* 7:30pm *Mysteries*
Friday October 14th
Thursday October 13th Update Notes Before Visit
Wednesday October 12th Steady Improvements
Tuesday October 11th 9:30am *Coffee & Therapy* 4pm Ok
Monday October 10th 12pm *Thanksgiving, Indeed* 3PM *Apple juice*
Sunday October 9th, 10am *Progress* 6pm *Asleep*
Saturday October 8th, 9am & 4 pm *Fluctuating*
Friday October 7th, 2am & 11 am ; 7pm *Rough Day*
Thursday October 6th, 10:30 am *AWAKE* 6:10 pm *FEVER*
Wednesday October 5th, 9:30 am & 5pm
Tuesday October 4th, 4pm
Monday October 3rd
Sunday October 2nd
Saturday October 1st
Friday September 30 *The Aneurysm*



NOTE: No Visitors Please
after Patient recovers, she may allow some


Welcome to the patient updates. This is the easiest and quickest way to update the
patient's condition. If you have questions or comments you may send them to
patient@paybest.com. I will not be naming the patient for privacy reasons. I will
refer to her as "P".

For many of you if it is your first time here, this will be your first knowledge
of the event.

*******************

Friday September 30, 2022



P was halfway through heavy-duty antibiotic treatment for H.Pylori stomach bacterial
infection. She was doing very well after 1st week of a two week program. Able to eat
more challenging foods. At 11am she had an abrupt neck and head trauma, was confused, not
able to speak with strength or clarity. She was taken by ambulance to first hospital.
CT scan revealed blood in the brain from possible burst aneurysm. This proved to be
the case after very quick second CT scan with dye to map the blood vessels.


P had to be transferred immediately to a hospital with greater expertise in brain
trauma. Again, her critical condition made them move fast through Emergency checkin
and she was to be quickly operated on.
Operation removed blood and water from brain through hole in skull. This protected
her from losing mind and body functions. It was ruled not a stroke, but condition had
similar risks.


*****************************************










Saturday October 1st.

I visited P in ICU. Only family is allowed.
Doctor said it could take 2 weeks or more for a recovery.
P was sedated, and did not indicate awareness of anyone.
I spoke with her in case she could hear me. Her BP has been forced down more than 100
points to protect her from a repeat bursting. This made her skin very cold.
She is normally very warm.

Second operation, the most important one started about 1 pm. It lasted about 5
hours. They succeeded in maneuvering a "coil" into the aneurysm which will now block
and seal the site. A second much smaller aneurysm was found. It is less dangerous
and not normally treated due to its size.

There may be more minor procedures tomorrow. I was under the impression, she
will be awakened. I will be there to see evaluation of any impact on her abilities.
Because the event was like a stroke, anything is possible.

This is the quickest way I can maintain updates. Just come to this page. I have to
assist her sister who is house-bound with weakness and dementia.























Sunday October 2, 11 am


I visited P in ICU. She was still sedated. She was restless, slightly agitated. She
did not acknowledge anyone. I left suggestion that when events clear, she be re-tested for
stomach infection to make sure it is gone completely. The male nurse made a note of
my concern. I repeated that to a team doctor who arrived soon after and gave me a long
update on the subject. The concern is not as simple as I thought. Re-testing is done
in 4 months. Blood tests are not trusted. There may be other causes for them to look for.

I did not know before I came in that P still has a tube into her skull draining
fluids. I thought that was finished and it had been removed. It has not.

I asked about other procedures yesterday's doctor referred to. The team doctor knew
of no procedures, and said perhaps he was speaking about ongoing testing.

I was under the impression recovery time was 2 weeks. I was
informed that could refer to time in ICU, which was declared to be 10 days. But long
term recovery was referred to as 3 months and more. This surprised me as it changes all the
equations in terms of her employment, day-to-day management, and caring for her sister.

Thank you for the contacts and offers of assistance. I prefer to manage things myself.

I am mostly concerned about when she wakes up, if she knows what is happening, if she
attempts to remove any tubes (from skull, stomach, or lungs -- those are the main
ones). There are also feeding tubes. I also want to know what faculties she may have
lost or be having trouble with.

Recovery will be long and difficult. If patient reaches the point of recovering in
hospital, being alert, I will more than welcome visitors to distract her from the
long recovery. But it will be the patient's choice, entirely.
















Monday October 3rd 5pm.

I visited for a second time. She is still unconscious. This is on purpose,
by sedatives, to keep her blood pressure down.

I asked about the tubes. There is one from her lungs filling a bag with fluid.
I did not know this was a problem. They originally told me it
was for oxygen.

There is a tube from her skull. The bag is half full with pink liquid. I knew
they are still draining the area, but it is disturbing to know this. I was not
expecting it to be so much.

The male nurse mentioned to me that eventually a social worker would visit. This is
standard procedure. After recovery, they want to know what kind of environment
she will return to.












Monday Oct 3 8:20 am




Due to lack of sleep and many chores today, I can only get a brief phone update.
This is day three
ICU nurse reported that there was basically no change. BP is being safely maintained.
There was a flickering of one eye wanting to open when they were attending to her.
I can just imagine what she wanted to tell them.
I believe she is still unconscious. I hope she is having pleasant dreams.
I will try to visit in person. For now she is in good hands.
I am not entertaining phone calls or many texts. This page is the place to go.
Thanks to all for your concern


Monday Oct 3 5:20 PM



I did not think I could visit, but a long sleep and a drop in my BP 40 points to
a comfortable level has restored my energy.

I visited P for 40 minutes, mainly because she was mostly unattended. Staff came
and went from the station. They have 12-hour shifts and need relief themselves.

Patient is the same. Unconscious. Numbers good. Basically she is asleep.
Her lips move somewhat, but this seems to be more a reflex to lung tube discomfort
than in mumbling in her sleep. But it could be a dream. I know she is not aware
of time. She is probably unaware of me talking to her.
Her skin is warm and
has good colour, as opposed to the start when it was cold and pale. So I am
pleased this means she continues on the road to a normal recovery.

I have learned many things. The sedation has nothing to do with lowering blood pressure.
The reason for the sedation was not explained to me, but I can guess.
She is only ever in one position, on her back, chest and head raised,
feet raised on a pillow, and open, no socks (it reveals a slight ankle swelling).
Her legs have long white velcro pads. I can only guess what this is for, and
more than likely I would be wrong. It may prevent blood clots from rising
but then she doesn't have blood clots, so I don't know.

The sedation must keep her from being agitated. If you were in one position day
after day, with uncomfortable tubes into your lungs, skull, stomach, you would be
driven insane. So the sedation is probable intentional, and my visits have nothing
whatsoever any more to do with waiting for her to "wake up".
They can wake her any time they really want to.

The blood pressure is artificially lowered through medications. I don't think these
are your normal medications, but I suspect they are responsible for the minor ankle swelling.

These numbers are more for my record, as I want to see changes without peering into
their notes and charts. Pulse 75 [same]
drainage level skull 475ml lungs 525ml and seems to be rising

I will have some questions for the regular nurse tomorrow morning.
Thank you for not phoning, not texting, and letting me rest. But if
if few of you who are nurses, I know, want to text me to explain procedures, I welcome them.
I only have one phone call to deal with and give this website address to.

Tuesday October 4, 2022 4pm

I visited for 1 hour. Her BP is not low, I was reading wrong number. She
is actually hypertensive. 161/50. According to Nurse, she is not on BP medication.
She is only sedated, which does drop the BP to a small degree. They emptied her
drainage flasks last night. The skull drainage is only up slightly. What I thought
was her lung fluid flask is also low. It is more accurately a mouth fluid
flask as it gets most fluids when they clean her. I doubt it has any fluids from
her lungs. (That's a relief.)

She was slightly on her right side. A retired nurse cousin had texted me earlier to
say it was necessary. I thought they couldn't do that to protect drainage tubes.
That is also wrong. It is vital for muscles and to prevent bed sores. She had no
velcro pads on her legs and looked quite normal otherwise.

P has a slight temperature. Nurse monitors regularly. They have taken samples to
test for cause. They have bags of ice chips on each shoulder.

She will be having an MRI today. Results should be more informative than the CT scans.
It cannot be booked yet because of heavy usage.

Her eyes were closed, but she was quite animated and responding to my presence. I
was able to have a long one-sided conversation to update her. Her motions
suggested she fully understood what I am saying. I will find out eventually when
she wakes. She was visited by a general spiritual advisor. She was a pleasant lady
whose concern is important. Not at all what I anticipated. She has the option of
a religious advisor in her faith, but I was quite happy with this one. P can
decide herself when the time is right.

Overall she is doing well. I was very pleased by what I saw and learned.














Wednesday October 5, 2022 9:30 am






Last night P had MRI and CT scan. Results later this afternoon.
Temperature is down, BP down 10 points. No results on the infection tests.
New shift nurse reported that her eyes have been open. I spoke to P.
She is moving about, did not open eyes for me, did not acknowledge. I will return later.


Wednesday October 5, 2022 5 pm


The good: The lung tube has been removed, the stomach feeding tube has been
removed from the mouth, and transferred to enter through the nose.
P woke up from a deep sleep, sort of. She briefly opened her eyes when I spoke
and I identified myself. I said a few upbeat things. P closed her eyes again.
I obviously did not impress her. I'll have to work on that.
The MRI and CT scan results were in. Nothing harmful was reported.

The not so good: Her infection tests came back positive. She's on antibiotic now.
The bag that draws liquid from the brain, continues to fill. It is probably normal
to keep filling, but the colour was more intensely red. So the bleeding has not stopped.
She continues to be in a safe recovery mode, but it just hasn't happened yet.








Thursday October 6, 2022 10:30 am


Station nurse: April, nurse relief: Roxanne

When I arrived, her eyes were open, she was moving about, she immediately focussed
on me, I was not allowed to approach as a team was "evaluating her". Not doctors,
just attendants. They drew the drapes, but I could still hear what she was trying
to say. When they finished in ten minutes, I translated for them. I explained
the pains she referred to. I translated her mumbling to "cold, cold, drink",
repeated ten times. She was not allowed. Relief nurse solved this with
a small blue sponge in a glass of water that cleaned her lips, followed by Vaseline.
She moved her head back and forth as the nurse brushed her lips, to speed up the
process. At the conclusion, she nodded approval. Her head was in pain, so
I asked them to elevate her, and provide a blanket for support under one
side of pillow. She approved the results. The most immediate problem was shivering
because of the existing infection. We added a 2nd blanket, a 3rd blanket, and when
time for a 4th blanket, the relief nurse replaced everything with a heated and
doubled blanket and a second blanket over that.

We did not effectively converse, as she is weak. I explained the situation,
where she is, when it is, she understood. Therefore, no mental disability. She
can form words, just weakness, so, no speech disability. No disabilities at all recognizable
at this time. I was happy to see the skull liquid bag, almost empty and the new
flow, a much lighter pink. I was not happy to see the BP in the 170s, and the nurse
referring to that as "good." As I talked to her, the BP slowly lowered into the 160s.
She was in and out of sleep within the next hour.

I am going to have to spend more time here. They are bright, friendly, helpful staff,
but they cannot translate her needs, and they don't understand my jokes. When I
explained to patient that being allowed so many blankets was a result given only to
the VIPs. The nurse corrected me, saying everyone was allowed many blankets, not just
VIPs. Tough audience.

I left after 1 1/2 hours.


Thursday October 6, 2022 6:10 pm


When I arrived, she had a fever. She was restless, uncomfortable. Her blood
pressure was rising. It eventually went up to 182/100. They can't understand her.
Her most immediate want was "cold cold water". She is not allowed. Nurse, April,
gave her an ice chip. She spit it out, she was afraid of choking, I think. She had
a lot of fluid coughed up from the lungs, mostly from distress. It took me 15 minutes
to translate the phrase "very mild coffee". That told me she had a headache. Nurse
placed a cool cloth on her forehead, and packed her inner arm areas with ice.

