Posted on 02/06/2023 10:19:24 PM PST by Jim Robinson
I'm still flat on my back. The pressure sores that sent me to the hospital are almost healed, but still too painful for me to spend much time in my power chair, so I spend all my time in bed. The nurse says the wounds are now just superficial, and should be healed very soon. I do have a new spot on my bottom and on my back, but they haven't become sores yet. Hoping to spend more time in my chair each day until completely healed and to prevent more sores on my back.
My hands and arms are already very weak from muscular dystrophy and they're even weaker now after lying in bed for six months. A physical therapist is working with me on range of motion exercises to get my arms stronger again. And that's very painful, but has to be done.
I can't type on the computer while lying in bed, so I'm using speech recognition software to control the computer. The software allows me to navigate by clicking on any link on a page using voice commands. I can do almost any function using voice commands, like opening/closing files, tabs, etc. I can also click on a reply button and enter short replies, however it's almost impossible to enter anything more than just a few words, because the software makes many errors and it takes a long time to clean that up. Consequently, if I have a long post to enter, I have to call Chris in to type it in for me, as he's doing right now.
But I can do most functions in maintaining the website, and the abuse system. So I spend a lot of time now reading and bumping threads to breaking or frontpage news, and handling the abuse reporting system. One thing I cannot do is cut and paste. For example, when I receive an abuse report and a true title needs to be copied from a source, I need to call in Chris to do it for me. Chris has been a real trooper. Not only is he my primary care provider, but he's been doing all my banking/bill-paying/bookkeeping as well as my entire job while I was in the hospital, and a thousand other chores since I went to the hospital.
For about a week before going into the hospital, I was in a lot of pain. I couldn't focus on my work, couldn't eat, sleep, sit/lay in my chair for very long without excruciating pain. I was also constipated for an entire week, and I knew I was in trouble.
The evening before going into the hospital, I asked Chris and John to lift me into bed because I was in so much pain. But even in bed, there was no relief. I kept calling the boys in every five minutes or so to adjust my position, but I still couldn't get relief. They became concerned, so they decided to take me to the VA emergency room.
In the VA, they suspected that I had blocked bowels and were considering surgery. They put tubes in me to feed me and take out the waste. They also found that one of the pressure sores had gone all the way through to the bone, and that I had a sepsis infection. I don't remember very much about that period, because I was literally out of my mind. These things were told to me later.
Chris says that for the first couple weeks, the VA wouldn't allow visitors or anybody to even talk/see me. This hospital had very strict rules because of Covid. John, Chris, and Amy even considered getting a lawyer so that they could talk to me. The VA finally relented, and allowed them to visit me so they could find out what was going on - they literally had absolutely no idea what was happening to me.
I was pretty much out of it that first week and couldn't remember much, but I remember talking to the surgeon and some doctors. They were actually considering surgery for my blocked bowels, but then they decided let's try an enema. Sure enough, cleared that shit up! No surgery was required.
I also remember I couldn't sleep in that first week, and they were begging me to go to sleep, but every time I drifted off I had a repeat of some recurring nightmares. While I was having these nightmare, I knew they were nightmares, but couldn't wake myself up. I knew how they began and how they ended. And once one began, I couldn't wake myself up until it went all the way to the end.
One of the nightmares concerned a pit bull that was released in the hospital, and I could hear him running from room to room, attacking people and chomping on their bones. I knew when he got to my room (which he never did), he'd start chomping on my feet first and work his way up.
Another recurring nightmare was about being in a hospital run by terrorists, and it had a public side and back side. On the public side, they were nice as can be and took real good care of you. But on the back side, they were mean as hell and liked to torture people.
I also became very paranoid, and while slipping in and out of delirium. I had suspicions about being in a government hospital with government employees. I described some of this to John, and he said, "I don't know what they have you on man, but you are loopy!"
They started feeding me broth, and couple days later soft foods like Jello and ice cream. The best part about being in the hospital is ice cream.
There's a lot more to add, but I'll cut this short. The good news is I'm healing. The bad news is it's going to take a bit more time, but we'll get there.
Thank you all for your thoughts and prayers and continuing support.
God bless.
Thank Heaven you went to the hospital when you did! Hang in there, recover, and come back to us ASAP.
My apologies, I did not know you were ill. Im praying for you and your family. God Bless you. Mitch
God Bless you, Jim, keep up the good fight!
Jim, so great to hear your “voice.” The nightmares are verrrry interesting. Hmmmm. Chris, bless you.
Dear Lord Jesus,
We pray for your healing touch on your servant Jim. We pray you comfort and strength on him and heal these sores which are causing so much pain. Give him peace through his trials.
In Your holy Name,
Amen
Keep up the good work, Jim
Praying for you
God bless you.
As an amateur Dream Analyst, I’d say those nightmares were about the loss of control over your safety/physical body.
Those who know rarely feel safe at the hospital. Prayers sent for your return to health.
You are one tough cookie, Mr. R. And ICU psychosis is a real thing: my friend’s mother was in ICU for a month, and she became convinced it was an alien spaceship, and she was being experimented on, and there was only one nurse she trusted, and whenever he was around, she was okay, but the rest of the time, she was just scared night and day. It was really awful. Her daughter would try to reassure her, it’s not an alien spacecraft, it’s Cedar Sinai in Los Angeles, but the mom wouldn’t believe her. Later, when she was home, she talked about it, and didn’t really know why she was thinking those things, but... yeah, prolonged hospitalization messes with people. Hang in there!
God bless you, Jim. I hope you are in that chair real soon!
Jim Robinson, you’re an amazing man. And that’s an amazing story. Not just how you have fought with all your might to get better, but how you haven’t forgotten us, and are so determined to still be here with us to have mastered some incredible new speech recognition capability. I salute you, your courage, your skill, and your compassion. You obviously have The Lord by your side. God Speed, and God Bless.
Praying for you, Jim.
Jim,
Cherry expressed my thoughts very well. You are an incredible force for many and have been a grace to us as we live day to day.
Be well and I pray that God covers you in blessings.
Are you sure you're not a USC Trojan? Because you certainly are FIGHTING ON!
Wow! Ping to all lists.
Praying for your continued and complete healing.
God Bless
7
God bless you Jim. I’m praying for your speedy recovery.
Jim, thank you for providing me with a place of sanity for over 20 years! My prayers continue for both you and your care givers.
We all live till we die. Hopefully God above will make it
less painful and more restful for you. Keep yourself in a
good spirit as best you can.
May the Lord be with you. Thanks for everything.
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