Cha Cha Update (not a happy one)

This is going to be a quick one but I feel I have to let you know what is going on because you have been so supportive. I got here at 1030 after 2 1/2 hours of traffic and Cha Cha was already gone. I went out to the nurse's station and her doctor was there. He told me that there was still active bleeding so, instead of the ERCP that was planned for today she was having and angio-something or other. I kind of stopped listening as, maybe a defense mechanism, my brain was performing. All of this was started by them stabbing her at Rush Copley in Aurora - I think it was exactly two weeks ago today (I wrote one week but Splenda saw this and let me know I was off so I corrected it - holy crap this has been going-on longer than I thought). The doctor at Kishwaukee Community Hospital acknowledged that, the doctor that was treating her at Rush Copley Hospital when she was admitted there acknowledged it and the doctor here at Northwestern Hospital mentioned that it is the cause of this. So, we had better not see one bill from any of these people or there may have to be other steps taken on our parts.

Just in case you were planning spending time with us for the holidays you may want to change those plans. Cha Cha said yesterday that when she gets out of here she is planning a cruise or an island vacation for the Helsers (minus poor Jeff). Life is too short to keep putting it off.

That is all for now. I may blog later when I know she is out of surgery and doing fine. I may do mini-updates on my Facebook page just to keep you in the know of your friend Jill.

By the way, that saddest moment in my life I wrote about a couple of days has moved to number two now.

Later MITM

So We Came to Northwestern to See What They Know

We came to Northwestern Hospital to see what they now.

The doctors were just in and they are happy with Cha Cha's progress (as are we). It looks like the stent they put in when they did the ERCP allowed Cha Cha to heal herself. She got by with a little help from a stent, she no longer gets high cause her help from a stent. She is gonna be in here for a couple of more days so they can make sure everything is okay; she will probably get sprung on Friday. Further proof that chiropractic medicine is so valuable - we can heal ourselves. That's what we do!

Well, if she gets out of here I am going to have to get to find things to blog about. I think blogging helped me deal with the stress and the down-times between emergencies.

I wrote lots of notes on the way in this morning. People probably thought I was texting and driving (illegal in Illinois) but I was doing the old-fashioned texting of using a paper and a pen. I am a traditionalist even though I do all of the new-fangled stuff too. So, I will get rid of some of those notes here before I lose my notebook.

Last night when I left the hospital (the last one Cha Cha resided - Rush Copley) we didn't know when she was going to head here to Northwestern. It sounded more like she was going to come here this morning rather than last night. Thinking I had some time to get all of her stuff out of her room I took three or fours of per plants/flowers and figured that I would get the rest this morning when she was packing-up and sent to Chicago. Well, as you know, the ambulance picked-her up and brought her here last night. They could not bring the remaining flowers and/or plants here in the ambulance. There was discussions of throwing them out but Cha Cha had what was, in my opinion a brilliant and very wonderful idea. She told them to give her the cards and hand the plants and flowers out to sick people on the ward and tell them that they were "from someone who loves you." I thought that was really nice. Talk about recycling? These flowers brought joy to even more people than they were intended to. And, now these people are wondering who loves them and didn't want to be acknowledged. Don't worry - if you sent her something I am sure it/they made it into the car with me. I sort of feel like Oskar Schindler - I could have saved more. If I had brought two cars I could have saved more.

I wanted to bring the Fiat rather than the 4Runner to Chicago today but, in this part of the MIDDLEwest this time of year, we never know when snow will fly. Especially when you come to Chicago with the lake-effect snow. The 4Runner, as you can probably guess, has 4-wheel drive. When I got to the parking garage I wished, even more, that I had brought the Fiat (better gas mileage aside). As I drove through the parking garage and was up to the sixth level with no spots to park I thought, "look at all those spots for "small cars only." I guess the words "small cars" are relative but I am fairly certain I could not be too convincing trying to argue that the 4Runner was small. So I had to drive up and up and had to settle on level 8 - the Barbra Streisand level. When I went to the elevator the song (oh my goodness I did not even think of this until now and I swear to blog that I am not making this up) You Don't Bring Me Flowers Anymore was playing. This has become a flowery blog. Another song played too but I don't remember what that was. Well, I sure do remember what level I am on.

