05/26/10
On Monday, May 25, 9009, I admitted presented Clint a the emergency room with a blood pressure of 81/40! He had fluid in his chest cavity and was having a great deal of trouble breathing and was in pain. (When he admitted he was in pain, he was in PAIN, so stoic was he). His blood work was all crazy, and he had an irregular heart rhythm because his magnesium level was so low. We were assigned an “Hospitalist,” a dreadful new trend in medicine. Our hospitalist had never laid eyes on Clint. We told her that we knew his condition was related to liver failure due to alcohol use. Clint patiently explained to her that he knew his life was limited and that he had no intention of stopping drinking. Then she refused to give him any pain medicine that had to be processed through the liver! (Did she not get it, that it was too late to worry about his liver, that is probably looked like cheesecloth at that point)?
I had some of his home meds in my purse, and I gave him something for the pain. We asked to be transferred to the hospital where our doctor works and went there for one night.
When we got him on Wednesday, Clint was weak but stable. Emily had an All Star softball game that night, and Clint wanted to go! His breathing was not good enough, and he was cranky - and secretly relieved) when I refused to take him. He needed complete bed rest, and I saw that he got it, in spite of himself.
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