Monica, I don't blame you. Merv got much better once he got home from the hospital in January and I could take care of him than while he was there. Especially at the rehab center, his pancreatitis acted up again because the food they fed him was just horrible, and he got sick on it. he didn't get sick so much once we got him home, and they didn't even want to send him until he stopped getting sick. He told them he wouldn't stop getting sick until he got home. he also got a secondary infection while in the hospital, and that caused more problems and was why he had to go to the rehab center in the first place, because Medicare wouldn't pay for inhome nursing to administer IV antibiotics. Have a blessed day, Nicki We are hard pressed on every side, but not crushed; perplexed, but not in despair; persecuted, but not abandoned; struck down, but not destroyed. 2 Corinthians 4:8-9 _____ From: Monica Willyard [mailto:rhyami@xxxxxxxxx] Sent: Saturday, September 08, 2007 1:03 AM To: bookshare-discuss@xxxxxxxxxxxxx Subject: [bookshare-discuss] Re: I Am Scanning A Wish List Book Hi, Cindy. I've been told that I am sick enough to be hospitalized. However, my doctor is supporting me so I can stay at home since I have medical equipment here. I've been fighting hospitalization for several reasons, and am not going unless I get to a point where their intervention will actually help me. A doctor with a different attitude would probably see me as being stubborn, but I see it as being practical, and my doctor is respecting that. My pneumonia is viral, and there isn't much they can do about that beyond decongestants and breathing treatments that I can administer myself. The antibiotics I'm taking are to prevent a secondary infection from forming. I'm also dealing with the fact that my mom is out of town, and I'd have to find somewhere for my daughter to stay if I were admitted to the hospital. Finally, I don't know if you've ever thought about this, but it isn't very restful in a hospital. It seems like it's a constant sort of turmoil with someone poking your arms for blood samples or blood pressure readings every couple of hours, the patient next door blaring their TV with a game show, and a social worker waking you up to give you written information about your condition. That's how it was when I had pneumonia in April, and I want to avoid a repeat. I already feel weak and miserable, and I don't want people waking me up unless it's really important. Staying at home lets me sleep in my own bed, make cups of hot tea when I want them, and I can still be actively involved in my daughter's life when she needs me. It does mean that I have to be consistent with my medication, and I have to keep careful records of my blood sugar and blood pressure readings. I think it's worth that to stay at home. Sorry if this got kind of long-winded. :) Monica Willyard Grandma Cindy wrote: Yes, I will. Does this mean you don't have to go to the hospital, or is that still uncertain. Do what you have to do to get well. Cindy