When I walked out of the garage to the hospital across the street I saw a sign that said parking for the time I was going to be here was $52.00.. What? It is what it is and there is no price you can put on love but, if you had to, the price would apparently be $52.00.. So, I went through the shopping mall/airport-looking hospital and found my way to room 1552 (15th floor - cool). I had kind of a difficult time at first because the elevator I first got into only went to the 13th floor. I switched elevators and made my way here. Later, when I went to get food down on the airmallportspital I stopped and asked some ladies at a desk by the elevator. They asked where my name tag was. I told them that (to be continued tomorrow - another cliff-hanger)...

STENT!

The nurse just came in and I guess they are going to do another ERCP to check what is going on in Cha Cha's guts and, hopefully, remove the stent. Cha Cha can have clear liquids now and I learned "clear liquids" does not mean only clear in color. Chicken broth is clear, soda is clear, coffee is clear, cranberry juice is clear, water is clear, of course... It just means liquid only - nothing else in it at all.

I am going to stop now because I am going to remove Cha Cha's toenail polish and moisturize her feet (too bad - I am already taken ladies) but I know I will blog again tomorrow since we will still be here and there is at least one more procedure. Thank you, again, for all of your well-wishes, prayers, thoughts, kind words... We both really really appreciate every single one of them. I see them all because I have plenty of time to kill fill-up. I will be here blogging tomorrow so, TTTT...MITM (out) TA!

Hold the Mayo PLEASE!!!!!!

In case you forgot this madness

Jill is now a resident of Northwestern Memorial Hospital. It has been kind of a busy morning with trying to get everything situated and insurance/disability paperwork, trying not to get lost both getting here and getting to her room so I apologize but, I did say it was a cliffhanger. So now I blog at 1316. Sorry if you had to worry.

She is doing great right now. She really hasn't had anybody do any exams on her yet other than watching her numbers and keeping her hydrated... but we still know this is a much, much, much better place than we have been to this week. Just the questions they ask and the way they talk with us is different. It is hard to explain. I guess they treat us more like intelligent people here rather than trying to show how much smarter than we are. It is kind of funny because, as it was shown by our visits to the other hospitals, we were smarter than about 85% of them but here, where I am certain that they are much smarter than me and are at about same intellectual level as Cha Cha, they talk to us as equals. I guess here they have nothing to prove - they just want to solve the problems.

It took about two hours to get here this morning. Cha Cha came last night in the ambulance. Of the three hospitals that Cha Cha has been and over-night or longer stay this is the furthest one. Every time she gets/goes to a different hospital we have to go further and further. Is The Mayo Clinic next? I say this will be the last one and they can HOLD THE MAYO! I have never heard that before but I can guarantee those words have been put-together when talking about The Mayo Clinic,

HOLD THE MAYO!!!!

We just got her a wheelchair and I pushed her around the entire 15th floor of the hospital here. This building is amazing; it's like a combination of an airport, shopping mall, office building, skyscraper and a hospital. We stopped off at some of the lounges and looked out the windows at other people in their offices. We can see Lake Michigan a bit between buildings and we are very near The John Hancock Building. I will probably stay here until 2230 and then head home about to get some sleep. There is a couch here that converts into a sort of bed so I could stay if I wanted to but I have other responsibilities and Cha Cha is in very good hands here it appears,

I am starving so I think I am going to go down the 15 floors and get something from the food court; it seriously jut like a shopping mall down there. I took lots of notes on the way in here so I will write more in a bit but wanted you to know that Cha Cha is good right now and we are waiting and optimistic, TTT a little bit later (I will wait until there is a Cha Cha update to bore you with my notes)...MITM (out to lunch) TA!

Just When We Thought it Was Over...They Pull Us Back In!

