Fuzzy's Romp Room

Heard from Fuzzy's DH, she wants everyone to know she's FIESTY. Dh was happy to hear that Veggy updated everyone. They did a bone scan and it was negative to rule out you know what b/c her symptoms made it necessary to be sure__YAY NED to bones . The doc says it's likely an infection from sx, and a hospital acquired infection from her stay. That's why they sent her home so quick with the IV antibx's to be given at home. She's worn out, but thinking of everyone.

I finished the novena--got my hours correct. It's a powerful concentration of thought and comforting when reading the words and thinking of the intended which was Fuzzy and all of us here and others on these boards and Veggy's dear friend. I know prayer is not in everyone's belief system, but I do believe. I also believe in the strength of collective prayer. I'm not enough of a wordsmith to communicate what it is that causes me to believe. It transends being brought up with the teachings.

There is a woman on Ma111's thread that has written a story of her journey with her Dad through his cancer and hospice. Linda-Ranch is a wordsmith. I asked permission to repost her story here. She now has BC. She expressed interest in joining us. I was rethinking the reposting, but it's so poignant. I'll leave it at that , repost her story for you to read. L&H&P's Namaste sassy. 

Thanks for sending word of Fuzzy.

I had a terrible day: sore throat, cough, headache, sinus pain plus the sore foob. I know. My fault. I stayed in my pajamas all day and in bed nearly all day. I wish I could get back to sleep.

Last night I dreamed that I had been taking some drugs (for the cancer) and that the doctors decided it wasn't doing any good and so took me off it. This meant I had about a month or two to live. I was begging them to keep me on the drug (because in my mind, as long as I was on the drug, I would live). I did a lot of crying in the dream, and it has stayed with me today.

As possibly the only person on this particular forum who turned down conventional treatment, I generally keep that to myself (except that it shows on my signature line).  Anyway, it can be really hard at times. Did I make the right decision? Should I have trusted my own judgement on this? A lot of self-doubt. What particularly disturbs me is that I should be acting like such a baby about dying from this cancer. I want to be graceful about it -- whenever my time comes. Fear and crying are not my definition of graceful. Anyway, between the sense I had that I was doing Christmas cards for the last time and then this dream, I have a feeling . . .

I'll try to come meddling and haunting anyone who wants me though.

Fuzzy, can't write much, but this awful when you trusted so deeply. As to Dh he left b/c he trusted that they would care for you. He's a lay person. He doesn't know how bad the errors can be and were in this situation. Even when he was watching, he thought they were doing there best. He likely knows now that his trust was misplaced. It's has shocked you to your core. This will be hard to get over. Once you regain your strength and mind, you can work on a plan. But forgive DH. He's used to lumber, not medical emergencies. He likely felt helpless in a situation that was out of control and totally outside his knowledge base. So incredibly sorry that you went through this. It's care at it's worst. Love you sassy

Sorry friends posting so much over last two days, but the obsessive complusive-OCD_ thing is in overdrive. The following will help all as well as Fuzzy.

Fuzzy The following will only be able to be done when your head is back on straight. When they stopped your breathing with the IV push pain med, it wasn't that it was an overdose, it was more likely HOW it was given (pushed). Read the rant on ports a few pages ago. The section on speed shock, I mentioned cardiovascular affect only. When any med is pushed too fast it can get to the central nervous system(CNS) control center(medula)too fast undiluted by blood. This area controls cardiovascular and RESPIRATORY function. In the case of narcotics, if a drug is given too fast and undiluted(i.e in 1cc-3cc versus 10cc), it can "knockout" STOP or interfere with the cardio/vascular/respiratory work. Result on cardio is the heart malfunctions (weird rhythms or stops) and vascular(blood pressure drops out) or respirations are depressed( rate--slowed even to the point of stopping) and chest excursion reduced(respiratory muscles don't work right).  To avoid a negative affect on the CNS several things can be done. First--slow push which allows for further dilution in blood b/c the blood is flowing. Second--dilution, med drawn up in a 10cc syringe with saline or dextrose versus 1-3cc. First two already mentioned above. Third--position of upper body should be as low as possible, flat preferably. Problems can occur even if the above are followed, but are majorly avoided by doing these three things. Over the years, can't tell you how many times I taught the above to nurses.

I even trained my patients in the above for self protection(as I hope all of you, can now do too). Also, trained my ambulatory patients that as soon as they called me for pain med that they pee and get back in bed and put their heads in low position. This avoids falls related to being under the influence of a drug that can drop blood pressure by getting up too fast to go pee. Regretfully, falls related to this are still very common nationwide, easily solved by having the patient pee before getting the drug.

At the last hospital I worked at I had the total above discussion with the head of pharmacy. Convinced him that if only 10cc prefilled syringes used for dilution were stocked than the nurses wouldn't have a choice about using the prefilled 3cc versus 10cc.

