This post was re-edited by eliminating many of the "f" words contained in the text...
This post ties in with my father-in-law who is at home in "recovery" mode until his surgery, which by the way was postponed...AGAIN for the umpteenth time...because the sore on his leg he got when he FELL IN THE HOSPITAL is not healing well. No kidding! With the prescribed medication he is taking, it's no wonder it AIN'T healing.
And their excuse for postponing the surgery that was scheduled for today? Of all the prescribed medications, they forgot to prescribe his high blood pressure pills. FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!
My FIL needed a walker with an elevated platform for his right arm so that he can ambulate around the house as part of his "physical therapy" for his shoulder.
Shoulder? That's right...his SHOULDER. Don't know how a walker ties in with rehabilitiation for a BROKEN SHOULDER, but doctors know what is best for their patients.
The wheelchair, which was delivered around New Year's Eve, was a "convenience" but it does very little for the legs with the exception of getting out of the bed and going to the bathroom.
The "hospital" had the walker delivered to our house. It wasn't the one that was "prescribed" by his doctor.
Upon calling for the status of the replacement, we find out they didn't reorder the one with the platform, because the patient "refused" delivery. He did not refuse. WE DID NOT ACCEPT DELIVERY OF THE MEDICAL EQUIPMENT.
Pardon me but this healthcare crap for the elderly is really upsetting me.
Anyhow, to make a long story short, we managed to have another walker delivered to our home.
Now, remember, my FIL has a comminuted right upper humerus and his shoulder "ball" is "severed" and "floating" in his armpit. It is amazing how my FIL can tolerate this kind of pain. That is why he needs the platform on the walker. When he is in the wheelchair he wears a sling. He doesn't wear any device when he goes to bed.
The walker was delivered to our house last night.
It came in two boxes. In other words, SOME ASSEMBLY REQUIRED!
If my FIL was living alone in his own home, with no family around for miles, how in the world would a 77-year-old man with a broken shoulder put together a walker with one good hand that ISN'T his dominant hand?
Not only was the boxes taped shut, but they were also stapled. Then the plastic wrap you needed a large sharp knife to make a tear into the plastic that was damned near bulletproof.
Adding insult to "injury" the walker had to be assembled starting with the nuts and bolts! And get this, the instructions came with the schematics, but the print was so small one had to get out a magnifying glass just to read the instructions!
There, I vented...but only the "burp" version. Believe me, this isn't over.
We are retaining counsel who is an expert in the healthcare industry who specializes in healthcare for the elderly. Gonna cost us some big bucks, but we have all the compiled notes consisting of a written statement from the respiratory therapist who found my FIL humped over the toilet in his room, notes from some nurses who tended to my FIL, and so forth. We kept notes of everything that the staff said. Maybe not verbatim, but enough to compile a chronological record of the events from the day my FIL was admitted into the hospital following his fall.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
DISCHARGED
My FIL got discharged from the skilled nursing facility. He is better off at home...
Family and fresh air...great remedy and good medicine.
There is the surgery still for his right shoulder.
Keep in mind he has a comminuted right shoulder since his fall on DECEMBER 28, 2009!
How many days have elapsed? As of this date, 25 DAYS!
How much pain can a 77 year-old man endure with a comminuted shoulder? The ball of his upper humerus snapped off and is "floating" near his armpit.
Then there are the questions for the hospital where he was a patient (name withheld due to possible legal action):
Why was there no bed alarm?
Why did it take so long to notify the family of his fall in the hospital room?
Why wasn't surgery performed right away?
These are just three...there are many more.
We are furious about the care my FIL was given while in the hospital.
Family and fresh air...great remedy and good medicine.
There is the surgery still for his right shoulder.
Keep in mind he has a comminuted right shoulder since his fall on DECEMBER 28, 2009!
How many days have elapsed? As of this date, 25 DAYS!
How much pain can a 77 year-old man endure with a comminuted shoulder? The ball of his upper humerus snapped off and is "floating" near his armpit.
Then there are the questions for the hospital where he was a patient (name withheld due to possible legal action):
Why was there no bed alarm?
Why did it take so long to notify the family of his fall in the hospital room?
Why wasn't surgery performed right away?
