We're getting old (OO medical complaints)

[ImLawBoy]

I'm an easy stick. I have easy to access, easy to find veins.

During my cancer when I was getting a new IV two to five times a week they got a little worn out, though.

I'm also an easy stick, which is at least some comfort as I go through this ordeal. When I went to the hospital originally they put 3 IVs in me (1 from the EMTs and 2 from the ER). They removed those when I checked out and I got 2 more at the new hospital. First stick every time. My veins are visible and bulgy.

My wife and oldest son have a terrible time with IVs and blood draws, though. They've been known to bring in the ultrasound to try to get a decent poke for my son (who has a high threshold for pain and handles it remarkably well).

[dbt1949]

For blood tests they have to go to my hand. For the major things it takes them 20 minutes to get them in my arm. Once they had to go to an artery in my upper arms. Almost a minor surgery.

[Daehawk]

Blood test. Left arm 'looks' easier. Can see the veins. But it can give them trouble and always hurts. The right you cant see easy and the vein is more in the thicker skin hairier part of the arm at the bend. I have to show them where it is. But its always easy then and never hurts. Some nurse at a doc a decade ago used that one and ive tried to have the blood drawn from it since.

[Xmann]

As a RN, those IV horror stories can be avoided most of the time now. Most endoscopy units typically require the nurse to be a really good stick. They also have a nurse anesthetist or anesthesiologist that can start an IV on hard sticks. Surprised to hear those stories. I worked outpatient Chemo for a year once and you absolutely needed top notch skills to work there. I was always a good stick and became damn good. I was pretty much the guy who could stick anyone, one time.

And most places nowadays have an ultrasound type of gadget to find veins. If you are a tough stick, insist on having who's the best stick you and use the vein finder. One of my biggest pet peeves is repeatably sticking someone and not asking for help. I don't like it on me, why would you do that to someone else?

[ImLawBoy]

I'm always almost asked if I'm an easy stick. When my wife or son needs to get a blood draw or an IV, we alert the team up front that there may be challenges. That doesn't always mean they get them on the first try, but at least they know to get a good nurse or phlebotomist lined up and have stuff ready (like heat pads or whatever they might need). The person doing the stick should ask up front, but if they don't and you know you're a tough stick, you should volunteer that ahead of time.

[Daehawk]

One day at Xmann's hospital.....

Guy 1 - Sees friend coming out of hospital "Hey man. I didn't know you were sick"
Guy 2 - "Im not...just had to use the restroom"
Guy 1 - "Then why the IV?"
Guy 2 - "Huh I didn't even see that"

[Blackhawk]

Yeah, I usually make a few fist walking in. I sit down, they turn around and I lower my arm and say, "Oh, wow. That's easy." That sucker sticks way out on both arms.

[Xmann]

I'm always almost asked if I'm an easy stick. When my wife or son needs to get a blood draw or an IV, we alert the team up front that there may be challenges. That doesn't always mean they get them on the first try, but at least they know to get a good nurse or phlebotomist lined up and have stuff ready (like heat pads or whatever they might need). The person doing the stick should ask up front, but if they don't and you know you're a tough stick, you should volunteer that ahead of time.

Yeah, when someone asks me if I can start are IV on them, typically my first response is, "Have you tried at least once?". That is usually the standard for IV teams around the hospital. The reason is a lot of nurses get told they are a hard stick when in fact they aren't. They might have had a bad experience before, and I completely understand. And the nurse never ever puts on a tourniquet and in fact they are an easy stick. Now, we have our regulars that we know are hard sticks and we know not to let someone not highly skilled poke them.

But generally speaking, every situation is different and someone should not be needlessly sticking someone. Most people it shouldn't take no more than 2 sticks. The hard ones, 3 and at worse 4.

[ImLawBoy]

All the phlebotomists at our children's hospital know my son, so they know we're not just making stuff up.

[Xmann]

All the phlebotomists at our children's hospital know my son, so they know we're not just making stuff up.

This really good for you guys.

[coopasonic]

Are there downsides to the occasional steroid injection or do doctors just think suffering is noble?

I'm going to see if I can get my Alexa to answer to "Isgrimnur"

You can just do like I do and ask her to text him.

[Pyperkub]

Definitely getting old. Got an AARP card in the mail this week!

[A nonny mouse]

My throat frigging hurts. I have a "memory" of pulling something out of my throat as I came to, but I can't remember if this was real or not.

Erm. . . . Did they do the correct end?

[Isgrimnur]

You start scoping your way, I start scoping mine...

[Kraken]

Definitely getting old. Got an AARP card in the mail this week!

The government is nagging me to sign up for Medicare.

