Today’s Music: Dropkick Murphys – Live in Landsdowne
Today’s Adventure – NOT PUNCHING SOMEONE!!!
No, I won’t really be punching someone. but I’d really like to.
So the sick relative that has been staying with us is back in the hospital, mostly because of short-sightedness.
The human body is 60% water. That water is absorbed by food, it’s used by cells, it leaves the body as sweat and urine.
The relative has been ill for about a month now, first triggered by dehydration. He would drink a tiny bit, but not much. As a result of the dehydration, he spent a week in the hospital. He has stayed with us about 2 weeks, in 2 separate stints. He has gone to see a battery of heart and circulation specialists, as well as his GP and a podiatrist. They all agree that he is in bad shape.
He is on a battery of pills that have a variety of side-effects, most of them unpleasant.
Because of his illnesses, he has been mostly lying down, getting minimal exercise, so his leg muscles and general muscle tone are very poor.
So to avoid having to get up to go pee, he is – wait for it — not. drinking. water.
And now he’s back in the hospital.
The most wonderful girl in the universe (my wife, thanks) has been running ragged taking care of him and working her 60 hour a week job. I’ve been helping and mostly trying to support her. In fact, my concern for his health mostly goes as far as its effect on her.
At the hospital yesterday, she used stronger than usual language to try to explain to him the effect his condition, and how the lack of work on his part to improve it was beginning to affect us.
He wasn’t happy about that.
No one was.
But now it’s been brought out. He will be in the hospital at least the next day, and will be seeing a specialist who might be able to expedite work on his heart. Which he has reluctantly agreed to. This will make it a longer hospital stay, but hopefully the last one for a while. And if he can see it through instead of getting hung up on smaller stuff along the way, that would be wonderful.
Maybe he’ll take the longer view this time…
And drink enough water…
And not drive his loved ones to want to smack him in the back of the head.
If anyone has anything to suggest, the comments are all yours…
Guapola 
I wouldn’t advise smacking of any kind, certainly not of someone who is hospitalized. I would advise his caretakers to mix up some strong martinis and enjoy them in the cool night air. In fact, I might have a sympathy drink on your behalf. I hope the recovery is speedy and complete. I hope the patient learns that the quality of his health affects not only him but also those around him. And that it isn’t reasonable to expect that someone should take better care of you than you do, even if you know they will.
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That would be frustrating. Did he recover (and finally leave your house)?
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After a very long process, he got most of the work he needed done, and is actually even more active than he was, and back in his own place.
I’m pretty sure my relationship with him is ruined, but I can live with that.
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Wow. That bad, huh? Do you think he was depressed and kinda didn’t care anymore and that’s why he wasn’t taking care of himself, or what?
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