When I got to Kim's on Tuesday morning, she said she had a pretty good night and good sleep. She was sleeping soundly when the alarm went off at 4:45. &*@!&%! She forgot the alarm in her room was still set for Monday's early wake up to get to the hospital by 6am.
She couldn't go back to sleep but she did doze off and on until I got there. She told me that she had eaten some eggs and a piece of toast. AND she had peanut butter on toast the night before. So far everything was staying down. She was anxious for the nurse to get there to show her how to use the PEG tube. She wants to start getting the protein drink into her system through the tube. She is very sure it will start making her feel better.
I was a bit nervous about learning how to help with this. I do not think I am nurse material and was worried I would do something wrong. Nurse Becky assured me that I would do just fine. She said they told them in nursing school that even a monkey can be trained to do this. The lesson went well. The feeding went OK and the flushing went great.
Becky is right. I think a monkey could do this.
We are learning that small frequent feedings work the best. She was up for most of the day without napping. Not alot of energy but not sleeping either. Around 3 she wanted to take another feeding and lay down in her bed. We did this.
I was watching TV in the living room and just dozing off myself when I heard some blood curdling screams coming from the bedroom. I jumped up, looked at the tv to make sure it was not something I heard there and ran to Kim's bedroom. I was really afraid of what I might find. It is amazing how many things ran through my mind in those 2 seconds.
When I got there the light was still off and Kim was standing beside the bed yelling "Mouse... Mouse!" She was shaking, rocky back and forth and repeating the mouse-mouse cantra.
Apparently Kim had her eyes closed and was just dozing off when she heard a scratching noise. She opened her eyes to look straight into the furry little face of a mouse. It was on her pillow just inches away from her nose.
She went to the couch while I removed the covers and pillows looking for the little monster. I found nothing. When I got back to the living room, Kim was shivering and moaning. She had hurt her back when she jumped out of bed.
She told me that she would be alright if I would please run into town to get sticky traps. Get lots of them! I made the round trip in about 40 minutes and that was with 2 extra stops. I got some meds at the pharmacy and dropped dry-cleaning at Terri's. If I would have been in a car with lights and sirens, I would have used them.
Five sticky traps are in her bedroom with 5 others around the house. I have poison for the garage.
It is the season when those little guys are thinking about their winter dealings. I just had exterminators at our place on the island 2 weeks ago.
At bedtime, she took her meds, I fluffed the covers again, rattled a stick in the closet and under the dressers just to assure her the little booger was gone. She also took Max (the mouse hunting dog) into the bedroom.
I tried not to laugh but when she caught me, I told her that I hoped she could laugh about it someday. Yesterday was not that day.
I turned on the monitor and went to the guest retreat in the basement. I could hear some light snoring or heavy breathing.... I was hoping it was her and not our furry friend.
I am happy to report that our friend is stuck to one of the traps near the back door this morning. I think he was trying to escape the bedroom where there was way too much screaming for his taste. The sticky traps are staying in the bedroom for a while just to make sure he did not dare a friend of his to enter the loud and scarey sanutary of Kim's bedroom.
Although she is not laughing out loud, Kim is smiling today and even allowed me to post this story.
Jan
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