Please keep Phred in your prayers.

[Donnaj4962]

So glad to hear from the Prayer Pups that their pawpie is finally home! I can only imagine what a wonderful homecoming that was!

Welcome Home Phred!

Glad you are back home where you belong with the Prayer Pups and Boots! Let them take care of you for a change! You need to rest. Has anyone told you that yet?????

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Ear to ear grins going on here!!! Plus a happy cat dance conga line is going on around the room!!! You should see them shake their booties!!!

Now, Phred follow the doctor's orders. They say no driving for a reason (this applies to you too missy slick ). We don't want a relapse and you back in the stinky hospital!!!

WELCOME HOME PHRED!!!

[Cinder & Smoke]

Ahhhhhh ...

*Home* Sweet Dog Heap!

Poor Tedd-E-Bear - after two night of sharing the hospital pillow - there was no room
for him on the BigBed.

Cinder & SmokeMutt didn't loose their "touch" at Pat's Place - BOTH were in their
"spots" on the BigBed last night before I got into the bunkroom.
Bit of a "challenge" to pull the blankie up with only one handpaw working.

Joan reported C&S missed sleeping ON the bed - which is NOT permitted at P&J's Place.
As soon as Pat got up, first Cinder, then Smokey, would "appear" at the edge of the bed
and *whine* softly, with their butts all a-wiggle ...
With Miz Joan as Bed Boss ...

"OK Cin, c'mone up - but just for a minute."
*LEAP* ~ *FLOP* ~ *CUDDLE*
"OK Smokey, your turn - c'mone up."
*LEAP* ~ *FLOP* ~ *CUDDLE*

Joan says she'd love to have Cinder "on duty" when Pat's not home -
Cinder's *ALERT* & *WARNING* BARK would scare off an army of burglars!
SmokeMutt just "tags" along - always observant and alert - but ever "The Quiet One".
Bowser and their Cali never get "ruffled" ... "HUH? WHAT burglar?"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Answering some of the ?? Questions ...

Dr. Pete? Bet he has a lot better "bedside manners" than my Electrical Doc!
But I had Tedd-E-Bear with me everywhere ... He just *smiled* a lot and made friends.
He was a BIG Hit down in X-ray (those folks must not get out much) ...
Nursey "spotted" Teddy snuggled beside me on the roll-a-bed and almost SHOUTED:
"OH, How CUTE!!! Let me show him to the rest of the gang!"
Teddy got a quick tour of the X-ray department. *I* was left in the hall.

Send-a-Smile e-mails ... I was there the wrong daze!
"Dave", the 80+ year old Volunteer who does the printing AND Delivery of the
patient e-mails - doesn't come in "every day". He brought Mayor Karen's early
Monday morning greeting before I left the Cath Lab ... but then wasn't "in"
on Tuesday and Wednesday. Maybe they should get him an "Assistant".
His Coordinator Girl said they DO snail-mail ALL late-arriving greetings to all the
discharged patients - so I WILL get your well-wishes. I told her to remind him to check
for "Phred" and "Cinder & Smoke" as alternate names.

Randi ~
That's the Place!!

My "wing" was just a bit off-picture at the top - almost above a covered walkway leading to the main entrance from the parking deck. The aerial photo show one of the "Old Main Entrances" into the original Hospital building.

"Loud Roomie" ...
He was a CHARACTER! "Met" him Monday in the Cath Lab Prep & Recovery room -
a "parking garage" for folks going into or coming out of any of the (many) Cath Lab Operating Rooms.
He had the "stall" next to me ...
A *BOOMING* voice and a NON-stop Talker! No wonder his wifey wanted to go home!
My Doc had come in to "chat" with me (really she was talking to Unka Pat) ...
but I had to strain to hear her over the ChatterBox.
He got shipped out first ... took em another 4 hours to find me a bed on Monday ...

I Got to the room and they finally let Pat in ... Pat and Roomie struck up a conversation
about the Good Ole Daze in Y-town ... I'm thinkin "I know that voice!"
YUP!!
It was Old BOOMER from the Cath Lab!
Later Monday night I was talking (or TRYING to talk) to Mayor Karen on the phone ...
I think she asked Where I Was - 'cause it sounded like a bar over the phone!
Nope -just Roomie - *shouting* at Pat & Joan about Y-town Tails!

He only had to stay a few hours - he shipped out about 9:00 PM Monday ...
and I had NO Roomies till late Wednesday afternoon!

The 5# Brick on my chest ...

Bricks must be cheaper than People.
And the 5 Pounder wasn't the first one - I had the 10 Pounder on Monday!

Monday was the "Electrophysiology Study" - "EP Test" for short.
Doc "numbs" you up then drills 3 holes into the main artery at the top of right leg / groin area;
inserts 3 "guides" in the holes;
then threads three tiny wire "probes" ALL the way up and into your heart.
Then she moves to a computer and begins *tinkering* with the electrical signals
controlling the heart.
Object being to intentionally cause a heart malfunction ...
once she manages to "stall" the heart - she sends "corrective signals" just like
the implanted PaceMaker / Defib will do. Gets a lil "dicey" if the heart doesn't
respond to the simulated PaceMaker signals ... "Oh KRAP, he's dead! Hit him with the Defib Zapper!"
Dunno how many times she "killed me", but I remember waking up when the Nurses started
pulling the warm blankies off, tossed Teddy back on the cart - and off we went to Recovery.