She knew clearly that I was there, trying to help her. I had to watch as the nurse
kept disappearing to attend to the neighboring stations. Sometimes I had to fetch
her when she needed her lungs aspirated, otherwise, she would cough and turn red.
She was in a bad position for that, I thought I might have to stay all night.

Then her fever started coming down. Her BP drifted down within 1/2 hour to as low as
128/70. They had fed her throughout my visit with some kind of nutrition drink through
the nose tube. The nurse gave her Tylenol for the headache. Her distress gradually
disappeared. I was told she had been sleeping most of the day, but soon she would be
sleeping again.

I was told they will try to have her sitting tomorrow. I think they mean in a chair
beside the bed. She will also be evaluated by a speech therapist. As I know she does
not have dementia, that should correct quickly when the conditions improve. They hope to
feed her by mouth. I hope that will satisfy the "cold cold water" need, and they
may allow a portion of mild coffee. That remains to be seen.




Friday October 7, 2am & 11am



2am: I phoned nurse. Patient asleep, still fever, BP 155/over ?

11am: Agitated. Congested. Medication through atomizer. Fever. Thirsty. Headache.

Clear vision and awareness of people. Speech is 2 times stronger by volume. Speech 4 times
more distinct. I am no longer required to "translate." I detect no sign
of dementia or loss of any faculties. Only her standing and mobility have yet to
be tested. X-ray (for lungs) coming soon.
I stayed an hour until she settled.





Friday October 7, 7pm


Rough day. Nothing good to report. Lung congestion, fever, bouts
of chills. Thirsty. Headache. Confusion. Speech declined. They tied her hands to bed.
I remained many hours. Staff distracted by other patients. Tomorrow I have to attend
to her sister. If the fever breaks tonight, it could ease off.
I agreed to a special study that would make her special; she would get a
random measure of antibiotics, (correction-->) "7 days or 14 days". I chose that so she would
get more attention. I declined to allow her personal data to be shared.
I will not be answering calls tonight.





Saturday October 8th, 9am & 4 pm *Fluctuating*


9am: === I was at ICU for about 2 hours. It was a workout. I try not to interfere, but
assisted as required when there was much to do and only Nurse Marianne by herself.
Fever is down. Congestion is up. Lungs had to be suctioned deeply twice. I had to hold
P's head repeatedly to calm her. She had to be steadied when she was needled again
to receive anti-clotting medication.

The great needs continue to be "cold cold water" (prohibited), "very mild coffee" (prohibited).
She is no longer being tied to the bed, despite ongoing thrashing and squirming. I had to
massage her arms, feet, and head relax her. Mostly, I had to speak
at close range to let her know how many people are praying and rooting for her. It
helped considerably to settle P.
I left paper work to be filled out by the lead team Doctor when convenient.
I then travelled to her sister to drop off her paper work, and purchase food and supplies.


4pm: === After lunch and a rest, I returned to P. She was asleep. I did not approach.
I was given updated positive data. Another nurse researcher came. I answered all questions
about P's recent antibiotic treatment, the fact that her prior treatment was for an
entirely different infection in the stomach, and had nothing to do with the lungs.
I left P sleeping, after visiting just 10 minutes. I did not need to get close
to her as she would likely wake up if she heard my voice.
I feel very confident that P is back on the path to improvement,
as long as the congestion clears and the infection disappears. I think her mental
state has a lot to do with it. Thank you for your support. She knows she has
a large audience, and must get better soon so as not to disappoint you.






Sunday October 9th, 10am *Progress*


10am: Temperature eased down to 37.5C. P was alert, relaxed, but uncomfortable.
P had been given water to drink by mouth. The amount is being carefully monitored.
P was not impressed by the progress. "Oh, yeah, water. Thanks for the water."
I was impressed by the fact that I could clearly understand what she said. She added that
what she really would like was "a coffee, with two milk and two sugar." She liked
saying that. She would also be happy with a cold coconut juice, pineapple juice,
apple juice, and about six others. She liked saying those words.
It reminded me of a late 1960s cartoon in an American magazine in which a man was
crawling desperately through a desert, with long beard, and suffering look, holding out
his arm to an invisible saviour, saying, "Booze, broads, water!" P's preferences
had also moved water into last place.

P was not struggling or thrashing, but she still had to have her wrists tied
to the handrails. She could still remove the finger pulse clip, making the reading turn
into a question mark. She knew it was necessary, so she swapped fingers, and
would install it onto an alternate finger, then her pulse would pop back onto the
screen. Being a troublemaker gave her something to do. I gave her a small religious
pamphlet, so she was able to transfer her attention to that for half an hour.
I discovered by accident an hour into the visit, that the lung and mouth suction
apparatus had been folded away and the container empty. She still had congestion
but was able to clear it herself. She had no idea that this was a major improvement.
The only thing I was not happy with was the continued flow of red liquid from
her skull. Nurses were too busy to comment on this and tell me if it was natural, so
I suspect the ruptured aneurysm is slow to heal because it is an internal injury.
I promised for my next visit to read to her. That immediately made her feel sleepy.



3:30 pm ==>I arrived. P not there. Having CT scan. I left and returned in 1 hour.
She was resting, sleepy. Temperature still about 37.5. No congestion. Still having
her skull drained. Quite reddish. Only spoke a few words. I remained for 1 1/2
hours. I spoke little; she said nothing understandable. I propped her head with a
blanket under the pillow, and watched the monitor numbers; they were all lower.
I left about 6 pm. Nurse Marianne was still carefully monitoring her water
intake as it tended to cause choking and make her sleepy. I anticipate tomorrow's
visits will show improvements in everything. That will be Day 10. They first told
me it would take 10-14 days.










Monday October 10th 12pm *Thanksgiving, Indeed*


12pm ====> (Nurse, Cam, "Camellia" )BP 130/65, Temp 37.2, Feeding Tube is gone.
They gave her apple juice. She is demanding coffee and Tylenol for her headache. I will
bring a thermos of what she likes and get permission. She is to have lunch in about one hour.
She was asked the date. She said November 1822. Close enough. I may have to remove the
Ipad she was given to play with as it hasn't been invented yet. The skull drainage continues.


3PM


An IV needle broke in P's right hand, with some blood. It took twenty minutes to extract,
clean-up, and install a replacement onto the back of the left hand.
I setup P's Android Ipad, including activating the Hospital Network so that P could
occupy and fatigue herself with some games that needed to be online. It is an insecure
network, but she only plays games, no personal activities. After this, she enjoyed much
cold apple juice.
P was again asked the date. This time it was October 2023. Getting closer.
A pamphlet on SAH - subarachnoidal hemorrhage , P's exact condition, describes,
everything, definition, symptoms, treatment, prognosis, it could be long-term up to
6 months depending on P's individual damage, disabilities, recovery.
P ate only a small portion of the lunch. After her hand IV was restored, her BP
was higher, so Cam advised against any of the coffee in a thermostat I had brought in.
In view of the risk of repeat problems, this is a wise precaution.




Tuesday October 11th 9:30am *Coffee*


9:30am ===> The patient had breakfast, finally had coffee. She now thinks it is
November 13th. She is enjoying herself too much, playing with her tablet, so some
occupational therapists came saying they were going to have her sit up
in the bed and sit on the edge. That's probably because ICU beds are high profile
real estate, and the patient will probably be moved out to a hospital ward by Friday,
the 14th day after the aneurysm. I have added links at the top and bottom of this page
to the Hospital Pamphlet that explains her subarachnoidhemorrhage.


4:00 pm ===> In the morning, after I left, the therapists gave her socks, sat her on the bed,
and made her stand. She is still connected to the brain drainage, gets congestion, and has noticeable
short term memory loss. She keeps fiddling with the tubes, like my brother did,
the machine readings go off. They are making the move to free up her bed.
I think she will be in a hospital ward before this weekend.
There are still considerable challenges, and dangers. I will be very busy in the next few days.





Wednesday October 12th Steady Improvements





I visited Patient twice, morning breakfast time, late afternoon supper time.
Patient sat in a chair by the bed most of the day. She ate pureed food, didn't
like it at all, but was happy with the soup and my guarantee that it had nutrition.
I gave her my coffee from a flask, specially made for her, which she enjoyed greatly.
She gets stronger, her blood pressure reached levels I haven't seen for ten years,
109/43 was the lowest. She doesn't like all the IV needles and tape stuck to her.
I expect she is about 48 hours away from being transferred to the "inpatient" ward, away from
the security doors of ICU and sharing a room with others.
When that happens, she will probably be walked much, and my time may be more intense.
Her sense of reality has challenges. She knows the day and date, but she couldn't
manage her phone well. I am needed to supervise considerably.
I had to perform much maintenance chores for her sister, secretarial chores for
the pair of them, and start preparations for home safety equipment.
The skull drainage is ongoing, is not unusual, but the risk factor for a stroke
remains high. I met a lady whose husband is in the same ICU; she had
allowed him to go home too early, his aneurysm burst again in the same artery and
he had to start all over again. I must be vigilant. The patient is
like a child, careless, starts to wrap up her tube cords, making them pinch and shut
off the supply line, so I have to constantly get her to stop. Her attempt to use the
cell phone was a disaster, so I must continue to forbid her. I just hope it is temporary,
or I'll be a candidate for a straight jacket. I got two of them now, stereophonic
troublemakers.


Thursday October 13, 2022 Notes Preceding Visit


P will be fasting from 12am (Midnight) until about 12pm (Noon) and will be having a
special test. I can't remember what it is or what is the focus, possibly a dye test
throughout the body.
I brought up the topic of the "Study" that P was chosen for. It involved giving her
either 7 days or 14 days of antibiotics randomly chosen. This is because
her temperature is the lowest yet, at 36.0 C, and she has no fever, therefore no
infection. The nurse (Joel) replied that this had been discussed by Doctors and it is likely
they will deny the study. She should not have medicine for a non-existent condition.
I am pleased to know that they are alert to everything, and that it should be cancelled.


Thursday continued 1pm


The skull tube is out. That doesn't mean no blood in the brain fluids. She was thirsty
for coffee, and a special treat I brought, but not allowed. Nothing for her headache.
She's drawn the short straw. Nurse's name I can't understand. She can't be
found when needed. I call her L---. The doctor came with his equipment
for her transesophagalscope. He explained in detail the procedure to P and myself.
P nodded. She doesn't understand a word of it. Except the part he emphasized for her to
remember. When she is told to swallow, she must SWALLOW. I informed him she has no
problem swallowing big pills. This big pill has eyes. Doctor kept looking for L---, but she
was off somewhere. I signed papers, the nurse reappeared, along with 7 more team members,
mostly watchers, I assume. They are going to scope her heart. I moved aside but was kicked out.
I tried over the next 2 hours to see her, but she was still having her heart inspected.
Finally I got in. It was successful. She was deeply asleep. She was sawing down a
big tree. They told me to go have a nap. Come back later. I'll visit about dinner time.
I had left her coffee there earlier. It will remain hot if L--- doesn't misplace the thermos.
I got called repeatedly by her sister. I updated her and agreed to fetch medical supplies
for her tomorrow. I haven't worked for 17 years. Now I am working. 12 hours a day 7 days a week.
I'm not getting a tuppence. The two Rogers reading this will know what that is.

