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Praetorium Honoris

Monday, March 25, 2024

Round Two

 Y'all remember last week when I said it had been a tough week?   Well, apparently Mrs J and I saying so offended Paean, the ancient Greek God of Physicians.  The episode had started Sunday a week ago.  Mrs. J had woken up with her hand swollen and painful.  Paid a visit to the ER, where the Doc said it wasn't Cancer related and prescribed some pain killers.  That's where I left off the story.

Shouldn't have.

Turns out the pain med he made a prescription for was in the Ibuprofen family.  But, like most medicine had some $20 name that few can pronounce and even less recognize.  So we dropped off the prescription at the pharmacy at the drive through.  We're waiting for filling, when the pharmacist asks us to confirm Mrs J is allergic to ibuprofen.

Why, yes she is, why do you ask?

Well, this medicine is in the ibuprofen family, what are your symptoms when you take it?

Oh, nothing serious, she just has extreme difficulty breathing.

Oh, so you'd like us to call the doctor and get a different type medicine?

Why, yes, please! @end sarc!

First thing in the morning, Mrs J called our regular Dr and got an appointment.  We showed up, explained the problem to him.  He took one look at the infected hand, (now hand, wrist and approaching elbow) and told us to head to the hospital, (do not pass go, do not get $200).  He phoned ahead and told them exactly what he needed test wise and to check her into a bed, let him know when that was done and he'd pay us a visit.  

He'll be my hero forever.  Again, not being a Doctor nor playing one on TV, there could be errors in the following description.  Medical friends in the audience, feel free to correct me.  

Apparently, one of the downsides to Chemo is your immune system takes a big hit in the chops.  So any thing that can cause an infection can have more severe consequences than usual as the body doesn't have enough oomph to fight it off.  As best we can figure, the infection was caused by a small scratch on her hand.  The scratch most likely was a result of one of our cats walking across it the night before.  As any cat owner knows, Cats like to bury their cat litter in the litter box by scratching the litter over it. So maybe a little of the bacteria was on his paw when he stepped on her.

I know, Sarge, EWWWW!

But that was the vector.  The scary part was, by the time we got to the hospital, the infection was at the elbow.  The staff seemed concerned.  All sorts of tubes, needles, monitors were very quickly set up.  

She ended up spending 3 nights there.  It wasn't til we checked out that I learned the reason for concern.  As long as the infection was limited to her arm, things were bad but handle-able.  If it reached her shoulder, it would begin to infect the rest of the body and things would be VERY BAD and difficult to control.

Fortunately the latter did not occur and the infection was brought under control and eventually eliminated.  

Yes, my ability to sleep at night has been somewhat restored also.

Thank You, Lord!  and Hospital Staff!

Changing subject to lighter material.

We had a very interesting family as guests at one of our Guest Houses this past weekend.  Because of all the hoop jumping earlier in the week, the Casseta wasn't readied to Mrs J's standards.  (I try, but usually fall short).  So, it's almost time for them to check in, when Mrs J and I grab the last things we need and head down to finish up.

Yep, as we get out of the truck, the guests pull up.  I give them a quick overview of what we need to do and ask if they can hold for a few minutes.  They said sure.  We got 'er done and stopped to say thanks.

Very nice folks, Dad, Mom and 3YO son.  We're chatting and they asked how we'd come to this property.  Told them about retiring from the Air Force and such.  They mentioned that they were both Army.  He'd been a Tank Driver in the recent festivities and had his tank shot out from under him. Oh Wow!

 His wife is a JAG.  He had recently retired and she was one year out.

Yes, Sarge, we had a conversation much like on your post yesterday.  Chatted for about an hour and he casually mentioned that he'd just been diagnosed with cancer and was beginning Chemo this next week.  Mrs. J asked what type he had, when he answered, Mrs J said "So do I".  He mentioned  he'd just completed the Radiation portion of his treatment and would be starting Chemo.  Since, Mrs J had just the opposite schedule for treatment, they had a mutually helpful discussion about what each could expect.  Nice to be able to talk to someone who's going through what you are going through and has completed the treatment you're about to enter.  I know Mrs. J was, well, "less tense".  I suspect he was also.

Great folks,  Wish them well.

On the woodworking front(s), obviously, there hasn't been a lot of progress.  The Pikler triangle is progressing, slowly, but progressing.  I've got all the legs drilled and painted.

 

I've got half the cross braces (steps) painted white. Maroon will be used for the rest.  Then it's pretty much final assembly and putting a certain University's logo on it and, voila', completed.


 Finally, it's Spring in Texas and for some reason or another, the wild flower's are really spectacular this year.

First we have a fairly hefty load of a wild flower (AKA a weed) known as "Gold Star".


Kinda pretty isn't it?

Yes, until it kinda takes over your field.

Then there's Verbena. 

My Cell phone doesn't do this field justice, it's almost completely purple.

Finally, there's the Blue Bonnet, the State Flower of Texas.


This is my "Guard Flower".  It's right inside my front gate.  Keeps the "Bad Guys" away.