Enter The Guy Nurse ... HI, I'm so & so - I'll be here for TWENTY Minutes
pressing on your groin!
"Direct Pressure" is how they try to prevent you from having any leaks in the holes in the artery. After 20 minutes of meaningless chatter - "The Brick" takes over ...
"The Brick" is a *HUGE* SandBag - a vinyl bag filled with - SAND! Weighs somewhere around 5-10 pounds - but feels like a cinder block!
"The Brick" takes over for The Guy Nurse - and The Brick doesn't keep
and looking at the clock! THEN they tell you the Rest of the Good News ...
You get to lay, almost flat on your back, for the NEXT SIX HOURS! (WITH the Brick on your groin!) and without moving your right leg!

MORE Good News - You don't have a ROOM - Your Doc "forgot" to say you were staying.
NO TVs (not even piped-in music) in the Cath Lab Garage area ... enter Loud Roomie next door.

Wunna the Girls asked if I was hungry?
Uhhhh, yeah - been 12 hours since I ate anything!
"I'll order you a lunch tray." Pat went off to grab a sammich...

An HOUR later I saw a tray appear ... and several of The Girls *looked*at it then over at me ...
and went on about their business. Finally one of My Girls picked it up and came over to my stall, shaking her head ... "Sorry, Mr. Phred - but all they brought was ONE little ham sammich ... NO drink, No nappie, No desert. I'll go find you some mustard, and order another meal tray. How bout some coffee, too?" Eating & then drinking hot Kawfee through a straw, flat on your back, is *phunn*!

Another two hours passed (SLOWLY) before the Real Meal showed up ...
along with the advisory that they'd FOUND me a room. "Lunch" was good at 4:00 PM - the next holdup was that the Cath Lab "delivers" their patients with
RNs - not the "Transportation Drivers" that haul most patients around the hospital. And it was almost shift change and everyone was tied up ... Hurry up and wait here - you're Next to Go.

Thirty minutes later two of the Goofie Girls trotted over, kicked off the brakes,
and Teddy and I began a *WILD RIDE* to the 6th floor. Pat walked out front for a while, but feared he'd be run over and fell in at the rear. Dunno HOW may folks we scared the *krap* out of ... but every turn was a true adventure! "Ooopsie, 'scuse us!". I always wondered why ALL the hallway corners had stainless steel "protectors" on them - know I know why!
Teddy had his eyes closed when we finally arrived.
The Goofie Girls said they'd "get me" for tomorrow's Implant -
OK ~ "Laurel & Hardie" ought to make it interesting - hope they Nurse better than they Drive!

I "scootched" off the Drag-Race Cart onto my bed, and SandBags were exchanged ...
"We want OUR SandieBag back!" said the Race Cart Girls. "See ya downstairs in the morning!"
I thought I heard tires *screeching* as they pulled out.

Day 2 - Implant Day

WHY did *I* have to be First to Arrive at OMG 7:00 AM in the Cath Lab?
They didn't even have all the lights on when I got "parked" in Stall #3.

The Goofie Girls arrived and showed Teddy off to everyone who hadn't worked yesterday. They did some "prep work" and Goofie #2 gave a step-by-step explanation of what Doc was going to be doing. Goofie #1 plugged an IV into Hole #1 in my left arm (hole drilled yesterday for the EP Study) and they debated if they should "start it". "She'll be late (My Doc) like always ... wait a while." Next up was the Small Gorilla that said he was "my" Anesthesiologist Tech working with Doc (slurred) ... "I need to start a couple more lines."

I didn't know they made needles that dull! I lost count of how many "attempts" he made to get two lines in ... the Goofies were even *wincing* in sympathetic pain on each *stab*.
9:15 AM arrived ... and Goofie @2 was summoned to the phone to talk to Doc R. An animated discussion followed and Goofie #1 was called over amid much Whoopin & Hollerin ... money was riding on IF Doc could finish pumpin gas and still make it to the Lab in 15 minutes.

IV's had been flowing for 20 minutes - and I hadda *PEE*!
"Well, you ain't gettin of the cart, Bud! *Pee* inna bottle!"
#1 to #2: "I TOLD ya we should wait on those IVs!"

*Brakes OFF* and off we went for another Hair-Raising Ride through the Cath Lab Maze ...
We shudda turned the siren on ... Poor Dr. Katz almost became a hood ornament on the third turn!
I thought I heard Teddy on the final 2-wheel trun into the Lab!

Same Lab as yesterday - same Below Freezing Temperature. GOOD GRIEF!
We could see our breath! It was decided to "warm it up just a bit".

The Team all arrived - Doc appeared 3 minutes past 9:30 but got credit for an "almost" on-time
arrival - possibly a Craeer First for her. Teddy *watched* from the Race Cart.