This will be very quick because I am beat and I will be heading to Chicago tomorrow to see Cha Cha who is an ambulance from Rush Copley Hospital to Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago, She is an ambulance on the way there and I have to get some sleep or I will be no good to her there. They found active bleeding in the liver area when they did the ERCP today.

Ewww, Fancy!

Many people at Rush Copley have said that the Radiology Department there caused the bleeding when they did the biopsy, I think, last Thursday. We really better not get any bills. I am not a person who sues but I may have to reconsider that stance when we start getting bills from: Rush Copley Hospital, Provena Mercy Hospital, Kishwaukee Community Hospital, Northwestern Memorial Hospital, radiologists, anesthesiologists, cardiologists, and every other ologist that will have their mitts out looking for some green. Not to mention Cha Cha and I are both using our benefit days (currently I am using my sick days but then I will go into my vacation days and eventually my comp days). I am really starting to change my stance on suing people.

I am just exhausted and blogging emotionally so I had better stop. I am going to sleep so I can start all over again tomorrow. this time with a drive about three or four times further.

There had better be a place in bloggy heaven for me.

Have a great night and dream good thoughts. I am gonna sleep like a rock, TTTT (from the windy city of ChiTown - soon to be ChaChaTown)...MITM (out) TA!

The Chicken is in the Pot

So many nice friends  and family members we have

Being a total narcissist I always reread the blog posts. The real reason I read them again is because I always get in a hurry and rarely proofread before I post and I like to go back and correct any errors/typos/dangling participles/fragments/misspellings/double negatives/triple negatives but that would be a positive I think... that I find. I saw that I forgot to mention that, when Lisa N. W. came yesterday she gave Cha Cha some flowers and in the card she left a Subway gift card for Fabio - she is smart. He was really grateful; I wonder what he'll have for dinner LOL.

My Sergeant is off tonight but she already passed-on the news that I would not be in tonight to the other Sergeants who will be covering for her tonight. She has been so supportive and amazing. Because of her I have not had to worry about work and could focus on where I am needed - here (or at home eventually if Cha Cha ever makes it there)!

It is now 17:30 and they just came and took Cha Cha away to prep her for her surgery or procedure of whatever an ERCP is considered. Unlike last night she was very calm. She is at the point now that she just want this over so the fear is gone. We spent a lot of quality time together this afternoon after they switched her pain meds to Toradol and he pain subsided. It's touch to watch your best friend go through something like this but we have to get this thing figured-out.

I have been traipsing around the hospital and the medical complex here getting paperwork so that Cha Cha and I can both get paid for our time off. I do not foresee her having a problem and I have plenty of hours in the bank I just have to cover my butt so all of these days are excused. They all know this is legit but, when you work for the State of Illinois, you have to have all of you ducks lined-up.

Cha Cha made me go get dinner because I haven't been eating very much. She suggested Starbucks. She said I should get a smoothie and I have always liked their sandwiches and salads. I went there and ordered an orange mango smoothie. I didn't see any salads or sandwiches so I asked the guy if they had any of either. He told me that they have a non-compete clause with McDonald's across the street and cannot sell sandwiches or salads. That's a bunch of crap. So, I thought I would drive down and try Buona Beef. I don't eat red meat but figured they have salads and chicken sandwiches and stuff. I got char-grilled avocado pepper jack sandwich and a buffalo ranch chicken salad. I ate the sandwich awhile back and I will have the salad when I am done here waiting for Cha Cha to return. The sandwich was awesome - hard to mess-up anything on a brioche bun. I anticipate the salad to be great too. Next time we come over to my parents' house we will have to take Fabio there - he loves Italian beefs.

I am gonna try to sleep for a bit in this comfy chair while Cha Cha is getting repaired. I will let you know when she gets back and I find out that she is all good. I have no idea how long it will take as they said, like they always do, it could take an hour or it could take three hours. So, hang in there just a bit longer (as I have to) and I'll tell you what I know in two to seven hours.

Thanks for hanging-in here with is for so long. You are all very kind and special people. TTT hours from now...MITM (zzzzzzzzzout) TA!

