#2 - Don't Like Tricky Communication

Strict Hospital

It's my second long day at the hospital. I'm feeling glad that Houston's Methodist Hospitals have vaccine mandates for staff. I'm glad they communicate their Covid protocol. When your hubby has just had a bypass, the last thing you want is covid in the family.

There are signs telling visitors to wear masks, but the signs are hardly needed. Every single person wears a mask in the hospital...  because honestly, none of us want to be that person on the stretcher, being carried to the Covid ICU.  

Communicating in Masks

I'm getting used to keeping my mask on for hours and hours, but sometimes communicating with masks is exhausting. Especially when accents are involved. 

Going for a hall walk with 5 million tubes, is complicated enough. But trying to hear instructions through masks is extra stressful. And some staff are double masked!

But, thank goodness the ICU staff is the best. They have learned to speak loud and clear, through their masks. I just feel sorry for patients who are hard of hearing, or don't speak English.

Communicating with Friends and Family

The nurse yesterday told me to not fret over communicating with EVERYONE!  She told me to designate one person, to share all the info.  Well that works great if all your people are connected. Mine aren't and I've never liked group communication. I played the "Telephone Game" too many times as a kid. Stories change...

Yesterday, I just figured I'd let it be my job, to communicate with family and friends, while Don was in surgery. I grabbed my thermal coffee mug and stepped outside to make some phone calls.

​Tip: Bring a really good thermal mug to the hospital and fill up at their Starbucks!

I did have one major communication failure. For two days, I've tried continuously, to reach my Dad. I spoken with him daily for 18 months, during the pandemic and I knew he was concerned about Don's surgery.  Why wasn't he picking up? Added stress. My sister finally determined his landline was unplugged.  

​Home

They booted me out of ICU at 7 tonight. Don had finally gotten his chest tubes out and was awaiting a hospital room. I had to leave him before transfer. It made me sad.

I got home and walked down to the mailbox. I stopped to see the sky and lake. I needed that. It's just my second night home alone and it still feels weird. Especially because I still have Don's cell phone. He's not really up for dealing with calls. It felt so odd not to be able to text him to see if he was okay. I forget how dependent we are, on our tech communication. 

But as I settled into the quiet house, I thought back to yesterday's converstaion with Don, right after surgery. I grinned to myself, knowing I would tell him the funny things he said later, when he could appreciate.  

"Did they get the number of the truck that ran over me? They really put me through the ringer... I've got strips on my gown. That's perfect for Sugar Land." "What?" "You know. The prison..." 

​I'll share with him later!
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