I don't have to because I still have employer-provided insurance, but since Part A doesn't cost anything there's no reason not to enroll. There's no penalty for delaying it as long as you have private insurance, but all my friends are doing it.

[Daehawk]

AARP is just a way to be spammed DEALS! DEALS! DEALS! these days.

[Isgrimnur]

Not to mention finding a lobbyist group that may not align with your views.

[Kraken]

An AARP card unlocks a world of discounts on a broad range of services, from museum admissions to restaurants. If you have an AAA card, it trumps AARP's discounts, but AARP will still save you at least enough to repay its $16 annual fee.

I also support most of AARP's policy agenda so there's no disconnect there.

[Daehawk]

Everyone knows the phrase ridge runner or rum runner. In Chattanooga they just had their annual Rump Run. Its a run for colon cancer and colonoscopy awareness

https://rumprun.com/

Guess their motto?.......Kicking cancer in the butt!

[Daehawk]

[Jaymann]

You mean Depend?

[Daehawk]

Isn't depends the plural of depend?

[Jaymann]

That depends.

[Pyperkub]

Did a day trip (drive from bay area up to Tahoe, ski all day, drive back) skiing yesterday. Still wiped out tho a lot of ibuprofen helped. We used to do this all the time when I was younger. Legs were really hurting last night once I got home. It was the first time in three years I went skiing tho (didn't get up before the pandemic hit in 2020).

On the other hand, there were pretty much zero lift lines and we got a ton of runs in - 17 (I got to try the downhill skiing activity on my fitness watch finally!) ;

[Daehawk]

Took me from 2pm - 7pm to do half a room cleanup. 30 years ago Id do this room and the rest of the house. Im spent. I had to take my muscle relaxers. Dont even mention yard work.

[Kraken]

My sister is probably in her last week, says the hospice nurse. Based on the photo my niece posted last night, I think that's optimistic. If "assisted suicide" were legal, I'd argue (as the only person who has known her her entire life) that now is the time to end her suffering. Although she's so heavily drugged that she's permanently unconscious, so maybe she's not suffering. At this point we are just waiting for her body to stop, and letting that play out naturally feels cruel. But who knows? Maybe she's adrift in a pleasant dream.

I'm glad that we had the opportunity to say a proper goodbye. It's going to be very hard on her kids. We have a Zoom call tomorrow night. I hope we will discuss some of this.

[Daehawk]

Making people slowly die of something especially if its cruel or painful is a shameful thing. We put animals to sleep if they suffer. But people? No sry.

[dbt1949]

I always wonder about people who aren't all there if they're happy in their heads.

[Daehawk]

I always wonder about people who aren't all there if they're happy in their heads.

I think in the beginning its probably very scary but once they are totally gone I dont think they know or care. They just live the moments. Its the care giver it is hardest on then.

As for me I cannot stand up straight today or walk good. Can barely get around and am SO sore from just the little house rearranging I did yesterday.

[Kraken]

My little sister slipped away around 1:30 this morning. Her last several days were not good ones, and I'm mostly relieved that her suffering is over. But man, do I feel old today. I turn 65 next week.

[Skinypupy]

I'm so sorry Kraken.

[Unagi]

[Daehawk]

Sorry Kraken. Im glad you went to see her. It doesn't seem long ago you first posted on her and were saying months and months.

[Jaymann]

Sorry for your loss Kraken. At least her ordeal is over.

[dbt1949]

Sorry for your loss. It's tough getting to the age where everybody you've known all your life is starting to die off. Then it's your turn. What will they say about you?

[Unagi]

-David Lee Roth

[LordMortis]

[Daehawk]

My knees!

[Malificent]

Sorry for your loss, Kraken.

[Kraken]

Sorry for your loss. It's tough getting to the age where everybody you've known all your life is starting to die off. Then it's your turn. What will they say about you?

I wonder if anybody will say anything about me. I don't have many connections to the human race, and I dread the prospect of outliving them.

I'm trying to be philosophical about death, because what choice do we have but to accept it? The older we get, the more familiar it becomes, and we all get older every day. Wife hasn't made that adjustment. Death is always a tragedy to her. She's more upset about my sister than I am.

I was never really close to Paula. We were both adopted and so not related by blood. We didn't pal around as children. We went in opposite directions in adolescence -- in response to a family crisis, I found drugs and she found Jesus. She remained churchy well into middle age, until her religious "friends" shunned her for getting divorced -- the church that she'd given so much to for so long just froze her out. After she made that break (and my atheism mellowed) our relationship warmed, and we were cordial for the past 10-15 years, largely via Facebook. She still considered herself spiritual, but not religious. She said that she didn't fear death, but IDK what she believed about an afterlife.