Ages and AGES ago G gave me a pair of sweat pants that were too big. They were here favorite sweats but she has been losing weight and they were huge on her. She asked if I could just "cut off the leg" and make her a bolster type pillow. Just cut off the leg? Nope. The pants are tapered and it would make one funny looking pillow! So I cut and pieced until her beloved camo was front and center. I also added a zipper so can wash it as needed. I had never made a "bolster" type pillow before but felt pretty certain that a standard pillow form wouldn't work.
So, using the measurements of my pillow cover I made a form using some old stabilizer. It stuffed it and then attempted to stitch up the final seam. Well, it shredded to bits! I wrapped it in painters tape to hold together while I tested the fit and went to the store to pick up some muslin.
The muslin re-make worked great and my first bolster was a huge success! At least one thing has gone right lately...
Back on August 2nd my Dear Dad was admitted to the hospital after a fall in which he hit his head. An hour after being admitted on "observation status" my dad began exhibiting the symptoms of a stroke. I told 3 different people at the nurses station what was going on. The nurse came into the room and called the doctor. The doctor's response? "We did a CT scan. There was no stroke, no fractured skull and no blood clot. We will do a swallow study tomorrow morning. He's fine." Oh, he had also lost the ability to swallow about 30 min prior. This in an 86 year old man, with a history of TIAs, and head trauma who had suddenly become unable to swallow properly, had severe pain in his head, was slurring his speech and couldn't control his left arm. They didn't investigate until around noon the next day when they did an MRI. The result, he had suffered a stroke. Dad was left with residual deficits that we hoped would resolve with therapy He was sent to a wonderful rehab facility. While he has made some progress, he is not yet able to care for his physical needs or walk without significant assistance. On Friday, September 6th the insurance company informed us that his last paid rehab day would be Sunday, September 8th! I have been in a FRANTIC attempt to get him coverage for the Long Term Care that they transferred him to on September 9th.
I am ANGRY, overwhelmed, sad, scared and guilty that I didn't push even harder when I noticed the symptoms. Maybe if I had carried on and threatened they would have taken my observations more seriously. I KNOW my father's "normal" and there was definitely something wrong! Maybe they would have done the MRI right away and been able to give him the "clot busting" drug within the "golden hour". Or, maybe they would have shut me out simply because I became forceful. It is a VERY thin line that health care workers have to walk when their loved ones are under another medical professional's care. In my dad's case, that line was disastrous. While his stroke may not have been prevented, the deficits may not have been as life changing had he been treated quickly. Unless he makes more of a recovery my dad will not be able to come home...and that is a cryin' shame! Believe me, there has been plenty of crying...
Needless to say, my frugality and budget have been blown. The past few days I have tried to get back on the wagon. I have scanned a bunch of receipts. I was also given some food that wouldn't be eaten. I had to place a "pantry" order at Amazon and I was able to use $10 in discounts, a $5 gift card and $43 of American Express points to pay...leaving a mere $14 out of pocket. There are so many other "frugal" things I want to incorporate, but there is no time...and when there is time there is no energy.
Until next time,
Toodles...
