Update on the FlowerCat

[mdlbear]

High-order bits first: The flower_cat is in the hospital (see previous post for how she got there), but appears to be improving. As of 2pm today when I left her room, the redness was almost gone from her infected finger, and was retreating from the cellulitis on her right leg. She was still looking pretty pale, though; she's anemic and her white-cell count is still up.

She's still getting IV ampicillin, and got a shot of something in the opiate family at about 1:30pm to manage the pain. By the time I left at 2pm she was sleepy and a lot more comfortable. Yay for Good Drugs.

Biggest disappointment was the lack of both a WiFi connection and a place to plug in her little laptop; I spent some time this morning loading up an SD card with 4GB of filk and folk, but without a place to plug in it was useless. I did bring a stack of books, though; almost all paperback mysteries. Hopefully by the time she wakes up it'll be easier for her to hold one; between the IV in her left arm (she's sinister) and the pain from the infected finger on her right hand, it's been difficult.

Thanks for all your good wishes -- I printed out the previous post with its comments for her to read this morning, and we had a good phone call with cflute before lunch (*waves*). (Her cell phone is not where she can reach it, and she can't hold it -- don't bother. I can relay messages or dial and hold the phone for her while I'm there; I'll be going back this evening.)

Comments

[harmonyheifer.livejournal.com]

I'm so glad that the infections are responding to treatment. A low tech solution for the reading challenges would be for someone to sit by her bed and just read one of her books to her a bit at a time. I remember the pilot of the Beauty and The Beast TV series when Catharine ends up down below, her face covered in bandages and Vincent reading to her to comfort her and help pass the time. I was very young then, but it seemed to me to be one of the most romantic gestures I could imagine. Taking the time to read aloud to someone is one of the almost forgotten pleasures of the time before TV or radio or computers and one we never seem to think of.

Not to diss the extension cord solution in any way, just adding a non-geek outlook.

Candles are burning, prayers will continue. Virtual hugs to all.

[mdlbear]

Actually, when I'm there she seems content to just chat -- I find it surprising that we have that much to talk about after only a few hours apart, but we seem to.

It's when there's nobody around that a book would be comforting.

Many thanks for the candles, prayers, and hugs. ((hugs back))

[kayshapero]

Last time I was stuck in the hospital, I had Nicolai bring me a bag of books I'd fortunately picked up in the thrift store the day before and not unbagged yet, and read my way happily through the collected Saint.

And HUGS to both of you and the rest of the family.