For a few weeks, I was at home happily recovering from my bladder surgery, learning the new catheterization procedures and trying to get things back to “normal” for me. When all of a sudden my caregivers and I realized I had contracted C-DIFF! http://www.cdiffsupport.com/aboutcdiff.html Clostridium difficile is a bacteria in the intestines that is contracted as a result of taking a lot of antibiotics while in the hospital and it causes diarrhea that can be very hard to cure. The result of the weeks of diarrhea has caused my skin to break down. As I say, “If it’s not one thing, it’s another!”
It seems that Medicare isn’t too eager to pay for the expensive “designer drugs” that can treat C-DIFF, and one doctor even recommended Pepto-Bismol. My brother said I should drink buttermilk and you know how desperate I was to stop the diarrhea that I actually tried drinking it! Yuck!!
After about 6 weeks of my wonderful caregivers and the doctors trying to get these two things under control, I was admitted on July 13th to Solara Hospital in Muskogee The day before, my sister Pauletta came to town and said something like “continuing to do the same thing and hoping for different results isn’t working, so let’s change things!” After a couple of phone calls, she had things in order and I’m here for a couple of weeks. You know of course that I worked in hospitals for over 40 years and really don’t like to be a patient in one! But this is a small, acute care hospital that is brand new and even serves Oklahoma food!
I can have visitors (I had 7 today!) and you can call me on my cell phone or at the hospital. I am in room 14. The number at the hospital is 918-682-6161 and the address is Solara Hospital Muskogee, 351 S. 40th Street, Muskogee, OK 74403. If you can come visit me at Solara don’t be alarmed if you have to put on a plastic gown and gloves before entering my room. I am on “contact isolation” but with the gown and gloves precaution there is no danger to you and I would love to see you.
At the beginning of the C-DIFF problems, my dear friend Riki from California visited me for a week. I’m sure when she made her plans to come to Tahlequah she had no idea she would have to be my nurse during that week. Thank you so much Riki! I can’t tell you how much I appreciated having you there. And of course Lori, Sara and Kim have been wonderful caregivers throughout this difficult time.
I would love to hear from you. Please continue to keep my in your prayers. I want to get out of here!
Deedy, I"m so sorry to hear of your problem, Pauletta emailed me and told me, Norma and I were going to try and get you out to dinner and a movie, but now we can't and I think she is going to Colo soon, cooler weather is coming soon and we'll plan an outing then, you will be all well and back home by then. Still praying and thinking about you. Love you deedy! BC
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