Thursday continued 7pm


I misjudged the nurse, she was excellent. As soon as they brought volunteers in to
assist with time consuming chores like answering the doors, all the trained workers could return to
doing what they were supposed to. I will call her T---- now as she is Totally Professional.
I said the skull tube is out. Yes. But there is an IV style connection. It is measuring her
skull pressure. In the beginning that number was bouncing around 20. When I left tonight it
was -2 after being mostly 0 throughout the day. This is good. There are no results from the
heart scan. That will take 2 days. So she will remain in ICU longer. I know what they were
looking for. They should have asked me. Her high BP at the onset is not caused by arterial
plaque or heart defects, by my estimate. We do not eat garbage. I expect the numbers to be
better than normal. Her high BP was caused by workplace mismanagement. All they have to do
is hire a good firing squad and they can clean up the workplace in a flash, then the real workers
won't be grumbling.
When I returned in the evening, I waited ten minutes for P to awaken. Her temperature was
up to 38.7 (1.7 higher than last reading yesterday). It later went down to 38.2. Even she complained of a fever.
She had chills, but only a light sheet was provided, intentionally. She is shaking off the
results of the knock-out drops. You would need knock out drops too, if someone was
planning to shove a camera down your throat with a tight fit at the back.
I brought her coffee. She drank the old and the new. She started feeding on the pureed chicken and
some unidentifiable soup, a lot like cultural Lugow. She had one of the Nutella on bread
squares that I had made.
She even tried the pureed broccoli and mashed potato that she had turned her nose up at yesterday.
I just mixed them together. She was given heavier doses of meds for her headache. Then she
wanted to lie back again, and is starting to sleep.
I personally would never have been able to tolerate someone shoving a camera down my throat.
Sixty years ago, the doctors were unable to get a simple tube down my throat to draw out
the congestion from Viral Pneumonia that can often kill seniors and children. But I had a
good reason. In 1952, at age 4, somebody thought my tour of a shed had ended in me drinking
some coal oil from a 7-up bottle. It was a misconception. I am not as stupid as I look. But they
rushed me to hospital to pump my stomach. I have no recollection of the event, but nobody gets near
the back of my throat. I'll bet it was a memorable lesson for Nurse Three-Fingers and Dr.
Four-Fingers, that they'll never forget. So they told me. (with just a bit of elaboration.)







Friday October 14th



9:30am: and 7pm

She frowns until she gets her coffee. Very moody until the new nurse
demanded a smile. Then she was laughing. After fourteen days in a prison-like ward,
I wonder what I would be like. Her nurse's name is hard to remember, until
I exchange the first 3 letters and the next 3 letters with what they look like. So I
refer to her as Fish-Love. Now I can remember. I hope I don't forget, as she
looks like a Cossack and I'm sure she could whack me big time. She's very helpful. Thanks Fish-Love.

The patient has good numbers. Her biggest threat is herself. She's like a kid in a China shop.
Just keeps touching her skull tube. It's detached and not draining, but is used to measure the
pressure. I gave her back her recharged tablet to keep her fingers active.
They promised a CT scan today, but by supper time nothing. Maybe tonight or tomorrow.
Whenever she strains at something (she grabs the coffee thermos
when I 'm not looking, and tries to open it with a big grimace), it startles me.
"Don't touch that." She has no strength, but so far her numbers have held safely.
Sometimes the warning light flashes 'yellow alert' and starts beeping. She pulls the plugs out
when she wriggles around. I can re-attach most of them now, otherwise the Cossack
will come out of her cave to see what's up. I prefer to manage simple things myself.
I am most concerned about her mind. She has short-term memory only. She can summarize her experience
but she cannot evaluate or express herself knowingly. I can talk about her to a doctor or
nurse, and she is unaware that I am talking about her. All of her actions are very sweet,
like a cat that starts ripping things apart when you're not looking. The new patient through
the glass window to her right must be very serious, as his wife and sister were there crying. So, all of a sudden
P was clutching the religious pamphlet, eyes squeezed shut, intensely praying for him, whoever he might be.
She is very aware of things, but only within a certain framework. She doesn't want to be here
but she never asks when she is getting out. Then she says things like, where's my purse? I'm going to get us
Popeye's chicken tonight. I have to tell her that we are not going to be doing that, and that her dinner
will be coming soon.

I hope to get the heart scope results tomorrow, and possibly the CT scan results if they take her tonight
The more real data that comes out, and is matched up with her good numbers, the sooner she will be
transferred to a Neurosurgery ward.







Saturday October 15th *Still There*


10:30am:

Patient had the CT scan the Doctors promised late last evening. Results are unknown
from the CT scan and the heart scoping two days ago. All monitored numbers look good
and normal.She should be sitting up, but seems to have lost some ground. I need a
Doctor's update to find out what's going on, and what we are waiting for. She is acting
devilish. Her wrist itches where the new left arm IV needle was set, and is protected from
her picking at it by gauze bandages. When reprimanded, she denies doing anything,
then laughs and mutters sly comments. She has no recall of yesterday's phone calls
that I forced her to make to test her short term memory. It was as if they had never
happened. The constant headache is resolved for the most part with a cold face cloth
on the forehead. The nurse keeps asking if she wants a Tylenol instead. I say 'no',
as I don't want her drugged up when it is not necessary. I know the human body
gets stressed over the long time by having to filter out drugs. I want her to have
vitamins, not pills. When she is up and exercising, her low BP will start to move
around and the headache and weakness will vanish magically. No more pills, please.
I want her to be functioning, not just another dependent who can barely get out of bed.
I will return later.


7:30pm *Mysteries*


I arrived about 5:30pm. P had already had some of her dinner. She welcomed my coffee.
The nurse reported how bad she had been. Trying to climb out of the bed to visit the Ladies washroom. I don't blame her.
Now she's tied down, but she can still reach for the coffee cup and other treats I am bringing (Nutella on a croissant cut into small pieces).
Nurse said she ate so well at breakfast, she didn't eat much at lunch.
Now the bad things. The floor is in Covid-19 alert. It has an infection. Restrictions are in place. ICU is clear, though.
She will be having another CT scan. She is being monitored for encephalitis, probably because of her symptoms.
As you know encephalitis is an infection that inflames the brain and can make it swell. It can kill you easily.
It would be caused by mosquitoes, other bugs, anything external that might cause an infection or a virus.
I forgot to ask, but I'm sure they already tested her for Covid-19. The patients are well isolated from one another by giant windows.
It could account for her headaches, occasional fever, memory loss, erratic behaviour, so far no hallucinations.
I personally don't think she has it. There is no reason, so they are doing the CT scan to
study for more definite identification markers.
I asked for a specific person to visit and she was allowed. She survived her own similar trauma
earlier this year. Her experience and her profession gives me much important information.
I won't be asking anyone else.

I was supposed to visit the patient's sister for the maintenance task, but the patient takes priority.
It's not bad now, but it could get a lot worse during the winter, if the patient cannot be released home.
Everything otherwise looks good. I am optimistic. Time will tell what the CT scans reveal.
One other indirect mystery. Or am I going a little crazy. I planned a specific dinner for myself tonight.
By some odd coincidence, when I opened the utensil drawer, the potato peeler I was looking for
jumped out onto the floor. So maybe some guardian spirit is thinking he's helping me somehow.
Or it was just somehow caught at the edge, and got itself dislodged. I will put the idea
aside, but if anything else decides to become active, I will certainly consider having a good
shot of whiskey, which won't mix well with my BP medication, so probably not.






Sunday October 16 9:30 am


They gave her another CT scan this morning. Had to drug her to make her lie still. She is sleeping.
I left after 5 minutes. I had to do chores for her sister.


12:30pm


She is still sleeping. She did not have breakfast. I tried to give her lunch and coffee, but she is sleeping. Her numbers are good.
(BP, temp, pressure, respiration). I tried to get her to eat. She mumbled unknown things.
She didn't 't even know I was there. I have to go home and accept delivery
of cooked food from friends. Special cultural dishes for the sisters and myself.

7:00pm


I arrived after 5pm. She was awake, quiet, tied up to the bed and not resisting. I finally met
Kelly, the new nurse. She informed me the tests for encephalitis were negative. (I told you so.)
He normal symptoms she's had for decades, gave them that impression, but have nothing to do with the aneurysm.
Her last critical connection has been removed. She is no longer measured for skull pressure.
All that remains is a gauze bandage over the stitches where they drilled into her head.
I was able to feed her like an infant, spooning some kind fish, with potatoes and carrot mash. Whatever
I gave her, she ate. She even had some fruity slush just because I said I wanted her to have vitamin C.
Because all critical connections no longer exist (just BP, pulse, and a few more) she is good to go
to the inpatient ward. They didn't tell me that. But I know she will not be monitored by a hookup in the ward.
How safe they think she is from the Covid ward outbreak, may be holding it up. I don't know why they're calling it
an outbreak. Nobody is running around screaming out in the hall. It's pretty quiet. She's entitled
to semi-private, so at most one other person in the room. Then I want to see her sitting
up in a chair for her meals, and being walked about. I don't see any of that in the halls for other patients,
so it's hard to know what comes next.
I tested her myself with photos I printed of family and friends, and she did very well on
the recognition, and on the naming of the subjects. Her short term memory is another story.
Patient still thinks it's November, and she just randomly choose a date, but she gets the year correct.
I have invented a puzzle for her that I will bring tomorrow. It will be 4 to 16 squares of images
with two of each. It was called Concentration. When you pick a square you try to match it with its mate by location.
If her short term memory is bad, then she won't remember the locations and she'll never finish it.
I'm not waiting for these doctors to fix her memory. I'll do it myself.
That other thing I mentioned yesterday about the potato peeler jumping out of the drawer. I decided to dig up
my old trail camera, set it up in the bedroom, and see what the infra-red might capture with the lights off.
I got a five-second video of sparkles rushing about. I know it's not bugs or dust.
I don't know what to think. I will conclude that it is a manifestation of your prayers.




Monday October 17, 2022 *Monitored*


11:30 update. First, I am sorry I cannot arrange for special videoconferencing across the ocean.
I am exhausted. The patient is not well. Read the updates. There is no time to entertain people specially.

They are watching her. All tubes are gone. They are concerned about bleeding
in the aneurysm site. New nurse Emily gives special medications to treat the wound site.
The patient still thinks it's November and tries to get out of bed to visit washroom. Nurses must
watch her all the time. She's fast. The scoping of the heart showed no problems. CT scans are clear.

2:30pm


I missed her lunch, attended for a few hours, helped her finish a rice pudding she had overlooked.
They have her sitting in a chair for eating and circulation. Her automatic blood pressure cuff makes her itchy.
I took care of her headache with coffee and a damp cloth, I scratched her itchy parts with exfoliator glove and cream for dryness.
I brushed the knots out of her hair. She is sad not to be able to walk about, but that should come soon.


5:00 pm


The walking came sooner than I thought. While I was away, they walked her to the end of a corridor.
I didn't think they did that in ICU because staff is all over the place doing important things.
There is no room for athletes. But they did. Probably with one of the primitive aluminum
walkers for support. I forgot to ask if they used one of those or just pointed her in a direction and held her arms for support.
She had not had her supper before I came, so I was allowed to feed her. She was as hungry as
a bear, but the food was bland. She has put in a request with me to bring my special pancakes, with yogurt,
a piece of crisp bacon and coffee. She battled with the BP cuff, which they replaced, and she didn't like that one either.
It kept squeezing her, which is what it's supposed to do, but she took it personally. Just before 7pm
she settled down and fell asleep. It was probably the medication. That is their solution for everything.

Nurses don't always reveal to me ('the family') things I need to know. I usually only hear those things
when I hear them chatting. So, I overhead during one of their chats, that the patient is
waiting for a bed to 'open up' in the wards. That's very important, and they didn't tell me.
It means she has been approved to move on. It also means that whoever moves out from the ward
should move in the morning. That's always been standard at hospitals. However I was told
that it could happen any time. But I find it hard to believe they would wake you up at 2am.
"Good news! Somebody kicked the bucket. Now you get to sleep in their bed for the rest
of the night. If you see anything strange, it's just your imagination."











Tuesday October 18th A New Day


Note Update


Regarding some recent mysteries. When difficult things happen, your senses are heightened.
I tested the potato peeler. It can easily get stuck at the front of the drawer, then be
thrown out when caught in other utensils. Conclusion. It means nothing. It was an illusion.
Testing the trail camera, caught more things moving. But they were all out of focus, and
happened after I moved by. They were dust particles, caught in the light and swirled around
by an air current. Conclusion. It means nothing. Another illusion.
But thanks for all your prayers anyway, they have been most helpful, I am certain.

