Writing up the Leftie

Although yesterday morning I started out with a normal temperature, it didn't take long for it to climb to 102.7 degrees. Indeed, that seems to be a daily process over the last six weeks. I've talked to doctors, I've visited doctors, I've complained - in person and via e-mail - at doctors, but nobody seems willing or able to give me a diagnosis at present.

But in addition to the persistent fever, I hit a point of dehydration in the afternoon that could no longer be ignored. Frankly, I knew I was approaching it for several days, but hoped it would go away. (I do that every time... stupid! as I hit myself upside the head.) Or that I could hold out until next week when I could make arrangements with Dr. V- for rehydration in Cedars Sinai's Procedure room rather than the alternative visit to ER. But I realized that it was not going to wait. I was experiencing the traditional short circuit of the brain along with other symptoms, and off I went.

For a Saturday night, the ER was not bad. My wait to be seen was only a little over an hour, and I actually got an honest-to-gawd room. A conference with the ER doc, and I was quickly hooked up to the first of two bags of fluid which I would be given.

I slept pretty-much through the first bag and the first half of the 2nd bag. Then, as is typical when I am receiving much-needed fluids, I suddenly woke up, brain engaged. Took a good look around the room. And noticed this:

Be Sure You Have
The Five Rights (of patient care)

Patient
Time
Route
Dose
Drug

Well, it was a good idea. Really it was. But what was wrong with this picture is that the five rights are written on a left hand!

When 'Omar' came in to check on me, he knew immediately that I was improving becuase I pointed out the issue to him. He was quite amused, even as I protested that surely I wasn't the first to have noticed. (I have a feeling that maybe I was, or at least the first to mention it.) He managed to twist his right hand around against the picture in a contorted manner with a big grin on his face to prove that they had the hand correct, but I then pointed out to him that it was clearly a handprint on the page and no, it was a left hand for sure.

Well, I asked and received permission to take a picture of that sign and make fun of it. And so I did. But on the trip home from the hospital, I realized one fact that was bigger than the issue of righty or lefty.

Cedars Sinai is a Jewish Hospital. In keeping with the tradition, the five rights had been written correctly. They read from right to left. Even as they used the wrong hand to illustrate their point, the got the bigger picture right.

* * * * *
And now, the conclusion of the Brownie Dilema.

Out of four responses, I received two actionable requests for where those brownies should go. Janel wanted them to go to Russell's Mom who is well deserving indeed.

Adele wanted me to send them to Diane and Grace who recently lost their home to the fires in Northern Los Angeles. Also very deserving.

Well, because I was in the hospital last night instead of attending the party that I was supposed to go to, the original brownies are still in the back of Eric's car. And so there is not even a choice to be made.

I will send the new box out to Russell's Mom as soon as I get shipping information from Janel. I will send the original box (only a few days old) on to Diane and Grace as soon as I find out from Adele where their temporary living location is at.

And I will do my best to keep my commitment to Claudia to eat mostly healthy this trying month of December. At this point, the only real party I was scheduled to attend has passed, and there's only Christmas Day (and maybe New Year's Eve) to worry about. Since I intend to make a lasagna for Christmas in advance and freeze it in deference to the Cimzia Injections that I will be getting on December 24, Christmas should not be a problem. (I'll ask Eric's family to provide a salad, and maybe get Mom to do dessert.) Nothing is yet planned for New Years, so I'll just see how it goes.

Yes, I gained weight as a result of the fluids received yesterday. And also the Hershey Bar they brought me when I complained that I had been there for hours and hours and was getting hungry. Sorry Claudia. It was all they had to offer me in ER and I was really REALLY hungry. It was 310 calories in all. And when did a Hershey Bar turn into such positively awful chocolate? O.M.G! I will go hungry the next time rather than accept it.