Archive for April, 2016

Eigude Shame XXIX

Sunday, April 24th, 2016

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Unbelievable – or Tough Stuff

A few months ago I was scheduled to be transferred out of the rehab facility in the Taunus (behind the seven hills where the seven dwarfs lived) back to the hospital in Frankfurt from which I came 6 weeks ago. I was to undergo a special examination named Angiography, a procedure during which one can actually watch his or her own brain function live at work. The transfer service was ordered a few days before with the request “sitting in own wheelchair”. I had already had my bags packed the day before (you wouldn’t believe what all accumulates in 6 weeks!) I cleared my small single room for dismissal at 8:00 AM because it would be reassigned right away.

The next morning at 7:20 two nurses stormed into my room and told me slightly stressed that the shuttle would take off half an hour earlier, which was in 10 minutes! Of course, I couldn’t insist on the 2 drivers delaying their contractually assured breakfast break. After a short handling, also called basic care (I felt like at the Pitstop at a Formula 1 race) the transfer service showed up – but of course, with a stretcher. There was not enough room in the vehicle for me sitting in my wheelchair. Oh well, I had “only” told them about five times! Well…uh… bad. After a successful arrival in Frankfurt I was seated back in my wheelchair and the drivers checked me in at the emergency room of the hospital. I waited patiently while the drivers cleared the field. After approximately 10 minutes a staff member approached and mentioned that I was quite early.

My comment: not that bad, 8:45.

She: ONE WEEK!!!

Those “luminaries” from the rehab clinic, whose priority apparently is not the well fare of the patient, kicked me out an entire week early! Fortunately, the hospital had a bed available and granted me asylum for the time being.

Translator BW

Chock Part XIV

Sunday, April 10th, 2016

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You may well believe that I currently have become lazy about writing, or suffer from writer’s block. This is not the case, I have enough material, but I also have a relatively good excuse.

When I finally came home mid February after seven months of hospital-hopping, my implanted drug pump (see older posts) decided without asking me to escape from my body through the abdominal wall. And that after only three weeks of “homeland” holiday!

Over the years the skin around the scar got so thin that on March 5th after a shower at home the titanium body of the pump suddenly became visible from the outside. Boy, would I have liked to see my facial expression at that moment! The silver lining doesn’t always have to be at the horizon and a silver wire is not likely to grow out of the belly!

There I was with my non-sterile implant.

I immediately decided at the cost of my health insurance company to rent a hospital bed again. Maybe they haven’t changed the linens from my old bed?

I have always wanted to dial “112″.

It’s silly, but ultimately it’s just a laceration. Now I’m in the room next door.

It took two surgeries to replace the pump and the attached line that goes to the spinal canal and move it to the other side. After nearly five weeks in the hospital bed I’m finally back in my wheelchair.

What an uplifting feeling to finally have WiFi again in the sitting room and not bother the other fellows with my voice control. Although I’m back with my training where I left three months ago but I’d say:

“It could have been worse”

Translator BW

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