Slow going

Sara is doing fine. Back to stable. They continue the agressive breathing treatments because it is really good for her.

We continue to wait for a bed in Kaiser Santa Rosa. It is a very small ICU, so they don't come up very fast I understand. When talking to the discharge planner today she started talking sub-acute, which I squashed immediately. Then she mentioned vallejo rehab, and I had to update her that they wouldn't take her unless she could go to the floor and be stable - which was not going to happen because it is below an appropriate level of care for her condition. So, we wait for Santa Rosa.

In the interim, I will be restarting the paperwork for the MediCAL waiver program to get private duty nursing into our home to take care of her, one on one. I'll actually call MediCAL myself this time and get the "straight from the horses mouth" requirements and documentation references, so I can educate her doctors as well. The social worker for ICU-B does have experience with the EPSDT waiver program and is happy to help us with the paperwork.

So, Sara is stable and reasonably happy right now. She's looking forward to change. She and I were working on her computer the other day, downloading MP3 and figuring out how to play them on her system. She likes being able to control her own entertainment. Its that independent minded 19 year old coming out. We went over the designs for the front of some custom made, attitude laden hospital gowns. She and I are designing the sayings and i'm going to sew up some gowns in different colors (not the washed out baby blue or light hospital green) and then put these on the front. She really liked this one "have somebody slap you for me" and "place cat here" inside the outline of a cat on the chest.

Her brother is doing ok. Going to summer school, playing his bass, loving his dog, hanging out with friends, riding his bike everywhere. Normal summer kid stuff for a 17 year old.

I'm doing ok. Went to the doctor yesterday. I've got a couple of things going on and figured they'd pass, but didn't. So I actually went to the doctor for myself. Felt weird, actually. But I have a few things I have to do for myself in the midst of everything else. And, of course, another mammogram. I had the three tumors three years ago (and had dual partial mastectomies afterwards). Supposed to have annual mammograms after that, but lost my health insurance when my a**hole ex-partner fired me and stole my part of the company. (Karma will take care of him... ) Anyway - I'm finally able to get another mammogram, which is good. I'm not worried about it. And, of course, I have to lose weight.

Hmmm...how to do it all.....?