Saturday, February 26, 2005

Grandpa & The Health Care System
Found out that if you want the info, you have to go to Auntie Dianne. Why I didn't think of it before, I don't know. She used to be a nurse at the Royal Alec. Anyway, Grandpa had an angiogram on Friday, and it looks like he may even be home this weekend. Here's what the problem was: before the chest pains, he'd been having some symptoms that sent him to the health center. His blood pressure was really low, so they gave him some medicine, and sent him home. The next day he'd be back, with the same symptoms, they'd give him medicine, send him home. This went on for nearly a week, before the chest pains incident. So the problem? He's 81, and when you get to be that old, your body and metabolism don't process medicine as quickly as they used to. The chest pains were due to them over medicating him for the low blood pressure. So they've cut back his dosage, and he's doing much better. It's so nice to have a nurse in the family, and I will furthermore go right to Auntie Dianne when I want answers. But looks like Grandpa is going to be okay. I will get my next update probably Monday when I call my mom.

I don't get how it took so long for them to figure out they were over medicating my grandpa, but if I have learned anything from living in two different countries, it's that no health care system is perfect. They are all flawed in their own way. You just have to relish in the moments when they get things right. Kinda like people. :)

I also wanted to mention that with the due date being 2 weeks away, if I'm not posting for a few days, it may be due to a trip to the hospital. There may then be an audio post, on this blog not the baby blog. Just FYI.

I got the Blackadder series out of the library again for us to finish watching it. So I'll close with a quote from that.

Samuel Johnson: This book, sir, contains every word in our English language.
Blackadder: Every single one, sir?
Samuel Johnson: Every single one, sir.
Blackadder: Oh. Well, in that case, sir, I hope you will not object if I also offer the doctor my most enthusiastic... contrafibularities.

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