These are just three...there are many more.
We are furious about the care my FIL was given while in the hospital.
Monday, January 18, 2010
DEATH VALLEY NATIONAL PARK
January 15, 2010:
My wife and I arrive in Ridgecrest for the "shelter" part of our trip. We chose one of the "posh" hotels the holy city of Ridgecrest has to offer.
January 16, 2010:
Our route takes us on SR-178 through Searles Valley and the towns of Argus and Trona. We stop to take a couple pictures.
The holy city of Trona.
My first, her second time.
Telescope Peak in the background.
The beauty of this place.
Volcanic and sedimentary formations.
As we hook up on SR-190 and head east into the park, I am in awe of the geological formations as we drove. The desert had gone through a series of "seismic events" over the course of a few million years.
We arrive at Texas Springs near Furnace Creek. We are not alone. Being a Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday weekend, the Boy Scouts were out in numbers. Maybe it was a GOOD thing we didn't come out here New Year's Eve.
We set up camp at Site 35. Water spigot nearby. Picnic table. Campfire ring. Restrooms with flush toilets nearby. Cool temperatures. The joys of "roughing it" in the desert.
We brought one of our 4-person REI tents, and opted not to bring the Hobitat due to the possible strong winds this time of year according to sources who choose to remain anonymous.
We brought along the Coleman air mattress and "squeezed" it inside the tent. Ha! We will be sleeping like logs tonight!
After making our site "comfy" we headed out to Badwater Basin and Artist Drive. Having been to the top of Mt. Whitney (14,497 feet), the highest point in the continguous United States, we stood at the lowest point at Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level). I checked my Garmin altimeter to see if it would register a "negative" reading. Sure enough, the reading showed "-275.)
Our first kiss below sea level.
Artist Drive.
Artists Palette.
Artists Palette.
Artists Palette.
Our shadows.
Artists Palette.
Mushroom Rock.
Nice smile!
A moment of Zen.
We're "drowning" in a Sea of Love!
Someday this peak will be bagged.
Natural Bridge.
Natural Bridge.
Fore!
I am not a golfer at the Devil's Golf Course.
We decided to hoof it to Natural Bridge and the Gower Gulch Loop. We wanted to hike to Zabriskie Point, but due to the limited amount of daylight left and with the temperature dropping to the "chilly" point, we opted to take the loop. We didn't know it at the time but Gower Gulch has abandoned mines.
Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon.
Golden Canyon trail markers at the junction.
One of the many mine adits in Gower Gulch.
We both decided to jog the last 3/4 mile. It was the first time we had ever jogged "below sea level." Didn't feel any effects of "hyperoxia." But it was cool to jog below the level of the sea.
After settlling down for an hour, our camp neighbor from "Canadia" became concerned about the other neighbor on the other side of us not returning from a hike. We set out looking for him. Upon arriving at the parking lot, his car was not there...a good sign that he made it back safely. However, his whereabouts were still unknown.
Camplife.
Our campfire dinner cuisine consisted of hot dogs and potato chips. That's organic hot dogs and potato chips!
January 17, 2010:
Alpenglow on 01-17-10.
We arise early just before sunrise. It is cold. I check the Kestrel thermometer. It reads 34°.
We dine on bagels and jelly and sipping hot green tea while trying to get and stay warm. The tea to warm us is not working. It turns cold really, really fast.
We load up our gear and head out. Not to be denied, we stopped at the General Store to get our cup of hot coffee. There something about coffee and driving in the freezing desert that makes a person feel really warm inside. Not forgetting to mention the heater running at full blast!
We head north of the park towards Ubehebe Crater in hopes of hiking to the volcanic crater. As a last minute "contingent" we took a right onto Beatty Road and drive to the holy city of Beatty, Nevada. Realizing there "ain't much to do in Beatty" (no offense to Beattians) we did a 180 and stopped at the California-Nevada border for a photo op.
Smoochin' on the state line 01-17-10
Shivering at Hell's Gate. 01-17-10
After stopping at Hell's Gate, we took Daylight Pass Road to Scotty's Castle Road and headed out to Ubehebe Crater and later stop at Scotty's Castle just to say "we were there."
Upon arriving at the ranger station, we were shocked to find that the road to the crater was closed! Note to self: Do your research.