For completeness, there are a few meds that should be given rapidly in the smallest volume. Atropine and Adenosine and there may newer drugs I don't know about.

 So,---Slow push, diluted, head flat for IV drugs will keep you from having trouble. AND don't forget to pee.

FUZZY, FUZZY, FUZZZY, OMG, my best girl is home and alive, and even has the okay to kick that man of yours in the ass if he goofs up.  Men are so weak about some things.  But now, I've got about an extra 20 years on you, so I called husband and told him I'd love to see him but he could also stay home if he preferred, because he is a disaster area.  Both of us are sick as dogs, so we're annoyed, but extremely grateful to be able to say hello as we pass by each other in the kitchen every hour or so!!!

I finally found your regular email, Fuzzy, and later today was probably going to call you.  I did not want you to haul off and die without me giving you a little bunny hug.  Did you hear that Sec State Hillary Clinton got a tummy virus, was home and fainted, hit her head and got a concussion, and spent some time in the hospital, but apparently is so out of it that soon-to-be-Secretary State Bob Kerry said she had no business making any speeches to Congress or going on any trips. GOOD FOR HIM.  Hill was home when she fell down. So, just WHERE IN THE EFF WAS BILL???  Ye gads.  Now, HE'S REALLY gonna be in trouble.

Sweetie pie, you must make your husband submit without killing him, and then convince him to send your daughters to the Bahamas, and then you two go to the best hotel within a couple hundred miles of your house with good food, room service, AND MASSAGE.  You'll need a heat pad or blanket, they must finish by putting you in the bed, and give you a list of dinners and a movie grouping to order up.  REST REST REST, child.

I'm still a little sick, but at least I can breathe.  When I couldn't breathe, it terrified me.  I'm just glad I'm home with my doggie. And I KNOWS you are loving being home with your little doggie. Ain't we lucky!!!???  I LOVE YOU SWEET THING.  Always, Gail   

FUZZY (((((big hugs)))) so glad to see you here. was worried sick just like all the rest of us of course.  So sorry you had such a horrible hospital experience, we are all supposed to believe that these are the people we can trust(in the hospital) and then something like this happens. So glad you made it through in spite of all your doctor's 'help'

Had a great time last night with mom and DF looking at all the lights, then went out for dinner afterwards. First time since I got sick that I've actually felt like going out to a restaurant, found something i wanted on the menu, and still felt well enough by the time it came to enjoy it. So big big night for me.

I'll bet Hillary fainted for the same reason I did. Stomach problems stimulate the vagus nerve which drops blood pressure, and out you are. I got a black eye from falling into the wastebasket (which probably saved me from a concussion from hitting the tile floor). Sounds like her concussion might be more than mild. As for Bill, do you ask your husband to come with you to the bathroom when you are going to throw up or have diahrrea? Actually, I do sometimes now.

Fuzzy..so glad to hear your doing better. Had problems here, so had not been on. You take care, and be good to yourself. We need you. Love, hugs, and prayers.

I am so glady you felt up to checking in on us Fuzzy. What you went through at that hospital, though, that sucks big ones. That is horrible treatment. How dare they treat our Fuzzy like that! And I hope you get a humble apology from your PS. Man, were the planets in some sort of weird alignment for everyone to be acting so freaking uncaring? I don't know what to say about dh. I know that hurt you deeply, and he should probably be informed of that. And when you are feeling better, some intense make-up time should be scheduled. Anyway, everyone is pulling for you; and I'm sure I heard a collective sigh of relief as each person ready your update.

Regarding my cold: I actually have an appointment with my NEW PCP in the morning. My old PCP quit the practice! Thank you Obamacare! So I scheduled this appt to meet the new one. I guess she will have to check my chest while I'm there.

Damn! Are you all ready for Christmas? I am NOT! My mother wouldn't tell me anything she wants, so all I have for her are a bag of socks she wants. Today she said she would like new blank VHS tapes and a VCR cleaning tape. Oh well. I WAS having to borrow money from her to get by, so it made sense then, but now I am getting the disability retirement, so I have enough to buy her something. Grrrr. Plus her birthday is January 6th. So, while we were out today she admired a smiley face spatula, so I think I will buy that tomorrow. I don't know if I will be able to finish the painting (just a little I promise) because I am going to her house for the solstice. I don't know what might happen with the Mayan calendar ending on that date and a major never-happens planetary line-up occurring. Then we also have the a-holes who don't like to let a "crisis" go to waste. I wouldn't be surprised if SOMETHING bad happens that day, so I am packing up my birds and going to be with my mom. Just in case.