9:30 am


I got there late. The patient was mostly asleep. The new nurse reported that the night nurse had given her Benadryl
for her itchiness, and this was what was keeping her asleep, causing her to miss breakfast and not receive the morning medication.
Otherwise the patient is fine. I had to leave to do chores. I hope to return for her lunch and help her to eat that.

1:30 pm


I visited midday. She was still sleepy. She only ate a little bit. I decided to let her rest and left after 20 minutes.

5:30 pm


They wouldn't let me visit long. They fed her to get the pills down. I fed her some, gave her coffee.
They were not around much. Fortunately, I stopped her from leaping out of bed to go to the washroom. She's not allowed.
I explained in detail all her hookups. I creamed her arms for the itchiness, gave her a brown rice balm cream
for her headache, rubbed on her forehead, which came from the mother of a godchild.
The outside hallways are getting more and more signs about the Covid outbreak. Only I can visit her.
I have to keep her spirits up, as nobody else knows how to do that. Thank you all for not bugging me excessively.
I am at a loss to understand where my executive secretary has vanished. Oh, wait. I just remembered.
I don't have an executive secretary to manage all the requests and the silly nonsense I have to go through.
I will just be ignoring you anyway. The patient's health and welfare is still at much risk.
The two occupational therapists who came that afternoon tried to drag the sleeping patient up to her feet for a walk.
They failed. I could have told them to leave her alone. They'll come back and try again tomorrow. It is important for them to succeed.
Otherwise, she could be there a long time. I can take care of her at home, and cook better stuff than the
green, orange, brown, grey, white stuff that they bring her.








Wednesday October 19th **TRANSFERRED**



8:30 am



The old attendant said, unhappily, "You're early?" I could have told them how to adjust their door monitoring system
to reduce visitor disturbances. But I did not. I also did not explain that I had to make sure that the night shift
was not drugging P to settle her down. Fortunately that did not happen this time. So they were
ultimately able to walk her as she needed to be walked. It was most fortunate, because it was time for her to move up.
I did not stay long, just gave her coffee, then had to rush out to re-supply her sister. I went home for a sleep so I would be fresh.
I let them manage the situation and walk her as much as they liked. Which they did and the benefit showed at my next visit.


4:30 pm


I assisted her with her dinner that came about 5pm. The nurse told me she would be transferred
when dinner was over. She felt better and looked her normal self. I packaged all her things into the
clear possession bag and left it on her bed. She was ready go to the "inpatient" ward. Not far to go.
The next time I return I will have to contend with the Guardians of the Inpatient Ward, who quite frankly
have not done a particularly good job, as they are still in Covid-19 high alert outbreak.
So when they try to make it difficult to see her, I will be prepared to be declared "an essential visitor."
I will happily give them a few lessons. I just have to say, "Show me your portable isopropyl spray,
and I'll show you mine." My gloves prevent me from touching outside surfaces, and the spray sterilizes the gloves.





Thursday October 20 **MASQUERADE**




8:00 am

I visited my clinic. Got my flu shot in right shoulder.

8:30 am

I visited the Pharmacy. Got Moderna Covid-19 booster in the left shoulder.
It had to be done, even though it won't be actively protecting me for 2 weeks.

9:15 am

I visited the hospital, checked in with the INPATIENT front office, was easily given the patient's room number.
They knew I was aware of the signs of the Covid-19 outbreak and the "Lockdown". But I am "essential" to the survival of the patient. You can say that again.
When I looked at the room and the bed, I thought "Who the hell is that?" Didn't look like the patient, but someone who'd been on a pub-crawl all night.
The idiots had drugged her up, probably to shut her up about her headache and itchiness. She had some appliances installed incorrectly.
The moron who was masquerading as a nurse, kept glaring at me. "We don't allow visitors. We are under lockdown."
I assured her I was "essential". When the moron departed, the attendant at another bed, was quite friendly, and realistically accepted my presence.
The two other patients must have been on the same pub-crawl, and a new one that came shortly after, all the same.
The patient who had been in such great health at 5:30 pm the evening before, was almost unrecognizable.
I was left alone, so I put on blue sterile gloves I brought myself, I adjusted her appliances, so now she looked human,
I threw out their brown swill that pretended to be coffee and which she found bitter,
and replaced it with my light coffee made with honey, and she loved it. She started to look human again.
The OT's were on the case. I like them. They will be walking her very soon. The sooner the better.
After I organized her possessions, having cleaned everything with my isopropyl alcohol that I am protecting her with,
I decided against leaving her any electronics, until I am sure the morons have left her alone to resume recovery.
I treated her headache with "brown rice curry balm" which the mother of her god-daughter had given me. Wonderful. No drugs.
Just intelligence is all that's required. I left fairly quickly as the OT's were walking her down the hall,
one on each arm and an attendant with a wheel chair right behind. This is what's needed, not morons with drugs.
If I'm lucky the nurse will fall down an elevator shaft while I'm away, and the world will be a much better place.


5:30pm


She was sitting up in bed. Had eaten. I gave her the good coffee. Her same nurse was there but less hostile.
She let me know I needed more cream for the itchiness. She has two neighbours now. The opposite one was
gone, after looking very horrible and being quite unconscious. Maybe back in ICU.
I am only telling you this so you know she is in a perilous situation. The other two at
her sides, separated by space and curtain rails are still unconscious and probably alive, but it's hard to tell.
The patient is alert, grinning impishly, and saying silly things to the attendants. I expect she is gaining converts.
Her health is almost restored to what it was yesterday. I can't get full information, as the patient can't remember much
and she is just being nursed. The one at the front let me in when I put on my pathetic face, and promised not to stay long.
After all, I am not the risky one. I never had Covid, never will, and we never had an epidemic at our home.
They cannot say the same.

Basically, her body is healing. It will go faster now. The exercise is the key. Her mind is questionable.
She kept repeating the same meaningless question, which I kept correcting, and each time she said, "Oh, I see," and then she said it again.
I hope she has not turned into her sister. I expect her to come out of that before they send her to Rehab, but I don't know.
I can't visit her as often or as long because of the Epidemic.






Friday October 21


9:00am - 10:30 am

Patient is recovering slowly and normally. I was allowed to stay 1 1/2 hours while she had breakfast.

5:45pm - 7:30 pm

I was helping the patient with her dinner, when it was announced that an ambulance would be
there in 20 minutes to transfer her to a standard hospital. I organized her things and accompanied the transport.
She is now alone in a room because she is in isolation. It's a precaution because she came from a pandemic ward.
The nurse is delightful, helpful, professional, and I don't have to beg to be allowed in. As long as I wear the
yellow gown, the blue gloves, and the mask, I will be there as much as possible to help her. Because she is a risk
for trying to leap out of bed, they have motion alerts all over the place. I trained her to use the red button to request
assistance, and she is totally alone, with only the nurse who comes in every so often.
It is imperative that she be walked frequently until she can walk by herself and come home as soon as possible.
I must take care of her sister's supplies tomorrow, but will spend as much time with her as I can, as the staff has their hands full
with other patients. I can help the overloaded staff with her healing, so that her release home will occur so much faster.

I am sorry I cannot give everybody phone calls, and texts, and everything else. That is the purpose of these updates.
If I don't do it this way, then I will become unable to help anyone.






Saturday October 22



8:30am


The patient is more comfortable. I arrived to feed her; the staff is happy for the help.
As it is the weekend, there won't be any walking being done. I cannot be here in the afternoon.





5:30pm



Nurse reported that OT visited her. She cannot stand by herself. I have asked her to exercise
her arms and legs in preparation for the work she will get on the weekdays. She wants that also and started exercising right away.
Her comprehension is not good. I played word games and she had trouble guessing the opposite of words.
It is like having a stroke. It will take longer to improve her comprehension, I think. I don't know what to expect.
I fed her, she plays her tablet games, I watch her and see her having thinking problems. But it makes her sleepy.
She has few other problems. So the first step is to walk. The second is to understand. It has been less than a month
so I should feel fortunate that she had progessed this well so quickly.






Sunday October 23



9:00 am


Waited until patient awoke. Had cooked her a special breakfast of pancakes and bacon, but she did not eat much.
She ate a little bit of everything, including hospital-made breakfast. At least she had her juice and coffee and yogurt.



12:45 pm


Brief visit only. Patient reported that the staff had walked her. I asked how many and she said, "only" three. I said, "How many did you want?"
That was the right number, one to hold each side and one to follow with a wheelchair. She reported that the staff
said it would get better quickly and she would get stronger soon enough.



5:30 pm


She was sleepy. Didn't want to eat anything. It was about half an hour before I discovered that she had no more hookups.
The catheter was gone, so she was flying solo. But, it was her understanding that she would be able to leap
out of bed to go to the washroom. No. Not quite. I said, just press the red button for some help.
Soon after, she pressed it. Unlike the old days, when nobody comes for a long time, a voice speaks from the wall.
I said something brilliant, like, "It's an intercom." So the patient, still holding the button, starts talking into the button.
So, after an impression of Lou Diamond Philips singing, "La Bamba," I explain what she wants, the voice says, somebody will come.
Eventually, somebody came. What I really need, is somewhere that I can get instant updates.
Otherwise it's like you people, not knowing what's going on, until you read this at your own speed.
I hate learning things by accident. Anyway, she learns she won't be leaving the bed any time too soon.
I will try to see the team of doctors tomorrow to see what they have in mind. I know the sutures have to be
removed on October 30th. That's one month, to the day, when everything happened. What
a way to spend thirty days.




Monday October 24



9:15 am


Patient does not want to wake up. Finally did. Does not want to eat. She ate a little.
I'm trying to find someone to explain this.
Looks like it's my job to heal her.



12:15 pm



Patient still sleepy. Not hungry. I buzzed for assistance. People slow to come.
I broke out my special blend of coffee. Got her attention. Opened my toast and Nutella. Now she's waking up.
Their food is unexciting. Once I got her taste buds moving, she even ate their food. She had cold apple juice.
Big 'Ahhhh!' response. She's starting to eat now. She loved the cold tangerine wedges. Ate more. Drank cold milk.
Now she's eating and drinking, and talking. She's still on antibiotics for potential encephalitis.
But they never found anything; they're playing it safe.
I'm going to have to spoil her every time I come. The hospital food is as about exciting as Joe Biden.
I'm telling her it's against the hospital policy to use the button as a microphone. Especially don't sing
1960s songs into it. The Gen-Z hospital staff get all confused, and feel inadequate. We'll pretend they know what music is.
Now, she's showing signs of life. When I get here for supper, I may become more aggressive and try to get a nurse
to help me to get her to her feet. Once she's standing, not necessarily walking, we'll get the blood
rushing to her feet, and out of her head. I hate to think the hospital is full of questionable professionals
who need to be told what to do. I'll try not to get thrown out.



6:30 pm


Not much happened. The patient is still getting too much rest, doesn't like the food, it's not home made.
Patient was helped to stand and walk sometime during the afternoon. It did not impress her. Let's hope it become more frequent.
I did not get thrown out. So far.



Tuesday October 25




8:40 am


We are waiting for the 10 days to be up on the isolation, then she can recover more. She really wanted to
stand up, so I called the nurse, we gave it a try and she was able to go around a little bit using the hospital walker
with the nurse and I each standing close to the sides. It was worth it to see the progress.
I had forgotten her coffee in the wrong knapsack, had to go home and get it, and when I returned somebody or something
had gobbled up all the Nutella toast I had made. The patient is the prime suspect.



4:00 pm

They sat her up in a chair where she stayed most of the afternoon. She at sitting at the chair.
She is beginning to move around more easily.







Wednesday October 26




9:00 am

Patient is progressing well. Ate her breakfast. I am busy today.