Disappointed, we drove to Scotty's Castle. We had the whole place to ourselves except for a few of the park employees. Cold and windy we made our way around the complex. Very interesting to say the least.
Scotty's. 01-17-10
Scotty's 01-17-10
Solar-powered array. 01-17-10
Scotty's. 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Been there, done that!
To release some pent up energy, we hiked the 6-mile roundtrip Fall Canyon. What a butt kicker going up in the gravel. We only go as far as the first dry fall before turning around.
Not the Grand Canyon, but grand in its own special way.
The enormity of this canyon.
My gut is larger than the canyon! This, too, will pass!
Folds in the strata.
Fall Canyon
I can't get out!
We stop at Corkscrew Saloon to blow the froth off a pitcher of Mojave Red before heading back to camp. We spot one of our neighbors as she was sitting down with our other neighbor who was missing. Good to know he was safe.
We were tempted to order a basket of fries, but I reminded my wife about our, I mean, my New Year's resolution. A nice size basket of fries, but costs $6.95? I will pass, thank you very much.
Just so everyone knows, a gallon of 87 octane petrol goes for $3.529 per gallon.
Using a debit card? Gonna cost you 10 cents more per gallon. I hate these "scams." Damn banks. Okay, off my dais.
Our final campfire cuisine dinner consisted of chili dogs.
January 18, 2010:
Rain clouds.
The tallest dune.
We break camp and begin our return trip home. We witnessed a rare event in Death Valley: rain. Yes, rain. There were a few drops at Texas Springs as we left. It rained on us from Panamint Springs. What a sight to behold to see the curtains of falling rain pour down upon the desert floor. My first thoughts were: flash floods.
We head over the Panamint and Inyo Ranges. We drive through Keeler before stopping at the Visitor Center and then eat at the High Sierra Cafe in Lone Pine. Due to the low cloud cover and rain, we were unable to see Mt. Whitney.
During our drive home from Lone Pine, it rained the entire way. I have never witnessed rain in Owens Valley until today. Usually, we are there during the summer or fall, but never during the winter months.
Wherever I may roam...
My wife and I arrive in Ridgecrest for the "shelter" part of our trip. We chose one of the "posh" hotels the holy city of Ridgecrest has to offer.
January 16, 2010:
Our route takes us on SR-178 through Searles Valley and the towns of Argus and Trona. We stop to take a couple pictures.
The holy city of Trona.
My first, her second time.
Telescope Peak in the background.
The beauty of this place.
Volcanic and sedimentary formations.As we hook up on SR-190 and head east into the park, I am in awe of the geological formations as we drove. The desert had gone through a series of "seismic events" over the course of a few million years.
We arrive at Texas Springs near Furnace Creek. We are not alone. Being a Martin Luther King, Jr., holiday weekend, the Boy Scouts were out in numbers. Maybe it was a GOOD thing we didn't come out here New Year's Eve.
We set up camp at Site 35. Water spigot nearby. Picnic table. Campfire ring. Restrooms with flush toilets nearby. Cool temperatures. The joys of "roughing it" in the desert.
We brought one of our 4-person REI tents, and opted not to bring the Hobitat due to the possible strong winds this time of year according to sources who choose to remain anonymous.
We brought along the Coleman air mattress and "squeezed" it inside the tent. Ha! We will be sleeping like logs tonight!
After making our site "comfy" we headed out to Badwater Basin and Artist Drive. Having been to the top of Mt. Whitney (14,497 feet), the highest point in the continguous United States, we stood at the lowest point at Badwater Basin (282 feet below sea level). I checked my Garmin altimeter to see if it would register a "negative" reading. Sure enough, the reading showed "-275.)
Our first kiss below sea level.
Artist Drive.
Artists Palette.
Artists Palette.
Artists Palette.
Our shadows.
Artists Palette.
Mushroom Rock.
Nice smile!
A moment of Zen.
We're "drowning" in a Sea of Love!
Someday this peak will be bagged.
Natural Bridge.
Natural Bridge.
Fore!
