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Louisiana's Thoughts And Musings (January 10, 2008): Medical Updates... by Karen Lynn Vidra, The Texas Tornado
Thursday, January 10, 2008
Rated "G" by the Author.
Louisiana updates us on the conditions of two of her children, who are recovering from surgery.
Thursday, January 10, 2008, 6:09 a.m., C.S.T., Nashville, Tennessee~
Dear Journal~
Louisiana here. Just wanting to let y'all know how Johnny and Ronee' are doing. Both, as you know are in the hospital; both had surgery two days agao.
Johnny had a tracheotomy done (he's now on a ventilator to help him breathe); as for Ronee', she had the joints in her hands replaced.
Ronee' has since been moved out of the PICU (she's in a regular room); she's doing very well--albeit in a lot of pain. She's all loopy from the painkillers; she keeps talking nonsense. Ronee' has awakened from the anesthesia; she's very much aware of what's going on with her, but she's not able to feed herself, brush her hair or teeth; it's very frustrating for her not to be able to do things for herself. She's already complaining. LOL
Guess she's feeling better; she's acting like a wounded tiger! LOL
As for Johnny, he had a very uneventful surgery; however, he's not liking the ventilator. He keeps trying to trip the ventilator; the alarms keep buzzing or going off, sending the ICU nurses scurrying to his bedside. He's not liking the trache tube; he wants it out--like yesterday. He's not happy with not being able to talk; his sign language is angry, frustrated motions, and the look he gives at anyone with his laser-blue eyes is enough to melt steel.
So now I have two angry, frustrated kids in the hospital. Being in the hospital is not fun for anyone, but when you're a child (or in the cases of Johnny and Ronee', teenagers), it can be especially traumatic. I can understand how they feel because I've been there, on the other side of the nursing charts, myself. More than once. It's not fun!!
I am working Pediatrics today, the PICU. So I get to spend time with Johnny and two other kids who are just as sick as he is. There's Perfecto Jiminez, who's managed to hang on despite the odds (he has terminal cancer; he's four years old--and dying), and there's Nashi Ben Ami, who has Canavan disease. She's eight years old, and she's in the hospital because of pneumonia. Again.
Until I met Nashi Ben Ami, I was never that familiar with Canavan disease; it's similar to Tay-Sach's, which causes increasing delays and disability and usually kills children before they reach the age of five. Canavan's, however, is like this, but kids with Canavan's have been known to live to their teens, even their twenties. It's a heartbreaking disease; the child starts out having a healthy lifestyle, and then symptoms start showing up, and it isn't long before the child is rendered completely helpless, unable to do anything for themselves.
Tomorrow I work MICU. I will probably have patients who are as sick as the ones I am dealing with now, if not even more so. I will be working with the adults.
Anyway, back to my story. I let my mind wander again. I am busy running back and forth, taking care of Nashi, Perfecto, and Johnny; they are my patients, my responsibility. If something goes wrong, I get the troops together and we try to fix what's wrong. If not, all we can do is stand there, pray, and hope that God is merciful, espcially if the child is suffering. It's really an emotional career, this nursing, because it's so hard not to get attached to your patients.
I have already fallen in love with Perfecto Jiminez, and Nashi is already working on my heartstrings. I wish I could just pick her up, tell her that everything is going to be alright; I wish I could take some of Perfecto Jiminez's pain, discomfort away! It hurts me to see him lying there, writhing in pain, and no matter what we give him to try to stop it, it doesn't seem to touch it. He continues to lie there and suffer.
I have often wondered why God allows such suffering, such human misery; yet I believe that it's because He wants to test us, to see how we react when things go wrong, and if we are strong enough to rely on Him to get us through the hard times. I don't believe that he is punishing an innocent child; however, it is a direct result of sin, and because of sin, we must all bear its (bitter) fruit.
Many Christians (or non Christians) have asked me how I get through some of the things I go through; I tell them by leaning on God, and letting Him be in control. Don't try to do things yourself, let Him take the reigns, let Him get you through the valley because somehow He always does. It's confusing, but this is what Pastor Bilkey told me one time; and I've hung onto this belief ever since.
Well, Johnny's managed to trip the respirator again; the alarms are bonging, buzzing again, so I must check on him, make sure he's okay. I will write in here again (probably in a few days); take care and God bless!
(((HUGS))) and much love, your friend in Tennessee, Louisiana May. :)
Good thoughts, I am not always in allignment with thoughts on God and religion but I begrudge no one there faith and if it helps people get through their problems and trouble than I am happy for them.
That's my little Ronee! acting like a piss off tiger!!! hope Johnny come back to be himself again, and in love!
And mother, stop wondering why God does what He does, love the children, suffer with them, and be the strong wall for them to lean over.
Georg
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