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| He got many MANY drops Drops to dilate and many other drops and also Iodine drops to make sure it is clean and a sticker that says "LEFT" above his left eye to make sure that they do surgery on the right eye which is actually the LEFT one! You always have to do a quadrupel check before the sticker is place lol |
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| looking down and outside from his window towards the parkade |
Today I spent from 9 am till 5:20 in the Misericordia Hospital that is nestled between Maryland and Sherbrook. It was a long day, I won't lie. Let me back up a few weeks.
October 30th, I had surgery. It was not life threatening, but a surgery that hopefully would help alleviate the pain in my lower back, which arthritis has made its home. My surgery was on a Thursday and it was at the Victoria Hospital. I stayed in over night and came home - and enjoyed a very quick, pain free recovery and one that I regret not doing many years ago. Enough said, if you are really curious, just email me lol.
HOWEVER prior to that, on the Sunday, in the week hours of the morning, I drove Alvin to the Emergency Eye clinic at the Misericordia. We got there at I think ti was 5 or 5:30, and he was seen quickly and told to come back in the afternoon, and an appointment time was given. So we went. Alvin ahd been seeing some flashes of light in his one eye. He has gone to a specialist for a few years, as he had an "eye stroke" ... back last fall, he finished getting all the needles in his eye, and was given a good all clear from his specialist, to just check in yearly. ANYHOW these flashes of light in the same eye were concerning as we wondered about a detached retina. He saw a doctor there who gave him the assurance that it was not detached but a "gel" issue as he is "getting older" and sent us home and he was told to come for a follow up with the guy. Well, Alvin really wanted th follow up to be with his specialist, so that was made. We had to wait a few weeks, so I went into my surgery at least knowing he was not done for the count at least not then, which was good, as I had to heal enough to be able to drive lol.
Well the long and the short of it - he went for his check up and doctor found two tears in his retina. he had a procedure done in Misericordia two days later, and then a check up, And then told to lay on his one side all day, with only short breaks to be up. He was very obliging and obedient and did not complain. And then went for the next check up and unfortunately the one tear had not sealed ... so he had more work done on that area. That caused much pain. AND more laying on his right side (so that the inserted gas bubble in his left eye would float to the right positon as he laid on this right side). And the another check up on Monday and Alvin was really hoping this would be the "good to go" visit, but no. He would need surgery, not just a "procedure" but he would have to come in, have surgery and then stay over night. That is what he had today. A long day of fasting - until finally after he returned to his room at 5, he was able to eat. He shared that surgery had gone well the speciallist said, and that now he had to be face down vs on his side. But he was happy that he was not in pain, and that part was done.
I came home, careful of the icy roads. My boy will drive me to the hospital in the morning as it seems the snow is blowing and wind is howling, and who knows if my car will make it off the yard, but he is certain his truck will ... and going with him I will ot have to park as he will pull up close and wait in the car, and work on his computer while he waits. I hope to hear what the specialist has to say when he comes by to check him out at 7:30 am.
SO that is the reason why I was in the old hospital that we have been in many times since Dec. 2.
Today however, as I walked through the halls, I had a vivid memory of my Granny. She was someone I loved so dearly. My Mum's mum. And she was diagnosed with blood and bone cancer in 1975, Perhaps she had it earlier, without knowing. It seemed my Granny always had pain. Arthritis seems to be within our family heritage. But her pain became more, and she ended up in Misericordia Hospital. Not sure why she was taken to that one - I am sure the others were around? But there she was. And today I remembered the one time that I wanted to go and see her. I was living in the city and going to school. Living in a dorm off of Henderson meant that buses ran often. I remember deciding that I wanted to go and see my Granny, and taking the bus. Misericordia is not in a great location, and I am assuming I had to somehow transfer? or maybe walk form Portage. Regardless, I will not forge finally getting there and running in only to find out that visiting hours were over. I believe I just went back home.
My Granny, to my recollection was not in a long time. I will not forget standing by her bedside hearing the fluid in her check and seeing them suction her. I will also never forget hearing her scream when they turned her in her bed. My Mum said that was because of the bone cancer, and the horrific pain. Those memories of my Granny being in a position where she was lingering in what seemed like a lot of pain, will always remain in my memory. And then, on a night when my dad had convinced my mum to go home to have a rest .... my Granny was escorted into Heaven, with no one around to witness her transition. My Mum was so broken over that, and I am not sure if she ever forgave herself.
My goodness I loved my Granny. She was a feisty old gal really. She used to sleep with me in my room, and i always remember her taking out the beautiful velvet "Crown Royal" bag that she kept her pills in. It seemed like there were hundreds lol but she would open the bag, and open each container and take them out, and then down them in a handful with a glass of water. Then we would lay in bed and we would talk as we were falling asleep. I loved when she stayed with us. I also loved when I stayed with her, and her and I would sit on the couch (where I would later pull out, make up and sleep the night on) and cheer for her favorite wrestler. She noticed everything. She would comment when I got my ahir trimmed. (That being said she was responsible for a most famous short haircut that she gave me once lol.). I truly thought my dad handled that one pretty good, as I alway shad long hair till it became an under the ear bob.
Back to the MIsericordia. I walked the halls and told alvin that the memory came flooding back to me so vividly. Not sure why today. And also the memory of us going to visit my brother in law Nelson when he had a kidney removed, perhaps 10 years after that.
The hospital seemed old then, and now it is that much older, and now an eye hospital. I mentioned to Alvin, as I put something in the closet in his room, that the wood smelled like the old wood you found in homes. It just has a certain smell to it. And in the room that was the visitors waiting you, you could tell it was once a room for patients, as there was stil the rails on the ceiling for the curtains, and other tell tale signs.
They have done a few revisions obviously, and there are signs for more. But is it still old. The thing is, its history is so very intriguing, I encourage you to take a look and read!! It is amazing what began as "The Misericordia Maternity Hospital opened in February 1900 and was incorporated Wednesday, July 19, 1900, under the title “Winnipeg Maternity Hospital” in the Province of Manitoba." https://misericordia.mb.ca/wp-content/uploads/mhc-history-book.pdf
Life is like that isn't it. Time changes. Things age. WE AGE!! We have heard that a few times ove the last year ... oh my those aches, that arthritis ..."well it comes with age" ... and then the eye issues "come with aging" and yada yada ... I remember one time when my dad said he told his doctore that he knew he was an old car, but he still wanted to run well in the age he was! That is our feeling too. We may be old models, but we want to be running well lol.
So tomorrow I will hop in my son's truck (Lord willing) at 7 am and head to the Misery as some call it. And I will go to the 3rd floor, walk that old hallway to the end and find my sweet guy. I hope he has a good sleep. With a healing eye, and the shades pulled in his room, he won't have any sight of what is happening outsside. BUT in the meantime, with each hour, our prayer is that his eye will begin healing more with each day ... and that he would continue to have the quiet determined patience to meet each day with his head down so that he can heal.
So thankful for Dr. Dukaran his specialist! He is pretty incredible! We thank God for him.
With that, this gal is heading to bed. Night.
j
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