I am not a golfer at the Devil's Golf Course.We decided to hoof it to Natural Bridge and the Gower Gulch Loop. We wanted to hike to Zabriskie Point, but due to the limited amount of daylight left and with the temperature dropping to the "chilly" point, we opted to take the loop. We didn't know it at the time but Gower Gulch has abandoned mines.
Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon
Golden Canyon.
Golden Canyon trail markers at the junction.
One of the many mine adits in Gower Gulch.
We both decided to jog the last 3/4 mile. It was the first time we had ever jogged "below sea level." Didn't feel any effects of "hyperoxia." But it was cool to jog below the level of the sea.
After settlling down for an hour, our camp neighbor from "Canadia" became concerned about the other neighbor on the other side of us not returning from a hike. We set out looking for him. Upon arriving at the parking lot, his car was not there...a good sign that he made it back safely. However, his whereabouts were still unknown.
Camplife.Our campfire dinner cuisine consisted of hot dogs and potato chips. That's organic hot dogs and potato chips!
January 17, 2010:
Alpenglow on 01-17-10.We arise early just before sunrise. It is cold. I check the Kestrel thermometer. It reads 34°.
We dine on bagels and jelly and sipping hot green tea while trying to get and stay warm. The tea to warm us is not working. It turns cold really, really fast.
We load up our gear and head out. Not to be denied, we stopped at the General Store to get our cup of hot coffee. There something about coffee and driving in the freezing desert that makes a person feel really warm inside. Not forgetting to mention the heater running at full blast!
We head north of the park towards Ubehebe Crater in hopes of hiking to the volcanic crater. As a last minute "contingent" we took a right onto Beatty Road and drive to the holy city of Beatty, Nevada. Realizing there "ain't much to do in Beatty" (no offense to Beattians) we did a 180 and stopped at the California-Nevada border for a photo op.
Smoochin' on the state line 01-17-10
Shivering at Hell's Gate. 01-17-10After stopping at Hell's Gate, we took Daylight Pass Road to Scotty's Castle Road and headed out to Ubehebe Crater and later stop at Scotty's Castle just to say "we were there."
Upon arriving at the ranger station, we were shocked to find that the road to the crater was closed! Note to self: Do your research.
Disappointed, we drove to Scotty's Castle. We had the whole place to ourselves except for a few of the park employees. Cold and windy we made our way around the complex. Very interesting to say the least.
Scotty's. 01-17-10
Scotty's 01-17-10
Solar-powered array. 01-17-10
Scotty's. 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Scotty's grave 01-17-10
Been there, done that!To release some pent up energy, we hiked the 6-mile roundtrip Fall Canyon. What a butt kicker going up in the gravel. We only go as far as the first dry fall before turning around.
Not the Grand Canyon, but grand in its own special way.
The enormity of this canyon.
My gut is larger than the canyon! This, too, will pass!
Folds in the strata.
Fall Canyon
I can't get out!
We stop at Corkscrew Saloon to blow the froth off a pitcher of Mojave Red before heading back to camp. We spot one of our neighbors as she was sitting down with our other neighbor who was missing. Good to know he was safe.
We were tempted to order a basket of fries, but I reminded my wife about our, I mean, my New Year's resolution. A nice size basket of fries, but costs $6.95? I will pass, thank you very much.
Just so everyone knows, a gallon of 87 octane petrol goes for $3.529 per gallon.
Using a debit card? Gonna cost you 10 cents more per gallon. I hate these "scams." Damn banks. Okay, off my dais.
Our final campfire cuisine dinner consisted of chili dogs.
January 18, 2010:
Rain clouds.
The tallest dune.
We break camp and begin our return trip home. We witnessed a rare event in Death Valley: rain. Yes, rain. There were a few drops at Texas Springs as we left. It rained on us from Panamint Springs. What a sight to behold to see the curtains of falling rain pour down upon the desert floor. My first thoughts were: flash floods.
We head over the Panamint and Inyo Ranges. We drive through Keeler before stopping at the Visitor Center and then eat at the High Sierra Cafe in Lone Pine. Due to the low cloud cover and rain, we were unable to see Mt. Whitney.
During our drive home from Lone Pine, it rained the entire way. I have never witnessed rain in Owens Valley until today. Usually, we are there during the summer or fall, but never during the winter months.
Wherever I may roam...
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