Carol back in the hospital

"Connie!"
"CONNIE!"

Those were the screams I woke up to at 6:30am.  Carol's nighttime aide, Jessica, had witnessed Carol fall forward in her walker.  Her glass cabinet held her up, though, but Jessica needed help pulling Carol back into her recliner.

Neither I nor Jessica could pull her safely into her recliner.  She slowly went to the ground where she lay, me in front, Jessica in the back holding her back up with her legs.  Carol looked very exhausted and when I looked into her eyes, I finally saw a weak, old woman.  It was the same look I saw in my dad the week before he died.

"Call the paramedics" Carol said meekly, and I took all directions from her while Jessica remained in her rear holding her back up.

The paramedics arrived within 15 minutes.  Two young men wearing masks kneeled down to her level asking her a bunch of questions while taking her vitals.  She had very low blood pressure and low sugar count, partly because she hadn't taken her morning medications yet.  Her inner eye lids were slightly yellow, an indicator of possible kidney failure.  Her skin was tenting, revealing dehydration.

"Do you have congestive heart disease?" asked one of the men.
"I didn't have a heart attack" Carol replied.
"You don't need to have a heart attack to have congestive heart disease!" I interrupted.  Her many fainting spells can be an indicator.
And here's where I learned that Carol has a pace maker.  Jessica and I looked at each other dumbfoundedly.  She had never mentioned a pace maker to me before.  I didn't even know she was diabetic until around five years ago.

It took the paramedics almost an hour to convince Carol to go to the hospital.  She finally relented at 9am as she was wheeled out to the waiting ambulance just as Adrene, who by now was an hour late, finally showed up for her morning shift.  I was not happy with her tardiness.  This was her third time in two weeks and the second time she was an hour late.  It was not a good day to be late. Adrene volunteered to follow Carol to the hospital while Jessica stayed behind for another 30 minutes so that I could fill out the work sheet for her.  She was tired now, but admitted that she has had these tardiness issues with Adrene in the past. Carol grabbed my hand as she was led out on the gurney, looked me in the eyes and said "Thanks for being here for me, I love you."

I like Jessica.  We got to talk a few times when she worked the night shift for Carol.  She handled Carol's episode like a champ.  As she finally left at 9:30am, Jessica came up to give me a hug, saying "Looks like you can use this now."  It did feel good, because I had so many emotions running through me during Carol's episode. and I called her company, ComForCare, later to give accolades to Jessica (and a stern complaint about Adrene)

The house was quiet now.  No TV, no chatter. Jessica had called a few of Carol's in-home nurses to let them know she was back in the hospital, but didn't catch all of them.  Her nurse and her physical therapist, both who always come on Monday mornings, weren't contacted.  I called her hair dresser Phillip to cancel her appointment.  The nurse called at 10:30 to tell me she was on her way and I was able to tell her then not to come.  The therapist showed up at 11am and I had to apologize for his wasted time coming to see Carol.

I had to cancel my time with Ethan, too. Adrene called me twice from the hospital with updates but left at 1:30pm. She had gotten talked to by her supervisor for being late again and she didn't like that.  She was very argumentative with me and I didn't like her tone.  Yes, I told her, she does a great job when she's with Carol, but she was late three times, inconveniencing the people she was relieving.

Adrene was Carol's first choice for long-term aide and had asked her two weeks ago if she were interested in working for her full time, but even she was losing confidence in her with her tardiness and recent attitude.  She had become bossy with both Carol and me once Adrene learned she may be working full time for Carol.

I thanked Adrene for being in the hospital with her while I rounded up phone calls back at the house.  I walked Zeke briefly to Sauerman Woods across the street to get a short walk in, and then I drove on to the hospital to be with Carol, who was still in the ER room waiting for a regular room to open up. I left Zeke alone in the house, hoping my weak room barricade in the kitchen would keep Zeke there. It was a total failure.  He was wailing loudly from the garage when I came back at 7:15pm. I didn't like leaving him alone in the house, but it was better for him than sitting in a warm car.  I was glad now that he was there to comfort me as only a loyal dog can.

The Methodist Hospital where Carol was sent to had gotten the first covid patient in Lake County back in March and continues to be very rigid with patient admittance and visitors.  All patients get tested for covid before a room is assigned--Carol's test came back two hours later as negative and didn't need to be taken to the covid ward--and all visitors get their temperature taken upon entering the building. My temperature was taken, 98.5F, and I was allowed to be by her side where I stayed until visiting hours were over at 7pm. I'm sure my temperature dropped at least by one degree, as it was very cold in the ER.  There were three patients on gurneys in the hallway waiting for a private room.

The nighttime aide, Shayla, arrived at 8pm and again I had to apologize for her wasted drive.  Doesn't the company notify its workers when clients are admitted to the hospital?  Shayla looked so disappointed and frustrated, telling me this isn't the first time ComForCare has been negligent with updates on clients.  She stayed for ten minutes, then left, and now I was all alone with my thoughts in a home in which there was always noise. Was I witnessing Carol's last days?

I walked Zeke around the neighborhood late at night to calm my thoughts.  Again I walked to the Speedway on Broadway 1.2 miles away, and again I was barefoot.  I will miss the family when I leave on Wednesday for my return to Arizona, but I will also miss walking barefoot on the soft, lush grass and clay soil as well as the soft sidewalk.  Walking on the sidewalk barefoot is like a massage for the feet.  Adrene called me "too country" when I admitted that I like walking barefoot here.  One has to walk barefoot anywhere in Arizona to understand my joy when walking barefoot is soothing and not prickly on the feet.