7:00 pm



What a day. Due to inflation, I chose the wrong food, without reading the label, and my food sensitivity sent my BP reeling.
I fixed that. Then this evening, when I visited the patient, I find her lunch tray outside her room, untouched.
Her supper tray is with her, so far untouched as she is fast asleep. I know the staff has been very busy and there are personnel shortages.
But I would like her not to miss a meal, just because I can't be there to watch over her.
Everything worked out in the end.

However, just to give you an idea of future challenges: I phoned some of her friends so she could chat a bit, relax, and she'll sleep better tonight.
We get off the phone to Mrs. X. Along comes the nurse, has forgotten her scheduled antibiotic, and sets that up.
She also gives the patient a big cup with a tiny bit of liquid, and says the patient must drink her potassium.
I give the patient the big cup with a big straw, with a little bit of orange-coloured potassium. She gives it
back to me and says, "Give this to Mrs. X. She would like this."
Now, rather than doing what I normally do, and try to explain the physical impossibility of sending the potassium over the
phone line, I say. "She's busy now. She wants you to have it." I say that firmly.
The patient gives in and tackles the tiny amount of liquid, and after about six tries, she finally finishes it.
I hope this isn't going to be how it is from now on.





Thursday October 27



8:30 am


The patient slept well. I had made her pancakes, toast with Nutella, a piece of bacon. I helped her eat. The hospital food
made an interesting conversation piece. That's about it.
The OT was planning to get her up and walk her about in her room. She's not allowed in the hall because of isolation.
I had to leave abruptly and help her sister get food and supplies.

12:30 pm


I arrived late for lunch. The OT had walked her up and down her room a dozen times.
I got to ask the nurse about her antibiotics. The nurse said she had tested positive
for something. I suggested, endocrinitis, as that's what another nurse said.
Two hours later the nurse came back to apologize. She was not positive for any bacteria. That was another patient.
Apparently all those people lying around in beds look very similar.
I stayed briefly, rushed home, and slept for 2 hours.

5:.00 pm


The patient was sitting up in bed. Her dinner looked good, she offered it to me. I am not allowed to eat her dinner.
She didn't want it. She was happy with the special coffee I brought.
I had a chance to test her comprehension. Apparently, 7 plus 5 equals 8. Also, the
opposite of "sun" as in "sunshine" is shadow. That was her first guess. She then came up with second possible answer.
She said the opposite of "sun" was "lizard". For those of you familiar with some alien theorists, her answer is profound.
Otherwise, she is trying to be funny, because she is tired of my questions.
I tried to leave for 2 hours, but she got restless. The OT's want her to move to a distant Rehab for longer treatment.
That is going to be a problem. I can't get there three or even two times a day if it is too far.

11:05pm


I phoned the Social Worker's answering machine. I do not want the patient sent to a distant Rehab where I am unable to visit more
than once per day. She is under extreme stress from this ongoing imprisonment in a hospital bed.
I will speak with them tomorrow. I simply registered my disapproval of their estimate of the best path for the patient.
I did not elaborate on my opinion of her treatment which is declining on a daily basis.








Friday October 28



6:00 am


Went very early to drop off 2 thermoses of coffee. Patient was awake. Then rushed home to prepare to escort
sister of patient to a major medical evaluation.

6:00 pm



Was out all day. Finally able to take coffee and some food to patient, and check her progress today.
Patient was sitting in chair. They had walked her back and forth many times. Someone had given her
the coffee I left for her breakfast and lunch meals I had missed. I was told the doctor would be in soon
to answer my questions, and clear up some confusion about why she was still getting antibiotics by IV.
Eventually Doctor came (Dr. Lui) explained that patient had contracted a dangerous bacteria back in ICU of other hospital.
The bacteria can attack the heart. That's the real reason she had been forced to swallow a camera and have her heart scoped.
Even though there was no heart problem, the patient is to receive ongoing antibacterial by IV until November 17 - that's a long time.
Because the Rehab nearby cannot accommodate IV patients, she may be sent to a farther Rehab location. I vetoed one location
as being too far away, preventing me from visiting multiple times. I approved of a second location
as it is near enough to allow me to visit the patient two to three times daily.
The patient, as a result, will not be going home any time too soon. The antibacterial program will have to be maintained.
This makes it more important that I visit frequently as the long-term stress event is becoming hard to endure for the patient.








Saturday October 29


8:30 am


Patient was awake early. Had not slept well. I gave her fresh coffee and favorite snacks but she wasn't interested.
Patient ate little. I promised to return in the afternoon and walk her around.

12:30 pm


Patient was sleepy. I woke her up. Made sure she ate some lunch. Fresh coffee and snacks.
She was eager to walk. I put the rollator by the bed. She was able to stand up and walk by herself.
We made quite a spectacle of ourselves, breaking all the rules, walking in the hallway when they are in 'pandemic mode'
which, of course, is a lie. I discovered that when the nurse said the whole floor was in isolation.
And I said, "Then I guess there is only one person per room." And the nurse said, "Oh, no, some rooms have two people."
I said nothing, but I'm thinking. "Well, then the floor is not in isolation or you wouldn't have two people in a room."
I said, "Back straight. Head up. Look where you're going. Don't run into things."
She curved her back. Kept her head down. Didn't look where she was going. Ran into everything and everybody.
In other words, everything she criticized her sister for in walking wrong she did herself.
The nurses were quite pleased by her performance. Of course, they didn't have to do anything.
She wanted to try the stairs structure. But they said the OT would introduce her to that.
I will return in the evening to make sure she eats well, and is ready to sleep this time.
I want to make her perform so well, that they will realize, she should be moving to the next level, and that
she doesn't need to occupy a bed, just to take antibiotic. I can give that to her at home myself in pill form.
And I can exercise her and monitor her vitals myself when she does any stairs, mainly the blood presssure.


7:00 pm


Supper time visit. Nurses had provided her earlier with hot water and towels so she could sponge herself.
She still can't go to the shower herself. After supper we just talked. I'll be trying to record a movie
which I'll convert to a file and bring her tomorrow evening, so she has something to relax her and help her sleep.
The nurses are getting used to her being active and I know their reports will help to move her along
to the next phase of this process.




Sunday October 30


9 am


I brought her coffee and Nutella on toast. She ate and drank some hospital offerings and all that I brought her.
She kept telling the nurse she had not seen me in 3 days. She doesn't remember my visits.
She asked me if I had talked to my brother last night. My family visits her at night
in her dreams. I don't remind her they all died years ago. I'm just glad it's my relatives
and not hers who are getting the credits.

I have started recording movies to notebook computer. TV to camera, camera to movie-maker,
then a large file to the notebook. Soon she can have something to do other than staring at nothing.
They give her pills I don't think she needs. She doesn't need her liver filtration system exercised.
She needs her cardiovascular system exercised. I will return at lunch time and see if she will walk,
like yesterday, or farther. When they send her to Rehab, I want her as ready to leave
as fast as she came.


1 pm


The patient did not want to eat, did not walk. Had only her coffee.

6 pm


Patient was still not hungry, and had no desire to walk. We'll try again tomorrow.






Monday October 31


9:00 am


Patient and I were of the same mind. She needs to get active, walking, getting out of this pampered environment.
I spent an exhausting hour, getting her cleaned. After a break and lunch we both want her to start walking.

12:00 pm


The patient lost her enthusiasm. She can't sleep. She won't eat. She won't walk.
I left a message at nurse's station to talk to doctor. To phone me when available.



4:00 pm


The doctor phoned. He thanked me for reminding them that her sutures were to come out yesterday. They had forgotten.
He said her IV antibiotic was to continue until November 19th. That's not what he told me the day before.
He had said November 17th. I knew the date, because that is the day of her appointment at the first hospital for a review of her situation.
But I did not argue. I said I want her out as quickly as possible. He said, they will try to move her on
to the Rehab ASAP, and then she may come home to be in my care and have her IV given at home.
Maybe they will train me or have a nurse visit. One way or another, the hospital has ceased to be a healthy place for her.


5:15 pm


She is sitting up, looking normal. She will not eat. She will not exercise. She will not sleep.
She is not normal. I must step up the pressure to get her home. I can do all that is necessary
for her to return to normal. I phoned a friend who knows her well to have her speak with the patient.
She tried to get her to eat with a technique, but it didn't work.
I will have someone special come and visit her in person in a few days, if they have not transferred her to Rehab soon.





Tuesday November 01


8:45 am


Patient was moved to a 4-person ward. Must be a good sign. I got trapped in the ward by a general Fire Alarm.
They shut the doors and elevators cannot be used. Other ward residents called me "Doctor" and advised I get a parachute.
Based on how the patient is talking, I'm certain it is the loonie ward. They must think I belong here.
The patient keeps complaining about the terrible hotel service. I just agree with whatever she says.
Logic no longer applies to this universe. Now I have to go visit her sister, get her supplies, and experience more lunacy.


5:00 pm



Visited for her supper. She was more relaxed. She is still a prisoner of the Ampicillin antibiotic.
Otherwise, she doesn't need to be stuck in a hospital bed.




Wednesday November 02



8:00 am 12 pm 7 pm


Patient is healthy enough to walk, gain strength, even took some practice stairs. The problem is that
she keeps saying, "Why am I still here?" And I give her the same answer, "Because when you were in ICU,
somehow you got infected with such a serious bacteria that you must continue to have IV antibiotic
until November 19th."

If a bed opens up at a specific Rehab, patient will go there. The doctor also promised that she will have
the chance to have her antibiotic IV at home. How that is managed is uncertain. We are waiting for something
to happen. The patient's legs have trimmed because she is not eating properly because of ongoing confusion
about why she is still here. I will talk to her case doctor again, about both these problems.




Thursday November 03


8:15am


The patient does not want to eat. The medications probably cause that. She is losing weight. Leg muscles are shrinking.
The nurse suggested a nutrition supplement like Ensure or Glucerna. Otherwise she just drinks the coffee.

12:15 pm


I arrive at the room just as the nurse is exiting, saying the patient is going to be given
a shower. I said I'll come back at supper time. I left without seeing patient.

4:00 pm

The patient has discovered the hospital phone by her bed. She phones me and orders 5
chicken wraps from Tim Horton's and bring a "bunch" of drinks: she'll pay me when I get
there. I said, "I have your purse, you don't have any money. Give the phone to the
nurse." The nurse gets the phone, and says don't worry about that.
I said, "You got that right. I am not delivering chicken wraps for the room, they can
eat the usual hospital mush at 5 p.m." [Your tax dollars at work.]


7 pm


She ate everything. She walked. She made everybody laugh. I'm exhausted. She's sleeping.


Friday November 04


8:15 am


She didn't want to eat breakfast. I trimmed her nails. She can walk short distances without a rollator/walker.

12:15 pm & 5:30 pm


Patient was showered, walked, did the walking without the rollator. But she hates being imprisoned here.






Saturday November 05



5:00 am



Was called in by patient and by nurse due to unresolved shoulder pain. I brought
non-medicinal solutions, topical ointment, electrostimulus (Dr. Ho), and gel ice pack.
They also gave her a strong pain killer. I left her falling asleep about 6:00 am.
I left word at nurse's station to have the primary doctor phone me. I want to get her out of here
preferably this weekend. The hospital is not good for the patient's health. I can do a better job at home
and still measure her blood pressure, her temperature for fever, and administer the required antibiotic in pill form.


9:30 am


Short visit to check on patient. Reminded nurse I am waiting for the doctor's call.
I have to run out and get supplies for patient's sister. Then I'll be back again.

1:30pm


After fetching supplies for the patient's sister, I returned to patient, spoke with her
nurse. They promise to send request to Doctor in charge of patient to contact me. I need
someone who can approve her releiase. I can manage her BP readings, temp readings, and giving her antibiotic in pill form.
I know they want to play it safe and continue antibiotic for another 2 weeks, but the patient is not doing well
shut in like this. She is healthy enough to be home. I will return this evening for
her dinner, and bring a movie for her to watch on a computer. It must be by earphone because there are
too many others in the ward and we must not disturb them.





