Tuesday, June 17, Juneau in Still Listening to Spirit

Bill's sister Si arrived a wee bit later than her 8pm time, something to do with the flight that was very minor but late-making. We were happy to see her, all 70 years old of her looking years younger and sweetly artsy as always in her swaths of swirling fabric, sweaters, jewelry, and long, very thin still mostly blond hair. She has always been a wispy, skinny woman, breathy of speech and bright in spirit.

Despite the traveling from Boise to Juneau and all that entails, she was chirpy and glad to see her baby brother. We visited for a while but we were all exhausted from our travels and had the hospital in the morning, so Si went to her room and we laid down in the bed to watch TV and try to rest.

Sleep was not beyond either of us, but it was more a napping than any deep and quality sleep. The closeness laying together soothed me and I believe it did him too.

The next morning Si texted about 8am. She had been up and had breakfast whch the Super 8 provided and was delighted and satisfied with the food. We loaded up and headed for the hospital in the courtesy van. A pleasant ride with Si conversing with the driver non-stop and Bill and I in back trying not to cringe at the speed, heavy rain and so on on the two lane, sometimes three lane highway. Dang, traffic moving at light speed in the pouring rain, not used to that.

Courtesy van driver, Randall, has been with Super 8 for 10 years and we know him and he remembered us. He took us right up to the proper emergency room entrance and we followed and fumbled with signs and arrows to the proper place. Intake was fairly easy and in less than 20 minutes they had taken Bill back, got him undressed leaving his jeans and underwear and socks on with a hospital gown for a top.

Swaddled in warmed blankets the fun began. I won't go into all the details but just hit the highlights and lowlights. Once several carers had taken blood, listened to his chest and heart, started an IV, about 2 hours later, they took him to do a CT scan. Si and I went to the waiting room and out to get some fresh air. While sitting there Betsy A came over saying "I knew that silver hair immediately, Cindy, what are you doing here?"

I explained and introduced Si. Betsy had been there for tests and such, although she did not mention for what only that it had been a long experience and she was heading home to await results. Later we also saw Aryann as she was leaving, she was there because she had been vomiting so long, she needed more treatment than the Clinic could provide. We didn't speak long, she as also headed to rest and then hopefully ferry home.

The CT scan showed no cancer. We were still so shocked and stunned by the lung cancer verdict, there was little relief or celebration of the removal of that ailment on the table of possibilities. TB they decided, it can hide and wait for years and then attack a compromised immune system. So they did the skin test, added another IV with antibiotics and asked for a sputum sample. All this before Si and I returned.

Bill had just spit in a sterile cup that was labeled for urine--but who cares, sterile is sterile. The nurse took that and said she hoped it would be enough. Shortly after she left, Bill was coughing and I could tell he could produce another sample. So I opened the cabinets, found him another sterile container for urine and gave it to him. He spit a great big sample, we slammed the lid shut and put it on the table/tray to await the return of someone.

When someone came in to check on his antibiotic IV, Bill gave the second sample to her. She said casually "We won't be needing that" and threw it in the trash can. Okaaaay. About 45 minutes later, the respiratory doctor came in to say they needed a larger sample and would give Bill a breathing treatment which should loosen things up and make him cough the amount needed.

Bill insisted a good one had been thrown in the trash. The doctor insisted it was contaminated despite it being in a sealed sterile container that he had only to fish out of the trash can in the room. Sigh. Had good conversation with respiratory doctor, he did his residency in Riverdale, the next town over from Forest Park where I lived when in Georgia.

More waiting and Si and I went to the cafeteria. Nothing looked or sounded good, but we each ate a salad. Then back to the room.

A note here about the kindness at the hospital While looking for the cafeteria, we asked a man going in the opposite direction than we. He not only turned around to point the way, but said "Come on" and walked us all the way to the door of the cafeteria. When we got confused on the way back to the waiting room we asked someone else and they too turned around and walked us all the way back to the waiting room.

This kind of thing is so great under such circumstances and we were both grateful.

Si had packed an empty pill packet of her blood pressure pills. Her daughter, with whom she talked early that morning, suggested that since she was going to be at the hospital she should ask someone there for help. She bugged each and every person and carer we encountered from the receptionist to the nurse, to 3 doctors, until finally one faxed a prescription to a pharmacy that delivers.

While we were in Bill's treatment room as well as when we were out eating at the cafeteria or in the waiting room Si kept mentioning she needed to get her prescription, when were WE going to go get it. I suggested politely 3 times that she get a cab, ride to the pharmacy, get her pills and get a cab back.

Bill was ready to strangle her but remained quiet about it.

We were too late for the pharmacy it was faxed to, they close at 5pm. But they were kind enough to fax to Fred Meyer who stays open until 9pm. When we were finally released, we all rode van to Fred Meyer, Si and I got out and sent Bill on to the hotel and went to the pharmacy. I had a prescription for anti-biotics for Bill for which we had to wait half an hour. Si's pills were ready.

We grabbed a cart and went off in search of food we could eat in the room. I got more gator-gag and some chips and we both went to the deli. They were putting fresh fried chicken into the pan in the deli and I got a box of 8 pieces loaded by the girl at the counter for $7.99. Also got some macaroni salad and some salt.

