He's Baaaaaaaack!

Hick is back home! Can you believe that? Got out of surgery at 3:00 on Monday afternoon, and by 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, they were ready to kick him out! Is it just me, or does that seem like an extremely short time to supervise somebody who just had his back sliced open, and pins and plates inserted? My best old ex-teaching buddy Mabel said she had two weeks in rehab with a knee replacement. She was shocked by Hick's early realease.

Well. Now I know how they do it. They depend on VAL to be a nurse! I'm not complaining about taking care of Hick. I'm complaining about trusting someone (even as brilliant as myself!) to tend to a patient's needs after surgery!

Nobody was expecting Hick to come home so soon. The Veteran was on a camping trip. He had said to let him know, and he could still travel the extra distance to pick up Hick. However, he did not have cell service in some areas. And then when he got the message, his truck had been towed for repairs due to a bearing issue while pulling his camper.

The Pony had no idea Hick was getting out. In fact, he had sent me a text saying he had the "nice" manager on Wednesday, and could get off if Hick needed him. When told that Hick was trying to reach The Veteran, The Pony said to let Hick know he could do it. However, Hick waited another 30 minutes to contact The Pony, and by that time a worker had been sent home due to no work. So... The Pony had to rush and try to finish his route in time to fetch Hick.

Hick said the staff was not kicking him out, nor charging him an extra day. They could wait until he had a ride. Hick was hoping The Pony could get there by 3:00. That way, he would have time to pick up his controlled-substance medication before the pharmacy closed. He didn't think they would release them to me. You know how everybody can get painkillers except patients who need them after surgery...

When I told The Pony that Hick didn't have any means to pay, and that he would have to buy the meds, he said, "Won't he need ID? Which you have in his billfold along with his debit card." So I said I could meet them in town with it.

Anyhoo... The Pony rushed, and then got a little help from the sent-home guy they had called back in for the afternoon. So he left at 1:30, and arrived at the hospital at 2:45. Hick was alone in his room, and they couldn't get somebody to discharge him until 3:45. They got home around 5:30.

The Pony came in to make sure Hick had a clear path for his walker. Moved a couple pairs of shoes out from the front of his recliner. Took Hick's camouflage Crocs out to the car so Hick could walk in. Putting on shoes at the hospital had been too uncomfortable for him.

Oh... while all this was going on, I had gone to town to pick up Hick's diabetes medication refill. I asked about the other prescriptions. The NICE lady said they were filling two right then, and that the diabetes med was in the cooler. She said I COULD pick up the painkillers for Hick. She said I could wait 20 minutes, but I said I'd come back later to get all three. I'm not good at standing around.

Of course that was at 12:30. The pharmacy is closed from 1:30 to 2:00 every day. So after my other errands, it was 2:15. I went in and saw a young whippersnapper gal who said she didn't see any prescriptions for Hick! I reminded her that one was in the cooler. She said, "Okay, just the one?"

"No. There are at least three. That's what the lady told me around noon."

YWG kept looking at her computer screen, as if those meds would appear. Finally I said,

"I wish I could talk to the lady who was here earlier and told me they were filling them."

YWG turned to look over the high counter. Back to the screen. Back to the counter. And said, "She's talking to someone else right now."

After an awkward bout of us both standing there doing nothing, another lady came out. NOT the one I'd talked to before. But obviously higher-up. She was cordial. I explained my plight. She looked it up on the computer.

"There is the diabetes med in the cooler. And the painkiller."

"There should be a muscle relaxer. The doctor said that was even more important."

"Oh. I see here. We didn't fill it. It needs prior authorization. Do you know what that means?"

"That I'm not getting it? He has to have that TODAY. He's on his way home from the hospital after back surgery."

"Let me look it up and see what it costs. The insurance is refusing it. We put in a call to the doctor but haven't heard back. You can pay for it and still get it. I'll see if he has any discounts."

"Well, it doesn't matter what it costs. He HAS to have it today. So if we have to go in debt, we'll go in debt." Maybe that was a bit dramatic. I know we have funds available to cover a considerable amount.

"Oh. Here it is. It will be $35."

SHEESH! All that drama for $35? Did she think I was a pauper? Anyhoo... then they had to fill it, so I had to awkwardly wait some more. Then I got all three meds and left.

When Hick got home, he said the hospital said the doctor had called to authorize it, but they told him I already paid. Sometimes the only way the left hand knows what the right hand is doing is when they are thumbwrestling! And I was the loser!

Anyhoo... Hick is home, not feeling his best, and I am an unpaid healthcare worker.