These folks are better gardeners than I

Fortunately, it's been a fairly wet spring.  Usually this time of year it's two to three weeks between mowings and the grass is a greenish-brown color. 

 

This was last Saturday night, just under 1"

This year we're at once a week.  Oh well, I get my steps in.

Finally, I got this picture from MBD of León and his Paternal Grandmother.

Future Fighter Pilot?

Peace out y'all!

33 comments:

  1. Hoo Boy!! That allergy to that pain killer and then getting her INTO the hospital and tested ASAP, might be time to close the bedroom door overnight maybe.....whew! Between that and running into someone who partially completed the OTHER half of treatment Mrs. J was going into, God works in mysterious ways eh juvat.......... :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Nylon, The allergy was red flagged in the pharmacist's record for her. It was also flagged in our Doctor's record for her, which since he's affiliated with the hospital with the ER we went to (the only one in town) was flagged there also. So...the ball was dropped, but the pharmacist did their job and no blood, no foul. But, I'm pretty sure our Dr had a bit of a come to Jesus meeting with the ER Doc.
      Yeah, we spent about an hour chatting with the guests, great folks, with a lot of good info being exchanged. One of the many bennies involved with BnB's. Sometimes you get the jerks, but most of the time, they're just normal folks wanting to have a little vacay away from home. Makes it worth while.
      juvat

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  2. The spring flowers in Texas is something I remember, especially the Blue Bonnets.

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    Replies
    1. Rob,
      Agreed and this seems to be an especially good year for them.
      juvat

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  3. Whoa, sounds like Mrs. J dodged a bullet! Thank the Lord she got through that.

    Wild flowers, love them. Some see weeds, I see nature.

    Future Fighter Pilot? Well, he's got the salute down, from the expression, he's got the attitude. I'd say he's already there, just needs to go to flight school!

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    Replies
    1. Sarge,
      Yes, she did! And I've been thanking him frequently since.
      Agreed, Unfortunately the Gold Stars are consuming the water needed to grow grass AKA Hay which gives us our Ag exemption. Our Hay Guy has been otherwise tied up and hasn't come to mow. Need to ping him again.
      The Crew Chief salute as I taxied by him on the way out to fly always touched me. "I've done my best, Sir, please bring her back safely."
      Kinda miss it.
      juvat

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  4. Glad that Mrs J survived that brush with Murphy ( He who wrote the Law). Amazing how the most trivial things can escalate so quickly.

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    1. Timbotoo,
      Me too (obviously). Yes, Fecal matter impacts the oscillating air mover with astonishing quickness and negative outcomes. Fortunately, we managed to dodge the bullet (to switch metaphors) with the help of a lot of highly trained medical personnel.
      For which I am extremely grateful.
      juvat

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  5. Timbotoo, funny you should mention Murphy. That’s my maiden name. So I’m quite familiar with him and the various laws 😊 Mrs J

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AND...Since I married a Murphy, well, I've become familiar with their laws also.
      juvat
      P.S. Love you Dear, just kidding!

      Delete
  6. Juvat, I'll echo the "THANK YOU LORD" for giving someone the presence of mind to check Mrs. J's local records, as records for all physicians affiliated with the local hospital just happen to be maintained at that hospital where the ER is located (certain amount of sarcasm intended). I know ER physicians can be busier than 1 armed paper hangers in a windstorm, but having a person's life in your hands requires one's full attention. Glad the local pharmacy caught the error. As one with a similar issue regarding NSAID's (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) I know from where you speak. (Off the soap box for now).
    The recent rains here in the Texas Hill Country have been a blessing. Being a native Texan who originally hails from the swamp region, I often wish that here we would enjoy the rains we received during my formative years. But after living on the edge of the Chihuahuan Desert for a number of years, we've learned to be thankful for what has been given.
    Cletus

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    Replies

    1. Cletus,
      Yeah, now that things have calmed down a bit. I'm going to visit the HEB pharmacy and tell them "Well Done and Thank You". Hopefully I can figure out who it was that was paying attention and can shake their hand.
      The fields sure are pretty around town aren't they?
      juvat

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  7. Juvat, sincerely grateful for the ending to what could have been a pretty ending on two counts. This is not the first time that I have heard of missing allergy information dropping in the handoff of prescriptions and drug issuance. Always good to re-verify that information exists and ask the questions (and Plus 1 to the pharmacy for catching that).

    The infection thing is something I have heard in other places as well - given modern science, we forget how devastating even simple infections could be, once upon a time. Thankful that she is doing better.

    It always helps to have someone discuss things like life experiences and medical challenges with. Like many other things (parents with Alzheimer's, for example) I think we too often feel like we are the first ones facing this. That moment when we realize we are not alone can be a powerful one.

    Thanks for the wildflower pictures!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THBB,
      Yeah, it had been a pretty stressful week (for a lot of people). I didn't want to end on that note, although Mrs. J coming home is definitely one of the high ones.
      I am very glad that the pharmacy was alert.
      juvat

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  8. Nature has a way of giving us moments. Many years ago after a wet winter in Utah I was driving on Hwy 24 near Hanksville and all the low cactus were in bloom. The varied colors are almost psychedelic and the sweet perfume smell almost overwhelming.