The Last Visitor Standing (by proclamation, sadly)

But this one goes to eleven

I feel bad that Cha Cha is restricted to "no visitors" until her procedure at 1630. She just got some more morphine so you're not missing anything. It is just the IV machine making a quiet buzz and the occasional voice in the hallway outside of the closed door. If I paint a boring picture it means I am a good writer. If I make it sound exciting, even one modicum of excitement, I should hang-up my keyboard. If I could sleep this would probably be a good time. I just heard a nurse say one of the questions that I am getting really tired of hearing though it is a very important question for them to keep asking. "Can you rate your pain for me?" I think, when Cha Cha wakes-up, I am going to tell her to change her rating system every time. "Five hypodermic needles" or "ten grim reapers" or "eight dirty bedpans." Maybe "it has a great beat and it's easy to dance to." "It figging hurts - that is my pain rating!!!" Maybe a six for Cha Cha is an eleven for me?" I would say they base it on Cha Cha's scale but then they have to reevaluate every time they change nurses.

I hope she sleeps all the way until the procedure this afternoon (six hours from now) because yesterday, the anxiety when the procedure was supposed to be done, was pretty intense for her. You would thing being with me for thirty years would help her cope with stress and disappointment. I wish I would have brought a lap desk with me for this keyboard but we already are building quite a menagerie of things to have to take home if we ever get out of this place.

The "no visitors" thing kinda bums me out. My Our friend Stacee, whom I went to school with, wanted to come up and see Cha Cha. Stacee is one of the nicest people on the planet in our solar system. We were in Student Council together way back in 7th and 8th grades. Wow, that was like five years ago or something. I know lots of people want to come up and see Cha Cha - Jill is very special and very popular. Hopefully, tomorrow she will be feeling better and just recuperating and everybody can come up - fingers crossed. Our neighbors/friends Rocio and Jose were trying to get ahold of me last night but, I am a moron and, in the rush (no pun intended with Rush Copley Hospital intended), I did not pack the charger for my phone so, last night I had to turn it off so it would not die (can I use that word in a hospital?) I turned it off and did not see her message until this morning. She had made a taco casserole for Noah (Fabio) and wanted to take it to the house. He found it on the doorstep this morning when he went to school, When I got home late last night it was not there so it was put there this morning. We have so many angels in our lives. And that includes you for coming here three or fours times a day to check-up on Cha Cha et al.

The paperwork for this/these (if you count all three hospitals we have visited over the last six or seven days) has already begun. Our sister-in-law Kara (The Found Sock) has been spear-heading getting Cha Cha's paperwork rolling at her work (FMLA - I am sure I made you familiar with that term several blogs ago) so Cha Cha can get a paycheck for the time she is in this wonderful spa. So, I called Dreyer Medical Clinic (where Cha Cha's primary physician is from) down the road from here and they said the doctor was in Yorkville today and they gave me their number and then I called them and waited for them to call me back and now they are checking what can be done since Cha Cha is out on morphine - can I sign stuff as her bodyguard? So, they are going to "call me back" but they say they have ten days but... See, I still need more staff members. Kara was trying to be our H.R. Department but there is only so much she cannot be without being able to sign consents and such on Cha Cha's behalf. So, I wait for them to call me back. Good Grief!!! See what I mean about needing a staff and now I am the only visitor allowed - Omega Man!

Yesterday I called Dreyer in Aurora and, though a comedy of errors, it was funny to me after-the-fact. I called and was immediately put on hold and had to listen to some bad music for a couple of minutes.A lady answered and asked what I was calling about and then she said "please hold" and I was put back on hold to listen to the same music. The phone began to ring and I got excited. A person answered, "hello." I said, "hello." She said I needa someonea speaka Spanish." I answered, "no, I am looking for the disability department." She said you speaka Spanish?" I said "no habla espanol." I had to hang-up because we could not communicate. They had transferred me to her line and, the best that I can ascertain, we were both incoming calls and they were thinking we were a love connection or something. I called back and spoke to someone who transferred me to an answering machine that spoke English (at 1343 yesterday - about 22 1/2 hours ago) and I am still waiting to find out what in the heck is going on. I do smell lawyers in all of this before it is over. I am not one to sue but I am not paying for all of these screw-ups - beginning with the fouled-up liver biopsy that started this whole thing. I am glad I am writing it all here so, if it comes to it, I have documentation with times and everything.

