The worst thing about this trip was the IVs; the best was the nurses. Nurses were sweet, kind, compasionate, and caring - the best possible traits.
The IVs were a nightmare! I had IVs in each arm, each hooked up to a pump churning antibiotics into my system 24/7. They interfered with *everything*! I couldn't roll over without either pulling one, or pinching it and setting off the alarm*. And the (IVs) made me pee. Not like regular, "I gotta go". Pee early, pee often.
The first time I felt the urge, I rolled over, *sigh* it was so hard to get everything untangled. I had to pull slack in one line, get off the bed and go to that side, unplug the machine, then go to the other side and unplug THAT machine. Followed by the IV pole ballet into the bathroom. The first time I didn't make it. The second time, I didn't make it. Fortunately, I had brought extra clothes. When I first felt the urge, I started the process. I started writing down the time of day. One day I went 22 times! When I went down for surgery, I had to go twice in the hour wait before. I told the nurse and surgeon about the frequency I was going, "we'll have a urinal for you in recovery". I came out of anesthesia** and eventually got back to my room. I didn't have to go until then. I unplugged everything and danced into the bathroom. "Hey! I don't have any underwear on!". I asked the nurse about it... "Oh yeah, here", she hands me my underwear in a plastic bag...My *wet* underwear. Yup, I had gone while "out" during surgery. *That* had to be a first for everybody involved!
I finally figured out I could put both machines on one side of the bed and save time and dry clothes. I have seldom been so glad to be at home in my own bed, with my own bathroom!
* some of you are nodding, some of you are shaking your head, some of you are laughing. You young punks, just wait...
** I've found I halucinate when coming out of anesthesia. It only lasts a few minutes. Once you figure out what's going on, it's quite entertaining.