    +2 on all the remarks about Mrs J. Isn't there some curse about interesting times?

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    Replies
    1. WSF,
      I bet that drive was fabulous. Wish I could have seen that.

      Yes, there is, at times "Boring" is perfectly ok with me.
      juvat

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  9. Good to hear, Mrs. J's OK.
    We've a good friend married to an ER Doc, 'cording to her, the one-armed paperhanger only tells half the story.
    Her Dad was a carpenter; she was brought up with the maxim "Measure twice, cut once;" double check everything - again.
    Unfortunately, she applies it to everything (just a bit OCD), but if I had to go to the ER, I'd be happy to have her as my doc.

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    1. Boron,
      Measure twice, cut once is one of my sayings. Unfortunately, I sometimes forget it and that usually occurs when I've got a fairly expensive piece of wood in the saw.
      An OCD Doctor in a ER might be a pretty good thing, if time weren't a key factor in that particular patient's problem.
      juvat

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  10. When dealing with Mrs. Andrew and doctors, we travel with a 1 page list of her meds, her allergies, list of her primary doctors (with contact info) and anything else that might be pertinent. We hand them out to everyone who asks a question. It mostly stops stupid crap from happening. Mostly.

    Last surgery she had, we made sure everyone involved got a sheet and reiterated that she's highly allergic to Steri-Strips (surgical tape used to close wounds). So there I am, in post-op, she's gorked out of her mind and I'm looking and sounding like Donald Southerland in "Invasion of the Body Snatchers" because I'm increasingly repeating the line "Is that a steri-strip, she's allergic to them, get it off, get it off now" while I point and my voice gets louder and louder and louder.

    With non-familiar docs and medicos, don't trust and verify everything. Especially medications.

    Glad Mrs. J survived relatively unscathed. Nasty infections are no fun. And, yes, she's immuno-compromised until a month or two or three after the radiation stops, which means she does not need to be around in close proximity to anyone she doesn't need to be. Sadly.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Beans,
      Mrs J and I carry a similar card in our wallet with meds and allergies noted. I didn't think of it or that it would matter at OUR hospital. Live and Learn.
      As to the last, yeah, I'm doing a lot of solo things nowadays. Not as much fun as with the Missus.
      juvat

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  11. I'm glad the pharmacist caught what the doc should have! Scary stuff. Those complications are what my friend's wife, post all treatment, is going through now. The cancer is gone, but all the chemo-related issues can be a struggle through the healing/strengthening process.

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    1. Tuna,
      Me too. We'll have to see what's coming our way. The Radiologist did say, when he did his pre-treatment exam, that the cancer size was significantly reduced by the Chemo process. So, I'll take that as a positive note.
      juvat

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  12. Adventures in medical care. So glad you triumphed! I've heard of the dangers of cat scratches and thought it was an overblown story. Explained, no longer a foolish fear; thank you.

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    1. HTom,
      Yeah, and the really bad part is they're great cats. Gotta figure that one out.
      juvat

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  13. Glad the pharmacist checked! And prayers continue for y'all.

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  14. Great news about Mrs. J, juvat. One of the infections I had last year crossed into my blodd, and it was a good thing it happened while I was already in the hospital for something else.

    The little "Pickler Triangle" thing looks great. I'm sure the little ones will love it. I'm finishing up the speakers I bought last year, but I'm sloooow at doing woodworking things.

    We've got nothing popping up here except some tulips and iris' peeking up through the dirt, but some of the grass is already quite green. Definitely NOT Spring here, yet!

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    1. Dr Jim,
      Thanks
      I am definitely not a fan of cold weather, Korea killed what little enthusiasm I had for it. Hence, Texas. Still gets a tad chilly here occasionally, but not long, single digit or less temps as are prevalent elsewhere in the country. Think I'm gonna stay right where I am.
      Re: Pikler. I have high hopes of finishing the prep work in the next few days. Final construction should be fairly quick and easy.
      juvat

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  15. I am very happy that your Good Lady Wife won over the infection! HUZZAH! It's no fun to have someone you love be sick.

    You have a tom? I thought all you critters were female! Toms can be very loving.

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    1. StB,
      Yeah, a silver/gray Korat named MushKa. Very friendly gets along with the dogs very well. Likes scritches on the back and neck. In the feline part of the family, we've got MushKa and Schmedly one male, one female. They get along with the inside dogs, Annie and Cooper, our dogs from the beginning. Bentley is a golden retriever we inherited from our sister. Inside is well managed. The two Great Pyrenees, Atticus and Gryndyll are a bit problematic with the cats, hence they are outside dogs now. Seem to be doing quite well out there. We've learned to interpret their outside barking somewhat. They've got a simple regular "Hey, we're on guard here so don't mess with us" bark and a "You're getting way to close to the fence and your life is in danger" bark. The latter gets me out of bed and the lighting on the place goes on and they're might be something in my hand as I look out the window.
      As to the Wife, we got some very good news today. More to follow on Monday.
      Thanks.
      juvat

      Delete

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