Blogging about life in Minnesota, raising our six kids with Down syndrome while battling Breast Cancer.

Be the kind of woman that when your feet hit the floor in the morning the devil says, "Oh shit! She's up!"

Wednesday, December 16, 2009

The Art of Manipulation

A couple days before we left for Boston, Angela was given a stuffed dog that she named Ruby (just like our real Rubee) and she decided Ruby should come to the hospital with her. Then, on Tuesday night my friend Kathleen gave her another dog that looks a lot like our Zurri, so Angela gave it that name and decided Zurri should come to the hospital too.

Some time last night both dogs were injured. According to Angela they'd fallen of the jungle gym and each broken a leg. (I made the mistake of calling them "arms" and was quickly reprimanded because, "Dogs don't have arms! DUH!"

So we head to the hospital, and in the pre-op room Angela informed every nurse, anesthesiologist, nurse's aid, and her GI doctor that her dogs had broken legs. When she was given her bracelet she insisted that her dogs get one too...and they did!

When surgery was done, and Tyler and I were escorted back to the recovery area, there was Angela and her dogs. And, much to our surprise, each dog was supporting a REAL cast. One red, and the other green in honor of Christmas.

She always wakes up from anesthesia with a smile! (but shivering like crazy, which she did for the next several hours.)


And look! Two casted legs! (and these are real hard casts!)


Later, when we got up to the hospital room Angela was insisting that her dogs should have IV's like hers. Yeah...whatever! After awhile Angela was getting agitated and Tyler and I were hungry so we gave her some alone time while we went to find the cafeteria. When we came back, we found each dog did, indeed, have a complete IV set up.


And yet, their care was still lacking! They didn't have EKG leads on like Angela did! The next thing I know a nurse walks in and starts putting "stickies" on them. Here she is telling the nurse EXACTLY where to put the leads.



To say that Angela has the art of manipulation down is an understatement!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

...or that the nursing staff knows that things that might be relatively small peanuts to them make a big difference to a child.

nice that she wakes up smiling! E wakes up screaming.

Ann said...

What a wonderful way of helping her cope. She is caring for her babies too! I like it that she wakes up smiling. We try hard to make sure Ty goes in smiling.

JennyH said...

That is too funny! I think she had them wrap around her finger.

So glad they did do it though and it made her happy.

Kathie Brinkman said...

she's an attention getter for sure. but, I think she's allowed (for now anyway). Good that you and Tyler can take a break and get away. I remember when Katie was in the hospital with her heart surgery I was so stressed out I thought I would have a stroke. Matt and I switched off every 12 hours so we could have a break. I'm thankful that Katie has only had one major hospitalization like that. Sorry I missed your call today. I was napping.

My name is Sarah said...

This is Joyce. Love the puppy casts. Angela you and Sarah have a LOT in common. We refer to her as "Queenie on the Throne" every time she is in the hospital.

Bethany said...

OMG that is hilarious!