They had told me I'd be "semi-awake" for the Installation - to "advise them" if I felt any pain.
Doc must not have wanted any help -- the Lights went Out just after the
"You'll feel a*pinch* and a little burning sensation" ...

Guess I missed the Main Event ... I woke up to "Laurel & Hardie" who were tellin me to
*scootch* back over onto the Racing Cart, loading Teddy on board, admiring the bandage, and telling one and all how well it had gone. *Brakes OFF* and the Race was on!
Almost knocked off two Docs wandering down the center of the race hall;
cut off another roll-a-bed at the final turn and then did a 180^ power-slide into Garage Stall #8 ...

The Girls finished mopping up, I got to *pee* in the bottle again;
then they brought in The Brick and tossed it right ON the Buzz Box Zipper!
OUWCHIE!!

"Sorry - but that's a Doc R. 'trademark' - ALL her PaceMaker patients get the SandBag Treatment!
FIVE Pounds placed right on TOP of the Implanted Device and it's Zipper!
They'll take it off at 4:00 PM! (Ya gotta lay FLAT till then.)
Let's *ROLL*! "

A NASCAR Start - three Cart Teams headed out a ONE-cart door ...
of course we made it out first.
Another "Adventure in the Halls" on the return to the 6th Floor ...
Doctors, Nurses, Patients, Innocent Visitors - no one was cut any slack. ... Dunno how we missed getting Black Flagged for wreckless carting ...
Goofie Girl #1 chirped "This is one of the NEAT parts of this job!" ... as we expertly cut off a Wheelchair Driver and his google-eyed patient by power sliding into an elevator.

I didn't count the fresh *dings* on our cart - but *THANKED* the Goofie Girls for a
really *PHUNN* Day ... and thought I heard Teddy give a as we settled into bed.

... I need a NAP!

/s/ Bionic Boy

[Daisy and Delilah]

Rolling on the floor laughing Phred!!! What a huge adventure you had at the hospital! Only you could make it that hilarious. It's great to have you back with us buddy!! Take it easy and do everything the doc said to do. I can only imagine how difficult it must be doing some things "one handed". I don't envy you. Remember......plenty of R and R

[Rachel]

OMG, I think that pacer is getting plenty of blood to your brain, Phred. You get a A+ for your report. That's a Phred classic if there ever was one. Three cheers for having you home, and as soon as you recover from the thrill of it all, I'm sure you'll feel the benefits of being paced.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Goodness NASCAR in hospital halls. What next?

No wonder you need a nap!!!

Where was Bowsie? Did he stay at P&J's place too?

[cyber-sibes]

What an adventure! You must be able to type with both paws...that was a wonderfully detailed report! Glad Mr. Bear accompanied you and kept you safe! They should have let you bring along one of your furry-kids to plunk down on top of you instead of Mr. Sandbag - would've been warmer, and can you imagine how "Goofie Girls" would have squealed in delight?

[Karen]

Goodness NASCAR in hospital halls. What next?

No wonder you need a nap!!!

Where was Bowsie? Did he stay at P&J's place too?

*Ahm* I can answer that. Bowser was there, but is too low-slung to even attempt a leap onto the big bed! He's barely even got legs, 'specially compared to C&S!

[momoffuzzyfaces]

*Ahm* I can answer that. Bowser was there, but is too low-slung to even attempt a leap onto the big bed! He's barely even got legs, 'specially compared to C&S!

LOL!!!
Being low to the ground myself, I should have thought of that!!!

[Dorothy39]

That "Hausbittle "Report had me on the edge of my seat!!!! I actually wanted to turn the page and keep on reading and relating to well known procedures!!!

I can really picture Cinder and Smokemutt at the edge of the bed~~ You write in such clarity!!!!

We're thinking of you each and every day Phred!!! So good to see another GREAT Post!!!!

[NoahsMommy]

Oh Phred!!!

Even ill and getting tortured at the hospital cath lab and you're still funny as can be! I loved reading your tale, although I felt badly you had to LIVE it. I hope this new bionic box will make you feel TONS better, hon!

Glad to see you're recovering nicely.

Hugs,
Kelly

P.S. I sent a card to your home address last weekend, but it was written about a month or TWO ago! I have issues with actually MAILING the cards I write....I'll be sending a more recent card soon.

(((((((((gentle hugs for Phred)))))))))

[lizbud]

You get a A+ for your report. That's a Phred classic if there ever was one.

Oh I definately agree with that. Great report Phred. I really felt like
I was there with you & listening to your comments.So glad they they finally
turned you loose. Now rest & take it easy for awhile. We aren't going to
go anywhere. can't wait to hear weekly updates on how things are going
there at the ranch. (((HUGS))) Liz & the furry gang.

[zoey]

Hi Phred!
I just read your thread here, and want to wish you a healthy recovery from Texas with prayers!!!
Zoey

[Cincy'sMom]

Great recount Phred!! Glad you are home and hope you are feeling better soon!

[krazyaboutkatz]

Yes, you sure had quite an adventure and I enjoyed reading about it. I'm so glad that you're back home now safe and sound. Get well soon.