Of course, that means I will not be on the internet from the 21st, or even 20th, through at least Christmas. I'd like to pack my battery backups, but I don't know if I can get all that in the car. I need to pack a suitcase, take books, have my pill supply. Well, I'll get working on all that tomorrow. The bird cage is quite large. I can't believe how quickly Christmas snuck up on me!

Oh well notes to everyone went to the netherworld, all now are shorter

Veggy condolences andhugs

Dunes good luck with new Pcp,will be watching with you on Dec21st, looking forward to Dec 22nd. Enjoy your holidays with Mom. Congratualtions on disability coming through--I missed that post. What a economic relief whew.

Rider --small joys of life enjoying a meal Yoohoo.

Gail hope the chest is better. Bad bug

Crog nice to see you-Hugs

Linda-Ranch Welcome. I think you are a brilliant writer and agree with your PM thoughts about you doing it professionally.

LMG's , soleria, duckyB,kathindic Hugs!

Wish Christmas was over. I know ....bah humbug....it's all bullshit....and not what the season should be about. To me it is an over-rated, commercialized, gift giving holiday, that fills the churches Xmas eve, and the majority will not go back till Palm Sunday, then back Easter.

Ok, glad Igot that off my chest.

Fuzzy and All ---next chapter. Already addressed the "How" of drug administration problems. Now to a very intrisinic and skilled area of administration---Titration.

Quote:"everyone knew I was talking like I was wasted, the nurse injected another round of Dilaudid and then I stopped breathing."

Overt overdose, using this word overt here to describe an overdose where more than the correct dose of a drug is drawn up and administered. Not the case for Fuzzy.

Covert overdose, using this word covert to describe an overdose of a medicine given when the patient is already medicated with the same or similarly acting drug. This use of the word is my analogy and is not in the textbooks. (continuing to write, but IE is acting funny so saving as I go along). Technical definition from dictionary--secret: not intended to be known, seen, or found out. The part of the definition I'm using for the analogy is "seen". The patient has medicine inside their body, therefore it can't be "seen", but the affects of the medicine can be seen by physical assessment. The following concepts can be applied to all routes of drug administartion--oral,nasal,under the tongue,rectal, inhalation,topical, but all descriptions will refer to Intravenous-IV- b/c that is the problem being addressed. Also, b/c the problem was use of a narcotic, I will address that specifically. Assessment for other IV drugs i.e.blood pressure is similar, but focus is different.

Keyword defined:Central Nervous System-CNS. Definition from internet: CNS--"nervous system excluding peripheral nerves: the part of the nervous system, consisting of the brain and spinal cord, that controls and coordinates most functions of the body and mind (emphasis mine). Impulses from sense organs travel to the central nervous system and impulses to muscles and glands travel from it.".

Narcotics affect multiple areas of the brain. Previously described how drugs affect the medulla that controls Cardio/vascular/respiratory--narcotics affect all three. Not particularly heart, unless overdose--overt or covert is high. Significant affect on vascular and respiratory centers is dose dependent. The other part of the brain significantly affected is consciousness. Mild--feeling a bit spacy/high, to severe ---completely unresponsive. The affects of narcotics on the brain are on this spectrum of mild to severe and can be evaluated by the staff from assessing the physical signs. The physical signs primarily include: Level of consciousness(LOC), Blood pressure, respiratory rate and quality, and pulse.  Again all indicate how the CNS is functioning in the presense of a drug that alters activity of each control area in the brain.

A concept in drug administration is "Titration". The dictionary doesn't even include a discription of how this word is used for drug administration. In giving a drug, the administrator in order to titrate the response needs to assess a baseline LOC, airway/breathing rate and quality -respiratory function, circulation BP/pulse-cardio/vascular functions. Commonly abbreviated --ABC's.  This is done preadministration which is the "baseline", during administartion, and after administration. Once basline information is gathered and decision is made to administer more drug, the first minutes after administartion are highly important. It is then that the amount of drug in the system is at it's highest during IV delivery i.e Drug in body + new drug given= total drug. Therefore, the most significant alteration of LOC& ABC's can be seen during this time.

What went wrong with Fuzzy?

Her Level of consciousness was altered "Everyone knew I was talking like I was wasted". She was already showing signs of significant CNS affect. What the administrator should have done is give small increments of the drug over one to two minutes, evaluate LOC&ABC"S over several minutes before administering any more drug. What I can only surmise from the fact that Fuzzy stopped breathing is the How(page previous) and Titration wasn't  done. A covert overdose because while the nurse had in hand the ordered amount of drug, she didn't base the administering of the drug on the "seen" affects of the drug. Thus, didn't titrate to response. Fuzzy stopped breathing. At that point a drug was given to reverse the narcotic affect. Fuzzy returned.

I know my chapters are long, I previously stated I'm trying so hard to protect you all. To some it's way TMI, to others it's a gold mine.

Veggy, Condolences and hugs.

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