July 3 - 14.......

July 3rd (Monday) arrives... Jamie's Birthday... no big deal. George is all ready to go for his 'vacation' to the nursing home. We check in at 3:00p.m. I unpacked all his clothes etc., and put them away.

July 4th (Tuesday) arrives.... Jamie gets a phone call from the nursing home about 3:30p.m....... they've had George admitted to hospital!! I can give him a call at the hospital to talk to him (right!)... like he'd know who I was....

So, I get myself to the hospital ER.. he's been moved to the Medical Ward.... I arrive just as they are moving him into a room. He's a mess, I'm upset. I had him at the doctor a week or so ago because of his 'wheezing' but the doc. didn't seem worried. Has fluid in/on the lungs... have filled him up to the neck with Lasix to try to get rid of the fluid. May also have a chest infection so they have him on antibiotics. I stayed for a couple of hours... couldn't do anything and George was resting (asleep) albeit 'laboured', so I went home .

July 5th (Wednesday)... I get a phone call early in the afternoon from the hospital to come in as soon as possible! I'd spent the morning writing letters and faxes (it's never-ending)........ so I drop everything and Mum and I both go. I was in tears, expecting the worst. To me he didn't seem any worse than the day before but the doctor told us he probably had a 50/50 chance of making it! But they would make every effort to get him through this. They had to drain his lungs so the nurse asked if we'd like to go to the Waiting Area while they were working on him.

She came out in a few minutes and asked if I would like to call a priest or a minister........ I crumbled ..... all the good times we had were flashing through my mind like a slide show, the not so good times also came to mind but took secondary place. Our plans for retirement... all gone...

With nothing I could do, and George unaware that I was even there.... after a couple of hours, we left. I went home, all night thoughts of the last 30 years in my mind... I got no sleep... waiting for THAT call.

6th July (Thursday).... Went to the hospital... George sitting up large as life... had eaten a hearty breakfast and the wheeze was almost gone! It made me wonder what all the fuss was about the day before. Not that I wasn't happy George was better, I certainly was, BUT maybe it's just me..... everyone seems Hell bent on stretching my emotions to the limits. Maybe I'm becoming paranoid... about everything.

I was furious for what I had been put through the day before! It was more like a 99% chance of recovery, not 50/50. Anyway that's over and done with and George now is looking a lot better and the 'wheeze' has disappeared.

July 14th (Friday).... I've been to the hospital every day and each day he's getting better and better. Now they have to get him mobile again... where do these people get their information! It appears they are under the misapprehension that my husband was in need of a 'walker' prior to being admitted to hospital! Do they dream up these things just to irritate me????? Not only that... instead of him getting up to go to the toilet (which is an ensuite) they have been putting pads on him and changing the pads periodically! It's easier for them!

Now he wasn't incontinent before going into hospital so they've been told to get him back in the habit of going himself before he's released.

Then added to this........

Am I the only person in this world who looks like a SUCKER!!!!????? Have I got a label glued to my forehead stating "Here she is! Have a go at her now!" You're not going to believe this!

I had forgotten about the nursing facility where George was supposed to spend 2 weeks. Now that he was out of danger my mind began to wander to other matters...

I'd paid in advance (through the Protective Office) for a 2 week stay, so I though I might be entitled to a refund..... since he'd only been there one night. Am I being too petty?

I contacted the facility and was told that the accountant had said definitely not! NO REFUND! Well that got my hackles up straight away but I remained calm... and asked the lass on the switch to check with whoever runs the establishment. She'd call me back....

In the meantime I contacted a government aged care organisation in Brisbane to see if they could offer any advice. After 4 transfers I finally spoke to a lady who had the Respite Care 'Bible'. It appears that all I should forfeit is 25% of the 2 week charge and she advised I contact the nursing home facility and advise them where they might find the information confirming this.

So I rang the nursing home.... still calm..... and offered the Director the information I had received. Yes... she has that 'Bible' and will check into it and call me back.

The next afternoon she called back... the accountant had said that they'd consider my husband as being discharged on the 13th July! SO all I will receive as a refund is 4 days fees!!!!!!!! I told her 'I think not!!!" She started to argue with me so I did something I hate... I hung up in the middle of her prattling!!

Then I tried to contact the lady in Brisbane I had spoken to 2 days prior... because I'd been transferred 4 times before I got her they couldn't find her this time (can you believe this)... no one had heard of her!

So I made a few more phone calls to other aged care organisations and at this moment am awaiting return calls to see what eventuates.

I just can't believe the audcity some people have! They must think I'm a complete fool! This nursing home facility sent my husband to hospital (for which I am very appreciative) bag and baggage! The room he had was cleared of ALL his belongings. They expect me to believe that they haven't put someone else in that room over the past week or so..... give me a break!! The Director even went to the hospital a couple of days after they had George 'carted off' and she saw the condition my husband was in... to quote her "tubes sticking out everywhere and an oxygen mask on his face..". Yet she didn't think it appropriate to call me and inquire as to whether they should keep the room for him. Her mistake!!

If she had I would have told her NO. I wouldn't sent George back to the nursing home straight out of hospital... heaven's what kind of person do they think I am!!!

So, they've fouled up and are trying to make me the scapegoat! Not this time!!! They don't realise what I have had to put up with these past 3 1/2 years from other imbeciles.

Oh, I almost forgot what else this stupid woman said.... I'd asked her to send the refund to me even though the fees had been paid OUT OF OUR FUNDS by the Protective Office... she said they can't do that!!!! She said because it came from the Protective Office, any refund would have to be sent back to THEM!

How complicated is life supposed to be????????? I'm so sick of this.

Jared, my grandson will be stopping overnight tonight and be with us tomorrow, so I'm looking forward to that. I've missed him these past weeks... he's my stabilizer :-) Then he's back with his Dad until Monday because school starts on Tuesday and things return to normal. NORMAL.... what's that??

Well, that's it for now,

Catch you later,

Jamie

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END JULY 2000 JOURNAL

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