I am gonna stop. I don't want these to become a chore to read. I KNOW there will be more to write later today one way or another. Thank you for continuing to keep me company now that I am the only visitor allowed. I just went down and asked her how she is feeling and she have me the "thumbs down" sign. I will blog at you later. TTTsometime later today...MITM (out but allowed) TA!

Time To Make the Donuts (or incisions or patient's beds...)

We haven't seen any of these 100 yet, apparently 

It is 0419 on Tuesday morning and we are going on a week now. I always have to look at the calendar to see what day it is but Cha Cha is in a worse time-warp than I am. The surgeon was in yesterday and asking her about this whole saga and she said something like, "when we go here on Saturday..." when, in-actuality, she had been here since, I think Monday, after being in the other hospital prior. The only time she has been outside for over a week if to be transferred from Kishwaukee Community Hospital to the ambulance and then from the ambulance into Rush-Copley Hospital though their ambulance transfer area at Rush is sort-of inside. That makes a lot of sense for bad weather. I noticed that that piece of crap Provena Mercy Center in Aurora's ambulance area had the capabilities to be enclosed too. I sure didn't ever expect this blog to turn into a hospital review blog. I know I have reviewed lots of restaurants and bars but maybe this is what old bloggers do.

Speaking of bars - the last two mornings I have woken-up and felt like I was hungover. I have not had a drop of liquor for (very long pause as I think) quite some time. I cannot even remember. I guess that proves that I am only a social drinker and my only social life these days is to converse with nurses and doctors and radiologists and anesthesiologists and kitchen workers... Other than by electronic means I have not even talked to any of my coworkers for over a week. There have been some people stop by from Cha Cha's fan club to visit and I do talk to them and sign an autograph here and there.

So, now the ERCP is scheduled for 1630 today (about twelve hours from now). I will believe it when I see it. Jill had lots of anxiety yesterday when 1630 rolled-around and then Dr. Siegfried (that really is his name) came in and told her the news about the procedure being put on-hold for 24 hours because of a doctor golf tournament anesthesiologist issue and a car accident or some bologna. Then the other doctor called and I asked him why they couldn't just do it later in the night and he said something to the affect that they like to do procedures while there is a full-staff in the hospital (I assumed because of complications...) I appreciate that if that is the truth but I am skeptical and think maybe they would rather be home watching Gotham or something. Guess what... SO WOULD WE!!! But then why do we have to wait until 1630 again? There are lots of hours in the day before 4:30 PM.

"High Anxiety - it's you that I blame..."

Yesterday Jill's brother Tom (the Lost Sock if you listen to us on Dirty Laundry Podcast), MADYM (our best gal pal and Maid of Honor or Matron of Honor - I have never cared to learn the difference) came on her own birthday, one of the best neighbors/friends we have ever had (Lisa  N. W.) all stopped by to see Cha Cha. Fortunately we have a lot of other great neighbors too but Aurora is a long way from our hood! Cha Cha got flowers from her work friends yesterday and it is starting to look like a greenhouse in her room. My parents have been up, Fabio (Noah), Splenda (Chloe all the way from the bottom of the state). ..I know I am missing some people but I will remember right after I post this and feel like a heel. Please forgive my sleep deprivation blogging. So many people have sent her their love via emails, texts, Facebook posts... She and I are very touched and humbled by all of the love sent our way. That is quite a feat to humble me so, congratulations on that!

I am going to leave the first blog of the day and I will write at least once later today to keep you updated. I think writing, even though the subject MATTer depresses me, helps me relax. I feel kind of like a war-time correspondent these days writing from the trenches. Please continue to keep Cha Cha in your thoughts - she still needs us. Off to make it a great day for Jill. TTT later today...MITM (sober and out) TA!    XOXO