Friday, November 25, 2011 - Black Friday

Hi All, i hope all you guys had a wonderful, enjoyable and relaxing thanksgiving. Mine was awesome, the first time in a long time, my mom, two sisters and their families were all here in my home to celebrate thanksgiving with my family and I. Although it didn't start off so pleasantly. I was requested by the unit, to come in an hour early for my scheduled treatment, in which i obliged without hesitation, as i was going to my car (in the rain), my sisters had just arrived in their van, from southern california, (about 4:45 AM), i didn't have anytime for hugs and a chat, and besides it was pouring down raining, so i just waved to them all, and left for the unit. When i arrived, i soon discovered that they were backed up, and that i want be put on for another half hour, which it took unit 6:30 AM, before i was put on, which was my actual regular put on time, go figure! i just wasted my time, rushing to the unit, after getting only three hours of sleep, as i was cooking prior to that time, (all night), preparing my thanksgiving meal with my mom's assistance, she also flew up to sacramento, to help me clean up the house, before the rest of the family arrived on thanksgiving morning (as my time was limited, because of my hemo treatment session T, Th & Sat). Well back to the haps at the unit, i was finally put on at 6:30 AM, but you know, I was a little pissed off, coming in as requested 1 hour early, and just sitting there, (i think it was a little unconsiderate of them, not to have the decentancy to at least call, and tell us to not come an hour early, because there was an incident, that prevented them from starting the morning session as scheduled, but no, they just let us come in an hour early, and coming with some lamed excuse, like they had some flooding issues, when they arrived, but i do think that was completely bogus, i think the person that was supposed to open up the unit at 3:30 AM, didn't show up, because i noticed that there was only two RN's on duty, that morning, and of course, all us catherer put ons (myself included), need the assistance of an RN to connect our catherer to the dialyzer machine. If you had been reading my previous blogs, i mentioned that they had an 8 channel cable service, which is truly inadequate for any proper entertaining viewing, but that has all changed in the last few weeks, they finally have upgraded our cable to Direct TV viewing, with so many channels to choose from. I was very happy about this, but in the last few days, someone who has treatment after me, busted the earphone insert, where my earphone doesn't hold in the hole of the side of the TV, so i don't have any sound, i had to put GMA on close caption, so that i can read what they maybe discussing at that given moment, but it is all good, i decided to just listen to some oldies, but goodies on my MP3 player for the remainder of my treatment session. Prior to thanksgiving day, for a week, Kaiser hospital representatives have been visiting our unit, and observing the protocol at the unit, and recording their evaluation. Everything was going smoothly with my treatment, the bloodflow pressure stayed at 400, which made me very happy, but 15 minutes was left for the completion of my session, and suddenly the electricity went out, the unit was totally in the dark, and i guess you know all the chaos that was transpiring with this latest development. I notice immediately how panick the RNs were, didn't know what to do, there was this very loyal and devoted PCT (Patient Care Tech) by the name of Mohammed, who was on the ball and in complete control - he began to yell out all over the unit - Open all the blinds, and "Return the patient's blood immediately" - and that is when the RN were running around with their heads chopped off, all in confusement. Boy! they were looking all pitiful and helpless. I thought to myself, why weren't they taught the same as the PCT, the emergency procedure, in case of disasters, that could arise. After returning my blood, my RN didn't even know which way to crank the machine manually, of course, Mohammed to the rescue. Some were finding it difficult to crank, especially the small framed techs, they were struggling to do the cranking, i felt so sorry for them. It took another half hour before i could be completely disconnected from the machine, because RNs were busy assisting with the fistula and graft take offs, and besides i had no other choice, but to wait, until an RN was finally available. I was finally off by 10:00 AM, and i promptly ask my RN how was i going to do my weight and also my b/p. I couldn't believe what i was hearing, they didn't even have a backup generator, nor a manual scale or b/p cuff. How pitiful could this unit be. I remember back in 1999, when we had a similar power issue, but there was a backup generator, that kicked in, moments later, so we didn't even have to have our blood returned, if we had more than 15 minutes left before completion of our hemo session, and at that time the unit was with a company called - Total Renal Care (TRC). Now that we are with Davita, what is up with Davita, and all these cutting corner issues, (no generator, no manual scales or b/p cuffs). In my opinion, they truly need to address these issues, because they are very serious, in case of future disasters at the unit. Now, i have to go home, without even knowing, if i reached my dry weight, or if my pressure is in normal range, and i am very concerned, as i will be eating way more food than i have eaten all summer long, so i don't even know if i have that spare room to over indulge (lol), well anyway i will take extra phosphorus binders to be on the safe side, and try my best not to drink too much apple cider, yeah right!, i love me some apple cider (lol), i will just try my best. I guess it was a good thing, that Kaiser wasn't there that day, so much they could have included in their evals, right! Well the unit lucked out, but i do believe God doesn't like ugly, because i still don't believe that story about the flooding of the unit, wasn't even true. Look what happened later on, all the power went out, and this is all because, they wanted staff to be home early with their families for thanksgiving, and it all backfired on them, they still didn't get home early, (having all us patients come in an hour early, just to sit around, looking like fools). This day just didn't turn out right, they had to stay a few hours later, than there usual open and close time, go figure! like i said God don't like ugly. What a disastrous day this was. All i have to say, is this unit needs to check themselves, before they wreck themselves (quoted from Ice Cubes lyrics). Well so much for that unit drama, i am finally off and going home. As my family have settled, and i did a second check to see how the food prepartion was going, my mom and husband had that well under control, so i took my usual NAP after treatment, about an hour into my NAP, my nephew, his girlfriend, my great neice and two nephnews arrived, so i had to get up, because i hadn't seen them in a few years. Of course, they had grown so much, since that time. It was so exciting to see the Jeff clan altogether, laughing and just enjoying each other. Everything done, the main guest of honor (that juicy, suckenling turkey). Other guest began to arrive, and we are now all around the table, ready to say the blessing, and then each of us, saying what we are most thankful for on this day. Of course my husband had to be at work at 3:00 PM, so he wasn't included for the first time at the head of the table, it was all on me. My baby sister, most definitely thankful for her new gift of life, (she received a cadaver kidney back in September). Even after all this chaos, at the unit, we all settled to a very wonderful, enjoyable and delightful thanksgiving feast. Well, that is it for my blogging today, unit next blog i wish everyone all the best, and i hope you all had a very enjoyable, and relaxing thanksgiving, and are looking forward to the coming christmas holidays, as i am.
Happy Holidays! to you all.
Glo