Monday November 07



Sunday November 06 was routine and tiring.



Monday November 07



Today a doctor and attendants will evaluate the patient to see if she still needs to be in hospital.
Her IV is still required until November 19th, but it can be given at home.





Tuesday November 08



9:00 pm



This is the 40th day since it began on September 30. The patient is now home.
Despite the discharge from the hospital, the situation is far from easy. A ton of
drug bags were delivered about 4pm, and at 6pm a nurse arrived to connect everything
to two black bags that contain 2 pumps, each with a separate kind of antibiotic. One
activates every 12 hours, and the other activates every 4 hours. The tangle of plastic
tubing makes it difficult to manage, and at the same time have the patient visit the
bathroom, and in future days, to have any kind of shower.

Since support for the sister of the patient must be maintained, the patient wants to
visit by taxi, and sit with her sister, while I fetch groceries and supplies
for the sister. As it turns out, this is an extremely good idea. The patient has proven
to be highly impulsive, with few rational skills whatsoever. Four brief chores caused the patient
to be left completely alone for short times, first to fetch lunch, then an early supper meal
and finally two separate visits for supplies at a pharmacy, each time resulting in an unexpected
near disaster.

The first time, for lunch, upon my return I found the patient gone from bed, not in the
the bathroom and not anywhere initially visible. She had attempted to leave the bed,
had stepped badly onto a small platform designed to raise her up to bed height, but had
broken the platform and wound up fallen to the bedroom floor. No injury, but it was a shock to find her gone.
The second visit to a food supplier was even more unexpected, since upon returning with the meal, I found the patient
at the top of the stairway, crying as is if something had happened. It was reminiscent of the September 30th
aneurysm that had started it all, when she had called out for help from the top of the stairway.
It turned out to be a frightening event, but without any danger, because the patient had merely become disoriented
and had tried to leave the bed and find help. (Note, when the patient had arrived back from the hospital,
she was so disoriented and incapable of remembering the home she had lived in for 20 years, that she had
no idea how to go from the lobby to the elevator, what the elevator was, how it was designed to take her
to the correct floor, nor did she have any sense of direction, and constantly turned in the wrong direction.)
By the time the 3rd event occured, the patient was tied up to the antibiotic pumps, and once again, when she was
left alone, she decided to leave the bed on her own, looking for the bathroom, and had nearly stretched her pump tubes
to the danger point, where it threatened to pull on the needle in her arms. Despite being given instructions to "Stay put",
the patient shows no indication that she understands exactly what is happening, and she did it again.
This is why the hospital constantly had her monitored by machines that when they detected her leaving the bed,
would set off an unholy set of audible alarms so the nurses would come rushing in and get the patient back to a safe place.
No such alarms exist at home and everywhere is dangerous, because of the limited length of the pump tubing
and because there is no barrier at the top of the stairs.

There are 11 more days of this, with supplies to be delivered every 2 days and a nurse
to visit daily to hook everything up to the pumps. How the patient will manage offsite visits to her sister is unknown.
Putting on a shirt will not be easy since the tubing has to run through armholes in the shirt, and
you are not allowed to casually unhook the tubing. Showering will be next to impossible
as the pumps and tubes have to remain clear of the water. The final challenge will be
a November 17th visit to a hospital for the first of a number of medical appointments
as the patient will be hooked up, and the units not very easily unhooked (as this involves injecting a neutral liquid
into each pump nodule in order to prevent air or other contaminants going into the patient's artery at the entry points.)
And as the patient is erratic and impulsive, she will not be able to manage any special procedure like a CT scan.
Think of taking a cat to a vet and knowing how much the cat hates the vet and has unlimited capability
of coming up with an unexpected solution to every distressing function that the vet wants to perform on the cat.
All of this ends on November 19th, when the pumps and rigging can be removed permanently.
Until then, no visitors will be allowed.







Friday November 11


It is an ongoing trial. The antibiotic motor packs have cabling that interferes with
everything. I have asked our local seamstress to convert a nightie into one with a
convertible sleeve, with buttons, so the cable can be run easily to the outside and later
can be easily changed.

The antibiotics have destroyed the patient's hunger, which has destroyed her strength. The visit by the Physiotherapist
today may be a short one. The patient cannot recover strength without food, and all cabled up.
The nurse visits daily to repair the damaged cabling hookup. If it becomes a big problem, the patient will
have to return to Emergency for damage control.
I have cancelled her sister's needs. Her Community Care Manager will have to manage the sister's food and supplies.
The patient cannot be left alone as she constantly makes bad decisions, damages her cabling, and risks falling.
8 more days to go before the antibiotic program is concluded, and hopefully the patient will be able to eat and recover.






Saturday November 12



11:00 am



By trial-and-error, the ability to manage an unmanageable situation is showing promise.
The patient has a nightie that makes the IV apparatus less cumbersome and therefore less dangerous.
The visit by the physiotherapist yesterday was useful. She had many good suggestions. The patient
will be exercised to increase her strength. But we are still fighting a lack of hunger that destroys her energy.
7 more days to go before the IV antibiotic program ends. I then have to book an appointment at
the hospital to have the picc line removed. That's the hookup lines that have been attached to the patient
by a needle in an artery.

I don't know when or if her energy will return and how or if I will be able to get her to a hospital to have the procedure
performed. The nurse who installs the new antibiotic bags every day, does not provide that service.
Somewhere down the line, it may be necessary to rent a stair lift and engage overseas relatives to come here
or engage contract workers to serve the patient. But as that involves activating the power of attorney
and having to deal with lawyers, it is not a pleasant prospect. If you have ever dealt with banks and their lawyers
as I have, you will soon learn how much they hate to yield any money even, and especially, if it is not their money
but the money of the patient. I would prefer to deal with braying jackasses and things that crawl about the sewers
than to have to deal with bankers and their lawyers.






Monday November 14


2:00 pm


At the start (Sep 30) the patient weighed 128 lbs. Today she weighs 100 lbs. She has lost
21.875% of her body weight in 45 days. She is starting to look like a concentration camp survivor.
She is so weak, she can hardly stand up. There are five more days to go of the double set of antibiotic medications
that now run through her constantly. I have assured her that when the treatment ends, she will gain weight
again and return to normal. That's actually just a guess. Six days after the treatment ends, she will be
visiting the Infectious Disease Clinic of a downtown hospital for a follow-up. I finally discovered the full
name of the infection: Enterococcus Faecalis Bacteremia. It is resistent to many stronger treatments.
A study of the disease from January 1992 until December 1995, had a 59% survival rate. All had longer hospitalization.
It is known as a nosocomial pathogen. This means that the patient does not have it on admission to the hospital,
but acquires it within 48 hours of being admitted.

From the study: "Often, nosocomial infections are caused by multidrug-resistant pathogens acquired
via invasive procedures, excessive or improper antibiotic use." This suggests it was acquired
on the night of September 30, when the surgeons drilled through the skull to insert a syphon into the brain fluid
to release pressure caused by the addition of the hemorrhaging blood from the burst artery. It also explains
the importance of why the hospital would not operate until the spouse or POA of the patient had signed the
Permission To Operate papers releasing the hospital from liability.

If all this had occured in the United States, the costs would have approached or exceeded $100,000. Because it happened
in Ontario, cost to the patient is zero. The patient's benefit package paid none of the hospital bed bills,
but her coverage under the husband's company benefits extend into retirement, covered all of the hospital costs.

What remains important, but unknown, is what will happen when the antibiotic treatment ends on November 19th.
The Infectious Disease Clinic must show no more bacteria. There must be no more antibiotic treatment
in which case the patient should recover her hunger, re-gain weight, be able to manage normal physical activites, including stairs.

There is the additional problem of seeing what happens to the patient's mental abilities. She currently has little
sense of time or space. When getting up to go somewhere, she behaves like an IRoomba vacuuming robot by
entering unknown doorways and proceeding to bump up against closets, and being unable to identify furniture and
facilities in the room. She doesn't know what an elevator is, or how it relates to levels that it goes to.

The patient never truly knows what the date is. She memorizes what she has been told. Then when asked, she takes
up to fifteen seconds to repeat what she has been told. But she has no true idea of the time of day,
or the season of the year. She constantly asks about having "breakfast" or "dinner" after the meal has
already taken place. If she is promised that something will occur within an hour an a half, she will think
that five or ten minutes is long enough to wait. A set of questions to truly evaluate her lack of ability to understand
where she is, or how to travel somewhere, or what time is it, have yet to be given to her to determine the precise
misunderstanding of reality, because the physical impact on her body and survival are more important at this time.

The full impact of the hemorrhage has yet to be evaluated. The majority of this work will be done by the spouse.







Friday November 18



The last Ampicillin and Keftriaxone antibiotic bags were installed by the visiting nurse
at 9:30 am. Tomorrow morning, they will be removed, and directions given for returning
the pumps and managing the patient records.

The patient is down to 97 pounds and is losing weight at almost one pound per day.

When the antibiotic exits her system, she must regain her hunger and start nourishing and
refueling again. If this does not happen very quickly, and if she continues to lose
weight, strength, and energy, then she may have to return to a hospital. She continues to
be at great risk for a fall. Unlike the hospital environment, the patient must get out of
bed to go to the bathroom. She does not go anywhere else and otherwise remains in bed.

There is no time or facility to manage "visitors". Contacts continue to leave phone and
text messages. It's okay to do that, and the messages are played for the patient, but
she is too weak to engage in any communication.

As a brief summary of what happened. It all started on September 30th when the aneurysm
burst and blood contacted and interfered with the brain. The event was made more critical
when the operation on the evening of September 30th caused someone to expose the patient
to Enterococcus Faecalis Bacteremia (infection occured between hospital admission and 48 hours, suggesting
that medical error caused the exposure to the infection, mostly likely when a hole was drilled
in the skull to release pressure from the fluid building up in the skull). The bacteria is extreme
and deadly, often fatal to patients. The decision was made to treat the patient with heavy duty antiobiotics.
These antibiotics then became a threat themselves ("the cure can be worse that the disease.")
They are so stressful to the patient's system, that using them is as dangerous to the long-term
health of the patient, as any attacking organism.

Fortunately, by being at home, the patient can be watched individually and intensively around the clock.
But in this environment, the risk of falls now becomes another threat to the patient.




Sunday November 20




Yesterday, the antibiotics were stopped. The pump tubes were detached. The patient slept a great deal.
The patient was weak. Both times the patient was resting comfortably, and I had to go out to get
supplies, the patient decided to get up by herself. Each time she fell. Both falls were minor, no injuries
but she was very scared by her weakness. Each time I found her on the bed, where she had been able to return to.
I have started to give the patient more feedings than normal. I simply bring her food and she now assumes
it is time for a meal, and she will eat one or two mouthfuls. Otherwise, she doesn't care about food. And she has
no idea what time of day it is.

I expect this to clear and the patient to grow stronger. Today, I weighed the patient. She was still 97 pounds.
I then encouraged her to walk around the floor using the rollator. She happily went up and down the hallway
and into various rooms, and repeated the exercise four times.
I gave her a reward, a spoonful of yogurt, a small coffee, and she assumed it was a meal.

Two hours later, the patient got out of bed by herself, and walked back and forth up the hallway without assistance,
then returned to bed by herself.
If this continues, I'm going to have her try the stairs.







Tuesday November 22



The attachments for the infusion pumps that sent two separate antibiotics through the patient's arteries
needed to come out. The visiting Paramed nurse said she could not do it, and I would have to book at the hospital.
The hospital said, you don't book for it, you either go to your family doctor or visit the hospital Emergency.
Even though the patient was weak, we went to the family/clinic doctor early. They said they don't remove
picc lines. We had some other business to attend to at the same location, then headed for the hospital Emergency.
You wait in line. You get called to check-in, then triage, then registration, then a nurse comes
and gets you. It turns out the picc line is not a needle held in place with butterfly tabs.
It is a 3 foot narrow plastic tube that goes in far enough to reach the heart.
The nurse makes sure it is not damaged. Then you wait half an hour. Then you go home.

