Mad mama

I told myself, I wasn't going to do it this time. I was going to be the sweet, but direct mom, who didn't let her temper get the best of her. Well, I lasted 6 days. This evening, my temper has gotten the better me.

See this morning, around 6 am, the neurosurgery resident came to the floor and said that Dr. P (our neurosurgeon) doesn't really think Matthew's cord is tethered, even though the radiologist said it was, and that Dr. P would be up today to explain what other tests we needed to do to confirm one way of the other.

Then the other specialties started floating through.

1st the primary resident, then the GI resident, then the pulmonologist. While the pulmonologist was in the room, Matthew performed one of his coughing/puking/retching episodes, as if cued to. The pulmonologists remarks were "wow that's really impressive". Not what you especially want to hear, but I was so thankful she was able to see what he has been doing at home. She thinks that he has a good strong cough and has the ability to cough up what he needs to, but not get it anywhere. So she ordered a pulmonary vest for him, which is similar to the percussion therapy, and "cough assist". I'm still learning about this, but essentially it helps Matthew by emulating a cough. It pushes air into his lungs and then pulls it back out. It has pressure settings. (Note to self: I need to take pictures of these things). She thinks our vomiting episodes may be actually issues of mucous and not feedings. So we will have our work cut out for us at home. Breathing treatments twice a day, vest treatments twice a day and then cough assist twice a day also. Along with meds and such. My morning routine just got a bit longer.

Next the the GI doctor accompanied with the GI resident, and they had no new plans for today. They were happy with the new things pulmonary had decided and helped with his Robinol dosage. Robinol helps dry secretions, and Matthew didn't need as big of a dose as they were giving him. So we halved that, and that seems to be helping.

Then the hospitalists rounded. They thought from their standpoint that late today or early tomorrow would be a good time for dismissal AS LONG AS we could get a plan on board for Matthew's urinary retention/possible re-tethered cord. They felt we had adequately addressed the vomiting issue; even though he is still vomiting some, we have an idea of why, and how to help him minimize this. We decided to up the rate of his feedings ever so slightly, as to give Matthew some time off of the feeding pump.

Shortly after lunch, urology rounded. They were comfortable with the plan for Matthew; cath as needed until we can resolve the urinary retention, and see our urologist in Lincoln.

Then we waited. And waited. And waited. And the longer I waited, the madder I got. See if we are going to do something about this tethered cord, whether it's there or not; we gotta get ON THE STICK! Tomorrow is Friday. Nothing of value happens in this hospital over the weekend. No MRI's, no surgery unless ABSOLUTELY emergent. We needed to get any further testing scheduled as soon in the day as possible; because Fridays are busy in the OR with everyone trying to get things done before the weekend.

At 6:30, when we had seen no neurosurgeon, I knew we weren't going to. I asked the attending resident, and her basic response was that we couldn't make Dr. P come see Matthew. I understand that, but how about a phone call. You can call on your way home in the car. I just want to have a plan. A plan that gets this fixed for Matthew as quickly as possible, so we don't permanently lose bladder function. A plan that doesn't have us sitting in the place it is easiest to get sick (i.e. the hospital) any longer than we need to. I'm not real excited about sitting here all weekend, but I'm not excited about having to come back for more testing after discharge. I'm impatient. The field of nursing I work in doesn't allow for anything less than quick decision making and making things happen in a timely fashion. It makes it harder for me to sit and be patient. And even harder when it's MY BABY. And MY BABIES bladder and pain control.

I plan on getting some answers tomorrow. Sooner vs. later. Asking some VERY pointed questions to Dr. P (if we get to speak with him); hopefully with tack and grace. But in the mean time; I'm gonna sit here and steam and simmer. Cuz this mama is mad.