Russel's Agitation Grows--A Tough Day at the Hospital

Friday, September 21, 2018
Bombay

Russel's Agitation Grows--A Tough Day at the Hospital

     Namaste from Bombay!
     My morning routine is well established now.  I was awake at 5.00 am and began blogging, emailing and whatsapping with my loved ones in the US. Fortunately, the hammering from the renovation next-door seems to have stopped temporarily.  I stopped for a muesli breakfast with coffee and a TV breather--Escape to the Continent--and then I showered.  My tiffin came along--fabulous pomfret curry (yum!!! It has been ages since I have eaten pomfret), lady fingers with potatoes and cutlets. I then ate my lunch--leftovers from my past tiffin--dressed and got ready to leave for the hospital as Dad and I have fallen into the routine of sharing hospital duty. I get there by 1.15 pm to relieve him so he can go home, get his lunch and a nap and relax in the evening.
     He told me that, unlike the previous days when Russel slept soundly for hours on end, he was very alert today. In fact, today he was a bit too alert and refused to sleep. Dad said that all he is talking about now is going home. He has reached a point of frustration in the hospital and absolutely insists on being discharged.  He keeps saying that he misses his home and wants to get back to his own room and his own bed.
     Dad left at 1.130 pm with instructions for me to dispense tablets at the regular intervals. I tried to read Julian Barnes' The Only Story but it was almost impossible to focus on anything today.  Dad was right.  Russel was very agitated today and I spent most of the day trying to calm him down. He was agitated to the point of boisterousness and I decided that I simply had to stop everything and pray over him. And that was what I did. I invited him to join me in prayer but he was too disturbed to even do that. I prayed over him alone and, you might find this hard to believe, but from about 5.00 pm, he calmed down and stayed that way for the next few hours--Praise God! '
     I can understand Russel's frustration.  Wouldn't you be? Hospitals are very disturbing places. You might think that you can get used to their routines; but all the while you are thinking of what your life will be like once you get back home. It is to Russel's credit that he has been so patient for so long. But now his patience is wearing thin.  Dad and I are worried as Russel suffered a nervous breakdown about 30 years ago. Although he made a complete recovery, we learned enough, in our family, about 'triggers' and about how easily a patient could go over the edge again.  Through the years, we have all become ultra-sensitive to Russel's mood changes. If there is any chance that he might go off the deep end again, we change tactics in interacting with him and try to remove the trigger. I was afraid that keeping him any longer in the hospital would bring on one of his bouts.
     Hence, I promised him that when the doctors came calling, both of us would tell them that Russel wished to go home.  I told him, "Let us tell them how you feel and then let us see what they have to say about it". He agreed and calmed down. However, he simply did not sleep a wink all day today. Not a wink.  He tried, but his mind was too disturbed to allow him to fall asleep.
     At about 8.30 pm, Dr. Vijay came. When we expressed ourselves to him, he simply said that the knee is still ozoing--the bag and drainage tube attached Russel's knee is still showing signs of accumulation. He took me aside and told me that if we lived in Bandra (which we did), he could come home and take off the stitches. He said he thought it unlikely that Russel would stay until next Tuesday.  It might be a good thing to discharge him, he said. He told me he would talk to Dr. Derrick D'Lima and that they would take a decision.  I felt hugely relieved and grateful.
     An hour later, at 9.15 pm, Dr. D'Lima came on his rounds.  Russel was sitting up and told him that he wanted to go home. Dr. D'Lima then took me outside and said that he would come back tomorrow morning and take a look again at Russel's knee. I told him that Dr. Vijay had said that he could come home to remove the stitches.  Dr. D'Lima reminded me that although the stitches could be removed at home, Russel would have to be brought back to the Endoscopy Department so that the leg could be placed in a plaster cast.  This could not be done at home. He told me that he thought it would be best if Russel were discharged tomorrow, provided that we bring him back again next Saturday so that the stitches can be removed and the fiberglass cast placed on his leg.  This seemed to me the best solution to the growing worry about Russel's further confinement in the hospital. So, we will now have to await final discharge orders from Dr D'Lima which will probably come tomorrow morning.
     I conveyed to Russel what Dr. D'Lima said and waved him goodbye. On the road, when walking home, I told Dad on the phone what the doctors had said.  As it looks as if Russel will be discharged tomorrow, Dad requested me to come to the hospital by 9.00 am. to assist him in the discharge procedures.  I told him, I would--not to worry.
    We are not sure if Russel's mood today is an aberration or if it will continue tomorrow.  Each day seems to bring a different mood and different behavior--there is no predicting how he will be tomorrow and whether or not he will be discharged. I prayed extra hard tonight that the Lord would light up the path and show us His will in this situation. Please pause now and join me in prayer.
     Until tomorrow...