The picc line is gone for good. The patient can now walk and wash without tubes and bags
going wherever she goes.

The patient lost another pound to 96 pounds. Twice today, she announced that she was HUNGRY.
She didn't eat much each time. But she wanted more meals. It means the antibiotic is releasing control over her.








Friday November 25

I took patient on outing by mobility scooter yesterday. She couldn't learn. She could only go forward,
while I walked beside controlling direction and speed, but she wouldn't release the drive bar
to stop when I told her to. Fortunately we didn't hit anyone, though we did panic them, and nicked doors
and ran over a few curbs into red lights. The patient completed accounting tasks and had her
Covid-19 booster shot. Ten minutes after having the shot, she couldn't remember having it.

Today the patient must go to Infectious Disease appointment to confirm what I already suspect. The
enterococcus bacteria that she contracted from the September 30 operation is gone. Her low temperature
reading suggests that. But they have to play doctor at the hospital and grow a few vegetable cultures
from her blood to prove it to themselves.

I must get her back home very fast. She weighs 96 pounds and is weak and shaky. I am eager to ask
the doctor if this is normal after a long antibiotic treatment, and what is our best option to recover weight.
I plan on trying a liquid diet of energy supplements, smoothies, soup, since she doesn't like solids.


The patient was too weak to go to the Infectious Disease Appointment. Spoke with doctor who realized she had
been through a lot in the last two months. I gave him her recent temperatures. He agrees that the infection
is gone and there is no more need to visit the hospital. He agreed I should concentrate on restoring her energy.
The physiotherapist called to touch base. I set up an appointment with her next week. I hope I can
get the patient on her way to recovery, before the physiotherapist visits.

I bought a vegetarian Energy supplement to add to milk, as well as a carton of Boost. The patient had her first
of many. Though I warned her, she must also consume solid foods. Then she promptly fell asleep. The doctor
had suggested her body is in recovering state, and it will take time.










Tuesday November 29


5pm


Progress is minimal. Disappointing. A few days ago patient appears to have gained 2 pounds up to 98 pounds.
No change today. She continues to have extra "meals" of milk and protein energy drink.
She has fallen a few times. Last time was on a mattress, but couldn't get up. Had to lie there for half an hour
until I returned from set of chores. Today she ate all of her breakfast, rejecting nothing. It wasn't big
but surprisingly ate all the portions given to her and said she was forcing herself.

Patient continues to get very confused. When she stumbled into a bedroom and pulled a TV away from a wall,
almost knocking it over, I asked what she was looking for. She said, "My toothbrush."
I need more time to teach her how to find things. We could make a game out of it, except she is so weak she
can't play little children games, and remains in bed most of the time, so is more of an invalid.
I just hope one morning, everything turns around, otherwise I blame the antibiotic for being even more destructive
than the burst aneurysm.


Don't make any plans for her or for us. We won't be going anywhere soon. And when the snow comes heavily
it will make it that much harder and slower to do shopping trips, leaving her alone more frequently and more often.






Thursday December 1



Patient gained 2 pounds, is back up to 100 pounds. That could still be just food volume added to the body
but without true weight gain. If the protein drink continues to increase 'weight', muscle may be increasing.
Patient continues to not be hungry, and not want to finish what's put before her. She remains
perilously weak, shaky, unstable, unbalanced, prone to falls.

The physiotherapist visited with simple daily procedures to increase strength. Together, we devised a system to
safely practise stair climbing on a simulated step.





Sunday December 4



Patient's weight remains stuck at 100 pounds. I have added peanuts and potato chips to diet
No luck. If she is not hungry, she will not eat more. If she does not gain weight and energy soon,
it could be difficult to get her to appointments for MRI and medical follow-ups if the weather turns bad.

The flashes of hunger spells she had a few weeks ago, have not happened again. I continue to hunt for answers.






Wednesday December 7



The patient has started Extra Strong Probiotics. Since the heavy duty antibiotics destroyed her
stomach bacteria (assumption), the most expensive Probiotics with 14 strains, and 30 bilion
cells of bacteria are assumed to be required to restore normal digestive processes and normal hunger.
It is not an overnight solution. There is no other way to do this.

The patient was inspired to get dressed, go outside for the first time when not being transferred somewhere,
and simply go for a casual walk, using the rollator, from front door of her building to the local shopping
food court then back home again, the round trip taking ten minutes. All of this despite the fact
she remains at 100 pounds and is extremely weak. This is the intended program that will be followed
every day after one of the meals and doing exercises with some weight devices.

The patient must be ready for a December 28th MRI in which her brain will be evaluated for damage or whatever
the doctors are able to detect. Hopefully, there will be solutions as she cannot distinguish between
one location and another. She mistook a hallway laundry closet for a bathroom and a dish washer
for a toaster. She cannot identify objects, locations, and she has no sense of time. Five minutes
is exactly the same as one and half hours for her. She had to wait to proceed with a washing task after 90 minutes,
and kept getting up each five minute period, thinking the timer had counted down. This is why I am not
going out of my way to entertain people with the same old question. How is she? Answer. Terrible.

I also have to determine if I have to recommend that her MRI be done after sedation. I will have her
practising keeping still for 30 second periods to simulate the rotation of the MRI drum around her head
as she is restless and impulsive. If she cannot remain still, I see no option but to suggest she be sedated.
The hospital would have to prepare ahead of time for this, possibly using general anasthetic.







Saturday December 10



Patient is getting excellent BP readings. I continue to give her daily strong probiotics.
She refuses to eat much. I just ignore her and give her extra meals. She can't remember
what meal it is anyway, so she will always eat a little bit of something I put in front of her.
She was very weak Thursday, but as we were expecting the physiotherapist to visit, we needed to put on a show.
Got her dressed. We went out and walked the same route as Tuesday. 10 minutes outside. Better than nothing.
She didn't want to walk Friday. And today nothing. However, I
have been giving her a small dish of ice cream each evening. She never objects. Tonight, I got her pizza.
I just need to to give her different tastes, not the same old soup and nuts.

Yesterday the bad news was that our "family doctor", actually a clinic doctor, was gone. The once busy clinic is no more.
I'll have to start all over on Monday, trying to find a replacement for both of us. I need
my own prescriptions refilled soon.

Today, something potentially good happened. Even though she has been weak and stumbling about the last few days,
I decided to weigh her anyway, to see if the pizza, ice cream, and protein drinks are doing anything.
She was 103 pounds, up 3 pounds. It's too small a change to come to any conclusions, as that
could leave as quickly as it came. If only she can reach 110 pounds, she may have more noticeable strength
and be able to perform daily exercises and walks. I have to get her ready for the end-of-the-month MRI.





Monday December 12



Patient did not want to eat much all day, went for a walk outside, felt feeble and wanted
to be weighed. Has dropped to 97 pounds. I applied for new a family doctor to replace the clinic
that shut its doors December 1st. All our records are there.

The important features are to have a new doctor as close as possible, and one who visits seniors in their home.
The patient's sister has a doctor who visits. I don't need the features but the patient does.




Saturday December 17




The patient walked her farthest distance today. But she tires quickly. She still does not want to eat.







Monday December 19






Yesterday I started an new experiment to get patient to eat. An American female doctor whose husband
had Alzheimer's discovered that her husband's brain was not getting nourished effectively.
Increasing food volume didn't work because the "brain barrier" which protects the brain from tiny hostile substances
equally prevents nourishment from getting in. She surmised that tiny energy food parcels could
bypass the brain barrier, and have a chance to reach the progressively starving section of the brain that is slowly
killing her husband. She discovered a food product that contained what she called "ketones" that were small
packages of food that might restore the area. She reported that the ketones, within a few weeks, caused changes in
her husband that caused him to be more active, less helpless, more able and willing to read and perform other tasks
that were formerly declining as his Alzheimer's progressed.

Four years ago I discussed the technique with my brother who was dying from Parkinson's, a similar progressive
diseases that caused dementian, palsy, and other progressive declining activities. He didn't like the idea
since it was not proven or promoted by mainstream medicine, but he agreed to start the program when his Parkinson's
pneumonia improved so that he would stop coughing and eating normally again, no longer with a feeding tube.
He did not live long enough for us to start the experiment, as the pneumonia destroyed his swallowing control
causing non-stop filling of the lungs with saliva that gave him the pneumonia, that never stopped until he died.

I had forgotten about the experiment until yesterday. I still have an old jar of the simple nourishment
containing ketones. I gave some to the patient to get her started on the program, even though she didn't have
any understanding of why I was giving it to her. The theory is that the ketone energy packages
will get through the brain barrier and start to nourish those parts of the brain that have been damaged by the blood
from the aneurysm that had the instantaneous affect of giving her a form of dementia from day one that damaged
memory and perceptions of time. At the time I didn't know her sense of hunger was also affected.

I did not expect immediate results, or for that matter any results, as it is only a theory. However,
one hour ago, exactly 6 hours after taking her first small measure of spread on toast which allegedly contains ketones,
the patient woke up at 2am in the morning, claiming to be "very hungry". She has done that before, only to
fail to eat most of what was put before her. I made her what she requested, toast with
the spread that contained the ketones, along with her favorite Nutella. She also wanted an egg cooked in the microwave.
I gave the toast, egg, and a large coffee, then I left her alone upstairs for ten minutes to see what she might accomplish
with me nagging her to eat more. In the past she would eat 1/3rd of the toast, half of the egg and be nursing
the coffee for ages.

When I got back, it was all gone. She had devoured the food and finished the large coffee.
It doesn't matter that it is 2:00 am in the morning. And we are supposed to be sleeping and I am supposed to
be up early for a morning appointment. The effect could be accidental, or a result of all the probiotics
she has been getting daily, finally kicking in and doing their work of restoring normal digestion.
It remains to be seen if this repeats itself and generates more eating, weight gain, and restoring of the mind.
There is no apparent mental change at this time, but then there is no way to test it effectively.
Nothing can be concluded for now.

I can't find my copy of the doctor's book and research video that I had studied four years ago. I will have to look later.











Sunday December 25




Nothing good to report. The ketones are not working (yet?). She seems to eat less.
She is rarely hungry. I have run out of ideas, except one. The last chance is
December 28th, with an MRI at the start and a visit to the Neuroscopy doctor to follow immediately.
She has gone below her 95-100 pound weight range, to 93. She likes walking, but is no stronger.
We can go outside and stay warm, but the distance remains the same.

Thank you for all the Christmas greetings.









Wednesday December 28 **MRI & Neurovascular Appointment**



MRI went normally. The appointment in the Neurovascular Clinic followed immediately
with very little waiting. The nurse managed everything, so we never met the doctor.
MRI results were surprisingly within less than 1 hour of the MRI. Unlike the CT scan
where some technician or genius has to read the results which can take hours later, it's no longer a big event.

The MRI was declared unremarkable. There is still a danger of encephalitis and fluid build-up
but but no sign of any problems. The patient and myself are to watch for sudden unusual
abrupt changes to (1) memory (2) walking (3) incontinence or if there is any abrupt headache, go to Emergency.
I informed the nurse of the eating problem. She declared that there should be no aneurysm cause for this
which leads me to believe it is all a result of the severe bacteria acquired at the hospital and followed by
six weeks of antibiotic flushing of the body that is likely responsible for killing the hunger.
I had already researched other solutions and she agreed that I need to take patient to 'family doctor'
(or clinic equivalent) and to inquire about hunger stimulants. Older readers may remember the
good old 1960s when the now extinct "Hippies" used various illegal substances and it became a cliche
that extreme hunger would follow "smoking up". Some of the hunger stimulant chemicals are cannibas-related
but also applied to hashish and other substances. Since hunger stimulants exist, I hope I
can get a prescription for one kind or another without any cannabis derivatives, but something safe
that will do the job, as long as there are no side effects.

