Can I mention one area of confusion....

I can't believe Republicans are all lining up behind the guy whose dad was born in Mexico.

Kat, I fear it's room 3 or the waiting room. Not only are the hall beds full, there are beds out there in places I've never seen them wedged before. They will remember to bring me in from the hall to somewhere quieter and darker, but I don't think I've ever been moved from this room.

*1* shared room in the entire hospital, IIRC (....there might be a couple shared rooms in L&D, now that I think about it, that they will clear out for you if you're rich.

Okay, nextdoor kid pulled out their g-tube, amongst...something else. They're remarkably quiet for a family with 2 kids under 10, but that doesn't actually mean quiet.

Nurses seem to really dig the near lack of hair. One of them actually asked to touch it "I know your head hurts, but?" Enh. I let her. She's on my side, and she was gentle. But, alla y'all (white folks especially, but everyone's on notice) don't think I've have outgrown that particular hangup. Just, sometimes, if you have the painkillers, I'll go with the expeditious choice.

A kid pulling out a g-tube is no big deal! Just deflate the balloon and shove it back in. Then give the kid some tylenol with codeine. (We just changed Grace's g-tube yesterday and damn, she was fucking mad). That is not a reason to visit the ER for us (too may germs in the ER).

Unless it's a PEG tube, then that would hurt like hell because of the disk. I'm sure the balloon tubes hurt too but not as much.

There are lots of shared rooms on the pediatric floors (3 & 5 both, I think). At least in Westwood. In SM, I don't know. I didn't see any.

oy.I hope things go more smoothly, ita.

Well, that was not good news. Apparently they finally have come to an agreement with my doctor about dosage. Just what I got. Like, the right amount, but only once.

I'm a bit scared, TBH. One dose has never fixed it. And by fix, I only mean take it down to a 5. I'm at a six or seven now--this is Thursday pain, not Monday pain.

I don't know what to do. I'm sure this wasn't easy, but it's also not enough. But I can't freak out about it, because I will put myself into a more painful place. So...biorhythms.

Okay--not a G tube--there are two syllables, but it doesn't sound like PEG. N something? He's had some sort of transplant. And a broken leg--they had to give him a spinal tap, and they broke his leg holding him down. Poor kid.

I really need not to cry about this.

Oh ita, that's not good. That's... can he up the breakthrough meds that you take at home?

I can't believe Republicans are all lining up behind the guy whose dad was born in Mexico.

It makes more sense when you remember that the other guy's dad was born in Kenya.

Jeez, ita, it's like somebody giving a play by play of being on the rack. I know you like having more manageable pain but maybe 5 can get you through a couple days?

It's not your regular dose or your best scenario but maybe you can do this. Getting through two days probably makes a difference at work at least.

Can you adjust your expectations so that you're not looking at clearing the week but getting through a couple days?

I'm sorry this is so hard. And painful. I really am.

Kat, they keep talking of putting my nephew on a G-tube because of his slow growth and allergies. If they do, we'll have questions.

can he up the breakthrough meds that you take at home?

Breakthrough meds? At home? What is this wonder of which you speak?

Yeah, no--I don't actually have any. I have flexoril for the left shoulder, but that doesn't even make me dopey so I could more easily sleep through the pain. It just sometimes makes me not want to stab myself for a distraction.

Hec, I wouldn't employ someone who could only get through a couple of days when the work week is consistently five of them. Would you?

I have to clear the week.

And, wow, the copay to pain points lessened ratio just went from crap to laughable. The amount of work days I get for my money with this regimen is pretty fucking stupid for something I can't work out how to render optional.

I looked up that Tia chick. I found her generally kinda irritating, but she hesitated (apparently) for mere seconds before going ahead with her neurostim, and hers was temples, not neck. So I don't know why I, whom I consider somewhat less annoying, is waffling about something a but less drastic. I should be jumping on this shit.

This process is being suggested because burning out the nerves which usually dropped me from a 7 to maybe a 2 if anything at all instead droped me from a 10 to a 7. But even when the nerve ablation worked I still had pretty much daily migraines. They were just less bad. So...I'd be sticking a battery in my ass and getting a remote control for my neck and not reducing the migraine count (or, really, the ER visit count--just the required dosage from 3x to 2x).

I don't know if any of the doctors have quite done that math. The pain guy seems to think this trivial procedure will solve problems I haven't even had yet.

Anyway, I sent an email to the neuro saying that since (not if) this is the medication contract, we need to pick up the slack with something, because I can't hold down a job with this resulting level of migraines (I severely doubt I'll be working tomorrow, although I will not be going back to the ER--I try not to think of how much pain I can or can not afford to relieve, but that's pretty clearly OTT) and threw some ideas out there.

I need those ideas made form by next week, though.

Hec, I wouldn't employ someone who could only get through a couple of days when the work week is consistently five of them. Would you?

No, but we're not presuming every week is 2 out of 5. This week is what's up and this week is what you're wrangling. And shit ain't going your way. I mean, I know project management is how you deal with pain management but from an HR perspective there are going to be SICK DAYS.

I know from all my solo parenting years with Emmett that showing up merits a bye even if it isn't the most productive time you spent at work. Facetime counts in the big picture.

You got a shitty ER resident this weekend at an inopportune time. That's not your usual scenario.

Breakthrough meds? At home? What is this wonder of which you speak?

Sorry, my bad. I keep wishing I could fix things for you.