We are back in Rochester for Babygirl's recheck tomorrow morning. I gave some thought to this process on the way.
During any journey, be it medical, educational or recreational, things happen. The are rarely germane to the process in any way, and get left out of the main narrative. Here are a few examples:
On our (rapid paced!) way up here to receive the transplant, we hit a 30 minute traffic jam. There was no immediate evidence of construction or police, and we just crawled along with the crowd. When we finally began to arrive at the problem, the first thing I saw was skid marks leading to a big Penske rental truck, cocked at an angle in the left lane. Getting closer, I could see evidence that a fire had been put out, Passing the truck, we came to a tow truck that had already loaded the cremated remains of a crumpled car. If the people who were in there didn't get out quickly, there's no hope that anyone in that vehicle survived. It was not the most hopeful thing to pass when you are taking your kid for major surgery.
In completely the opposite spirit: On our way here today we passed a small pickup truck. Bumper sticker read, "I'm really happy with this tiny truck because I have an ENORMOUS penis." I laughed so hard it's lucky I didn't crash.
I had one sleep deprived moment when I asked one of her doctors some question that was breathtakingly stupid. They patient explained whatever it was without actually saying WhatTheDuck is wrong with this woman.
Clearly, there are a lot of things that just....happen. But the best, oddest, WhatTheEverlivingDUCK moment was when one of kidney surgeons was discussing maintaining a good blood pressure, as Babygirl's was running low and he wanted higher pressure to keep good blood flow to the transplant.
"If your pressure is too low, I want you to get some French fries. NO, don't eat them - you are diabetic. Just lick the salt off of all of them." I am absolutely sure he meant it.
You canNOT make this sort of thing up.
The difference between surgeons and medical people? Transplant nephrology said, "If you aren't lightheaded your blood pressure numbers are irrelevant. If you are perfusing your brain, you are perfusing the kidney." He stopped the medications that were there to push her pressure up.
Thank God for the ones with common sense.
DeeDee
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