I will continue using extra virgin coconut oil, in case the alleged 'ketones', or energy packets can nourish the
affected or damaged sections of the brain and speed up brain recovery. The nurse
talked about a recovery period measured in a year or more, and that we should expect a slow steady recovery.
if in fact there is going to be a recovery, though to what degree, full or partial is unknown.

One final point I had to discuss with the nurse was an unusual structure on the surface of the patient's head
where the operation had taken place. I asked if it was scar tissue. She surprised us when she reported that the
sutures had not been removed. That was to be done early November at the hospital, as is was part of the schedule.
I even reminded the hospital nurse that it was to be done there. They forgot and never did it, so I was feeling
not a scar tissue, but the bristles of the sutures. The nurse said she could remove them immediately
and she did. She also agreed to be available for when I submit paperwork to her department
when Short Term Disability Claim will be required to renew on the 3-month since the aneurysm
and a doctor's evaluation is required on the claim. All-in-all, it was a beneficial visit.








Monday January 02 **New Motto**




After accidentally meeting a neighbour who many years ago had an autistic 7 year-old son who was greatly underweight,
I have learned a new motto, which came from the neighbour's doctor two decades ago. "The Calories are everything."
I purchased a variety of foods like butter tarts, to add to her diet with each meal.

Today there were some successes.

(1) She went for two walks, one after breakfast, the second in the dark of evening, instead of one only during the day.
(2)She didn't use the rollator (walker with wheels). The first time I dragged it behind me. The second time, I left it behind.
In case of emergency, if she couldn't walk, I had a simple plan to sit her down and wait while I fetched the rollator
or a scooter to take her home safely. She never needed the emergency plan.
(3)Her vitals (blood pressure and temperature) were the best ever since she had been home. Her weight equalled her best
at 100 pounds. It took about 4 days to recover from 95 pounds. I gave her calorie foods as desserts after each meal.
She readily ate them up. I will wait for one week before I weigh her again. She must achieve at least 105 pounds
to prove that something different is happening. If she keeps eating the calorie desserts, it will happen.
She still has a full set of her regular 'healthy' food and daily vitamin supplements. This includes zinc,
which is considered a supplement that can increase hunger. It has proven once before to be slow to start
but effective at the task as it accumulates.
(4) The patient felt motivated throughout the day to do special exercises. They did not tire her out but
made her want all the more to go outside and walk. This included weights, exercycle, bending and stepping.
(5) The patient is still receiving 'ketones' from organic extra virgin coconut oil, in case they influence brain recovery.
Today she was able to remember where she is to go to get home, and managed to use a fob and her key to open the doors.
(6) In the evening, the patient fell asleep by herself, without melatonin (a natural non-addictive brain chemical)
or any other chemical support. The day's activities had simply proven to be enough activity to tire her out,
without exhausting her or causing her to "burn out". In previous days, she had "burned out" during each walk
and was barely able to make it back home without assistance.

I expect better progress throughout January. If not, we will go to a doctor to see about hunger stimulant prescriptions.







Monday January 09




The patient seems to be eating more, having snacks between meals. Her weight was up to 102 pounds.
It's too early to tell if this is a trend. 6 months at 1 pound increase per week would bring her back
to normal. She walks regularly, but is still extremely weak and cannot last more than 15 minutes.













Monday January 16





The patient is back to 100 pounds. She is very weak, fatigued. There is no significant progress to report.
As all minor techniques have failed to produce results, and as the patient becomes more and more
disappointed by the lack of progress, I am going to have to find some solution to make everything better.
The patient faces years of the same, just waiting for something to suddenly enact a cure.

I have one idea left to help that cure to become a reality. On Wednesday, of this week
I plan on taking the patient to a specific doctor who may know the solution.









Thursday January 19




The doctor wasn't as resourceful as I thought. He has no original solution. He wants the patient to see a gerontologist
as if her condition is a function simply of old age.

It isn't the first time I have run into medical practitioners who have run out of ideas, and been forced to find
an alternate solution. When something is broken, you try to fix it. Unfortunately, this is what a lot of seniors now face.
Time to get another opinion. This attitude occurs because the human body will often fix itself by itself
without any accredited human helping. That's why witch doctors can appear so successful.






Friday January 27




The patient remains the same. No strength, poor balance. No magic solutions.
The snowy, chilly, icy weather interferes with walking sessions.






Saturday February 11






No changes. Still hunting for magic solutions. Trying to find a new family doctor.
The patient's blood pressure is good. Walks are brief, because the patient doesn't
last long before she starts to stumble, as if someone is pushing her from behind. Her
steps are too short, which causes the effect. She is trying to practise walking in spot
while holding a support. The medical attitude is that patient is 'old', therefore she
should see a gerontologist. We rejected that. She is damaged and needs to be fixed. She
doesn't need entertainment and to be categorized as old. If she doesn't metabolize food and is
rarely hungry, that's a problem that needs to be corrected, but the available medical
establishment doesn't have ideas.

For the record, this is fifth or sixth time the medical establishmement failed us, giving
wrong or inadequate solutions, forcing me to find solutions for significant problems.
Previous doctor's pronouncements included (1)"it's all in your head", eventual solution:
physiotherapy for tendinitis, (2) inability to walk, doctor gave up, eventual solution:
patient-devised exercise that freed the muscles from 'adhesions' (3) "your toenails need
to be removed," solution: nails allowed to grow and cotton to direct nails outward,
(4)"you will have trigeminal neuralgia forever", solution, operation by skilled doctor,
which solved the condition twenty years ago.

Summary: There are good doctors and there are the physicians in it for the money,
but who lack fundamental problem-solving skills.

There's still a chance we will encounter an effective doctor, but right now opportunities
are shutting the doors in our faces, so we continue to seek the solution ourselves.

I expect updates will be monthly from now on.










Sunday February 12




It was a long wait, but we saw the real doctor today. Without me prompting him, he concluded
by himself that a medication related to Seratonin would help with the management of the
symptoms and could lead much faster to her recovery. So now she will start a medication
with a proven track record of aiding with metabolism, weight gain, and mental stabilization
even though the healing of the brain is still involved, and still a long-term procedure.
Hopefully, the more significant symptoms relating to balance, mood, and energy will be
on the road to being resolved in a reasonable amount of time. The doctor will monitor
the results and adjust treatment accordingly.








Wednesday February 22




The patient is not getting better. It's hard to say what is needed. According to the
general history of the subarachnoid hemorrhage (burst aneurysm and bleeding in the brain),
it can happen at any age, often at a much younger age (recently actor Tom Sizemore, age
61, this past Saturday, leaving him in critical condition). The general history shows
recovery in 3-6 weeks. That must be the ideal earliest expectation. With bleeding in the
brain that may be slow to stop, you can add months. With age, you can add more months.
In the case of the patient who contracted a severe life-threatening infection in the ICU,
you add more months. Is that why it is taking so long? I don't know. I don't wish to give up
the patient to a rehab hospital, as she would have to remain there, and she doesn't do well away from home.
It is especially a problem, because of her impulsiveness and misconceptions of reality.
A few days ago, after I returned from a chore, she complained that 'the man' had awakened
her while I was out. I said "What man?" She pointed to the TV, a detective called Hudson
in the series "Hudson and Rex", that she watches constantly, (even the repeats, as she
remembers nothing of what happened this first time the episode played.) "And how did he
wake you up?" "He passed by the bed and grabbed my foot." I laughed. That's what I do
when I pass by to reassure her I'm on the case. But never when she's sleeping. I'll have
to speak sternly to the detective and tell him not to do that again. Also, she is under the
impression that the cast members of "The Big Bang Theory" are running into me all the time in the elevator.
I don't want her in some hospital because of the delusions and because I can bring her back to reality
much faster than innocent doctors and nurses who, when they first encounter it, actually believe
what she is saying and waste their time trying to make sense of it.

I know the doctor who prescribed the medication which balances the brain chemistry
warned me that it can take a few weeks for anything to happen. It's because a patient
who is prescribed the seratonin balancer is always given the lowest amount to start with.
As time goes by, as the requirements demonstrate, the medication dosage can be increased.
She's only been on it for 10 days. There's still hope. But because her balance is terrible,
she has had 3 falls since then, none of them serious, one that she recovered from herself
when I wasn't home. Another that left her on the floor for half an hour, calling to me when I was out.
So far, we have been lucky. Nothing broken or bruised. I keep adding devices to the areas of danger
to improve safety, but she refuses to use the rollator (walker with wheels) when going anywhere,
and prefers to go tottering about like a tight-rope walker. She needs to wear some kind of blow-up
Halloween costume, so when she falls, she just bounces back up again.

The best plan now is to have her eat "no matter what, whether she is hungry or not," which seems to be
the best chance of getting her energized, so she can balance, walk and function. Time will tell.













Saturday March 11




There is little to report that is good. She tried a special prescription that should have
allowed the brain to balance its functions, and regain hunger, metabolism and strength.
Instead, it gave her unpleasant side effects and had to be discontinued after two weeks
until I realized it was harmful. It made her weaker, she never walked, and gave her
digestive problems. Stopping the prescription has allowed her to improve slowly. I have
also replaced all her milk products with lactose-free which appears to benefit.

The herbal drops I was giving her proved to give her flashes of hunger, and I was only giving them
about twice weekly for safety. As they proved safe, I now give them to her twice daily,
increasing her hunger, and someimes causing her to want to eat more food at one sitting.
The result was a noticeable increase in walking strength the following day. But the effects
are so far not consistent every day. I continue to try new foods and techniques to increase her hunger.
The patient remains at 100 pounds, never lower, never higher. This is both a disappointment
and a relief, as it means she is not getting worse.

She will lose her short-term disability next month. She is being refused long-term disability.
That's because of her age. I approached the company Insurance agent and her Union with the point that
her manager never respected her age and so gave her excessive work to do which contravened her normal work skillset.
They ignored me. Her company has never sent her a get-well card or phoned to see how she is doing.
I am debating with myself with how to deal with the situation, as their change in her job
duties were by all appearances responsible for the brain aneurysm. That just adds to the
difficulty of the situation.

Right now I have to concentrate on her recovery and maintaining my own health. I don't
know how long this can continue.

We are waiting for something positive to break and for a sudden upturn in recovery. It is
simply not happening and that is why there is no point in frequent updates. I am eager for
her next MRI in April so that I can see what I can learn about other patients with a
history of brain aneurysms. As you may know, Tom Sizemore the actor, age 61, did not
survive. But there were other factors as he had like many celebrities abused his body
with drugs and alcohol. It remains a very dangerous situation. There are a lot of people
out there right now like ticking time bombs who will get the brain aneurysm and have their
lives transformed. It might even be you who are reading this, because we do not normally
get CT scans to look for growing aneurysms, the same way we test for colon cancer and
other dangerous conditions. It is not a standardized test. Perhaps it should be
since it is more common than you think.









Monday March 27

For the first time in 6 months the patient weighed heavier than before:
March 21 102 pounds up 2 from her constant norm of 100.
March 23 Patient weighs 104 pounds
March 25 Patient weighs 105 pounds
March 27 Patient weighs 107 pounds
I have decided not to tell her, that at this rate, she will be over 300 pounds by the end
of the year. Her sense of humor is good, but not that good.
She is still extremely weak, metabolism is not happening, so she cannot walk.
She speaks to friends on the phone occasionally, constantly deluding them into thinking
she is normal. She is not normal. She cannot function normally. Cannot walk for more
than ten minutes, then is exhausted. And she forgets everything immediately. She asks
twenty times a day, what we will have for dinner tonight. I do not know what the future
is going to bring. I am hoping for an MRI next month, but so far it hasn't been booked.











SAH - SUBARACHNOIDHEMORRHAGE - The Patient's Trauma