Courtesy van was prompt although the driver had to go to the bank for the hotel and pick up some people from Wal-Mart. We had a nice chat, us two girls, in the van. At Wal-Mart a family of 2 adults and 4 children got in and asked to go to Fred Meyer. So we went back there, not a long jaunt and made friends with the mother of the family on the way. Then to the Super 8.

Back in the room, Si and we visited. Ah, issues, she and Bill have so many issues and so little time. Through listening to Si when we were together without Bill in the van, waiting room and in the restaurant the next night, I learned:

Si says that the boys never learned how to cope. That Bill is a huge liar about his life and what happens in it. That he is full of sh** and always would be, but he is her brother and she loves him anyway. she was resentful that he wasn't there when their mother was dying--she called him at work with his band and he basically said to her "What do you want me to do? I am working, I can't just walk off." (I have heard this story several times from her, from Bill and from Bill's brother).

Bill essentially loves his sister, is grateful that she was old enough to serve duties as mother for him and his brother and sister when his mother was hospitalized for alcohol dementia and a drying out that never took. Si is vehement and adamant that Mom was never an alcoholic, never, ever, that is completely not so.

Anyway, I know each and every one of the 3 siblings I met are not happy when attention, especially family attention, is not firmly and solely on them. I would ask Si about something and she would answer and then Bill would take off on his experience with something similar. He does this he is egocentric, it is something I know and some would call him a blow-hard I suppose.

And he would talk and talk and Si and I would listen until I could steer the conversation back to her. It didn't take. When Si left to sleep that night, carrying her own dinner, I gently asked Bill to let his sister talk and not interrupt. But he couldn't see he had done that and I let it drop.

The chicken was most excellent, Bill ate more than I had seen him eat in a while and I certainly did too. We laid in the bed and watched TV while muting it to talk and putting the noise on just to have something to listen to/watch while we rested and tried to sleep. We both napped, waking every hour or so to stir around and then settle in again.

Oh, the Department of Public Health bulldog, I almost forgot to include a bit about Autumn....OMG, we had barely gotten back from shopping and the hospital before my cellphone was ringing with a strange number. It was Autumn with public health. She needed us to come in immediately to give sputum samples and get educated about TB, immediately.

Nope I told her, we're not going anywhere, not anywhere. she speechified about important it was to get an immediate education and action plan for TB. I let her talk and said once again, firmly "No." She suggested she come to us, "We" actually is what she said although I can't imagine who else she would bring.

Once again, no. She wanted to talk to Bill, so I handed him the phone, rolling my eyes. She went through her whole explanation again and I heard him say the same no, and no and no. He finally told her that he didn't have any more time ot talk and hung up.

After we went to our doctor's appointment at Valley Medical, she called again. VERY insistent that we must comply, TB was a huge issue in Alaska and she needed to get the education information and so on to us immediately. I said no. She suggested 'they' come to the hotel.

I said "You do NOT want to talk to Bill in person. Trust me, don't come, don't just show up and expect to see us. I am VERY serious, you do not want to talk to him. If you don't believe me, call Lynn at the Clinic and ask her if she suggests you talk to Bill." I was very serious, lowering my voice into as deadly a tone as I could.

Finally, I handed the phone to Bill. He said "Hello" listened a bit and then in the same calm, deadly voice as I had been talking in he said "No, no, no, no. You have the LAW on your side, I am REQUIRED to comply? Bring it on, lock me up, if I am as dangerously sick as you say I am, where are they going to put me? AND let me remind you, The skin test still has 24 hours to run before there is a diagnosis. You don't even KNOW if I have TB or not." He listened some more said "Dear, you are repeating yourself. Let me repeat myself, once I am officially diagnosed with TB, I will gladly jump through whatever hoops are required to comply. Until then, save your breath and I will save my breath and energy. Good-bye." and he hung up.

He was mad, oh so mad. I asked him to hand me the phone. I instructed the phone to reject all calls from that number and that was that. Later back home Lynn said she has dealt with Autumn in many instances and believes she is more than a tad OCD, perfect for her job, but difficult to deal with.

Bill was delighted there was finally something about a cellphone's operation that he really, really liked--ignore, he got a kick out of that one.

Okay, enough for this day. I knew Si felt like more than a third wheel all day at the hospital, and elsewhere except when it was just her and me. I figured she had high expectations for a much better encounter, gratitude perhaps, sympathy that she traveled all this way at 70 years of age, I don't know. What I do know is that she was disappointed in the visit thus far.

I will write more on the Juneau journey. Blessed be!

Today, we rested, I napped 2 times for 3 hours each and slept for 3 hours during the night. The TB skin test Lynn gave me Thursday is negative. It is Solstice and most of the town is likely out at Seven Pastures at the Elks' Annual Solstice party. We have never gone, Lynn said she wasn't going either. Partying for her was the opportunity to stay home all day and night.

I must remember to include a telling of the dog sitter and problems with the dogs, in the next entry I think.

Blessed be!