Angiogram

Have been trying to sleep an hour early everyday since the beginning of the week, but it didn't work. Getting up at 5:30 gave me less than 3-hour sleep.

We were told to go to Day Bed at admission. Got there before they open at 7. Turn out it was wrong. A nurse came looking for dad after we waited there for a while. (No need to hand the document to the desk either. Otherwise they could have discovered the mistake.) We should have gone to the CT department instead. Sigh... Probably because of this, dad was sent to the end of the line. We had to wait till 9:30 before he was wheeled in.

When the nurse at the doctor's office inform us of today's appointment, she said it's a scan. But it actually was the procedure to seal off the smallest aneurysm! O... K... this threw off the parking time. $5 per hour but we'd be paying the $16 max. Procedure itself should be 2 to 3 hours, bed rest 4 to 6 hours afterward. There goes a whole day.

Mom and I had an early lunch before 11. Take-out sandwich at the coffee shop in front of the lecture hall. Dosed off a little when waiting in the hallway. Some nurse told us to come back and check after 1.5 hours. Others, 2 hours, 3 hours. Of course mom wouldn't be happy if we weren't there at 1.5 hour. Correct answer: 3 hours. After another half-hour or 45 minutes, dad was sent to Day Care on the 14th floor. More naps for me. Brought a book along, but too sleepy to read. Around 3, dad was allowed to start eating again. They gave him juice and sandwich. The poor man hasn't eaten since last night's dinner.

Dad's discharge time was set at 5. But Day Care closes before that. Oxygen, iv, catheter were removed before we were sent down to Day Bed at 3:30. 2nd mistake of the day. The Day Care nurse told dad to get dressed, but the Day Bed nurses still need to check his incision.

4:45, they got dad to try walking. He needed to go pee anyway since the catheter was removed. He couldn't walk well, so, more rest. We were in no rush since it's better to be safe than sorry. The care at a hospital is always better than at home.

Maybe it's the 3rd mistake of the day. The nurse changed dad's band-aid, and it bled a little. The incision is only a cm, but this is a cut into an artery. Not to be taken lightly. She pressed on for a few minutes. Things seemed fine so the discharge was not affected.

Although dad was still wobbly, the nurse decided he was well enough to leave. But not before lecturing him (and us) how he should press above the incision when coughing, sneezing, laughing, getting in or out of bed, getting up or sitting down, and sitting on the porcelain thrown. If it bleeds, press hard for 15 minutes. Call 911 if that doesn't work. There were rental wheelchairs at the entrance, operated just like supermarket carts. (Interesting.) By the time we got home, it was about 7.

Aunt Y was alone at home all day. Somehow aunt L called, found out dad's procedure from her, and called brother. He brought over some pasta so that mom didn't have to cook. (Much appreciated.) Me? Passed out in front of the computer. (Sigh...) Brother even came after his church gathering to see if dad needs help getting in or out of bed during the night. However, dad's way tougher than anyone expect. He doesn't need help at all. Good for him. If only his brain is half this tough.

Mom's thought for the day: it was nice not having to clean up after dad's peeing problem for a day. On the other hand, dad has not been following the "pressing above incision" order. He kept saying he's fine. Sigh...