Patient C.A.R.E.

Have y'all been in a hospital lately and seen these channels on the TV that are like Muzak with pictures? My mother keeps watching them - they have pictures of, you know, flowers and mountains and waterfalls and other "relaxing" things. I was amused to find out that the one at the hospital she's at was called C.A.R.E. - Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment. Funniest acronym I've seen in ages. (That probably wasn't their intent, was it?)

I am, on the whole, not particularly impressed with M.D. Anderson's patient care. I got mad at them a year ago when they released my mother after her biopsy despite the fact that she could not walk at all. Uh, anybody consider that this might be a problem? Apparently not. M.D. Anderson has really good doctors and they are a good place to go if you have an unusual form of cancer or if you want especially aggressive treatment. But there are a lot of things around there that could stand improvement. They have lots of money to throw around, but the nice lobby with the waterfall and the piano is just window-dressing. It might be better spent in other places.


(In somewhat-related news, I am having that damn needle biopsy in the morning. Y'all cross your fingers for me.)

(no subject)

Well, never mind, I am not having the biopsy today after all, I am too sick. I am probably going to go to my doctor's office after while and get them to work me in and see if they think I have bronchitis or not. And then it looks like I am going to have to go up to Houston to sign papers for my mom to get transferred out of the hospital - to where, I'm not 100% sure. But I guess somebody up there is figuring that out. Apparently she is no longer considered competent to sign for herself, which means I get to do it. Joy. So anyway, I guess it worked out that I'm off today, because it sounds like I'm going to be busy.

The biopsy, if you're wondering, will be next Tuesday (the 4th, I think?) - same time same place.

Urghh

Well, I don't have bronchitis. But it wasn't a wasted trip, because I actually saw my very own doctor, and she said if I get worse, and you know, start coughing up green stuff or something, she will call me in antibiotics without me having to come in again, which is nice to know. I sure do feel like crap, though. (And I sure do hope I don't have to take her up on that offer - because, you know, green stuff. Ick.)

I didn't have to go up to Houston, because my mother is still in the hospital. And actually I won't have to go into Houston proper at all, because it turns out the hospital can release her without my signature. After all, they admitted her without it. It's the nursing home in Clear Lake that needs the signatures. Of course this means I still am going to have to leave work tomorrow at some point to go up there - assuming everybody can get their shit together and get her down there tomorrow - but I honestly have to say that I don't mind so much that I have to leave again, because I felt so horrible I was just happy to get to stay home today. I sure hope to hell I feel better tomorrow.


Christmas trends: I have already gotten two Christmas cards, and it's not even December. If this is a trend, I don't like it. (Admittedly, one of them comes from a friend with a seriously obsessive-compulsive husband, and I'm just about sure it's him who's responsible for mailing the cards out before Thanksgiving.)

Also, how the hell has the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show become a holiday event? Because the women in skimpy lingerie have on fur and glitter and sometimes angel wings? This is one of those things I really, really don't get.


(Proof of how bad I feel? It's 20 'til 10, and I just took an Ambien. I can pretty much count on one hand the number of times I've been to bed before 11 in the last 5 years.)