Wonderduck's Pond

November 23, 2022

Silver Lining

Y'all likely remember that along with everything else going on, I'm the proud landlord to a colony of bacteria that is antibiotic-resistant. Fortunately there are a FEW bugstompers that are effective to various definitions of "effective". They're all IV-administered however. A course of them is anywhere from 7-14 days long. To prevent my arms from looking like someone threw a pissed-off hedgehog at me, a PICC line is inserted just above the elbow. This provides a medium-term port for the application of IVs and other meds.

But there's a catch. This PICC (for the more medically inclined amongst the Pond Scum, it's actually a "midline") is run up the arm, through the shoulder, and down to the vicinity of the heart to better move the drug around. The nursing home staff doesn't do that, instead hiring an outside company to do the work. THEY bring the fancy crap with them, like the ultrasound unit that's basically a tablet and salt-shaker. That lets the technician find the correct vein and run a dilator with a teeny tiny camera in it to better place the line.

This would be incredibly cool if it wasn't being done to me. Anyway. The last three PICCs have all been inserted by the same man who I shall name Skippy for the duration of this post. He actually said that I'm his favoritist subject because A) I'm not old, and B) I have a sensayuma. Also C) I'm not old. While he was getting set up, we chatted. He had left his home at 6am to show up around 8am to do the inserting. He'd stopped at McD's for some sausage muffins and hash browns during his drive. When he said that, I mentioned that I envied him.

See, I haven't had McD's... or really ANY fast food... since this nightmare began in March 2021, and I LOVE their brekky samitches. He then said the words that made me very happy: "I've got an extra I'm not going to eat, want it?" I couldn't say YES fast enough.

Which is how I had McD's for breakfast yesterday... and oh, it was divine.

Then a few hours later, they bundled me up and moved me to another room. A PRIVATE room. See, those bacteria I mentioned reached a count of 100,000. I don't know what that means, but it did seem to make people very excited. So they moved me. They SAY it's isolation, but honestly I don't care. I'd like to think that it's really because of my roomie, who has been irrationally angry of late. Screaming at nurses, CNAs, and anybody else within 50 feet about how they took his coffeemaker away (fire hazard), or how he want allowed to take a shower (not one of his shower days) or how they stole his underwear (still in laundry from the day before. This is normal). He saved his biggest fit for very early Monday. The toilet clogged (one application of plunger to fix) and he took it as a personal affront. At 330am he was ranting in the hallway about how his was going to start throwing punches if it wasnt fixed immediately. NOT cool.

I'd taken to saying "quit yelling" at him, knowing it was pointless: he's nearly deaf. And of course, the incessant giggling.

Do two birds, one stone: get me into quarantine AND get me the hell out of that jerk's presence. Last night I slept for about 10 hours, the first real sleep I'd gotten in a week. So remember kiddies, sometimes infections can be good things!

Posted by: Wonderduck at 08:21 PM | Comments (23) | Add Comment
Post contains 598 words, total size 4 kb.

1 1. Get well soon. Maybe you should research Things That Kill Resistant Bacteria. Too bad you can't get hold of Bald's Eyesalve yet.
2. Obviously it kinda stinks to have Thanksgiving in isolation, but it sounds like you can also have a nice quiet day and watch some anime.
3. Well, I've actually missed almost every show in the last two years, much less anime. I'm too busy on workdays, and too tired on days off. Sigh.
4. I kinda wonder if a "vitamin cocktail", like they're testing for fighting sepsis, might also be useful for helping your body resist the bacteria. Probably not, because of the biofilm, but OTOH all the vitamins would probably give your body energy and make you feel better.
Not that you need another IV, though.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at November 24, 2022 12:44 AM (sF8WE)

2 Just letting you know some random internet person wishes you the best. And maybe the doctor shouldn't have pulled it like starting a lawnmower, but taking a PICC out isn't fun, either.

Posted by: Binchou-fan at December 05, 2022 01:36 PM (28DnC)

3 Quick note: Wonderduck is having trouble logging in to the blog. I'm looking into it.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 19, 2022 11:58 PM (BLOW1)

4 Since I also can't log in to this blog, I can probably track the problem down and fix it.

Posted by: Pixy Misa at December 20, 2022 01:12 AM (BLOW1)

5 December 23rd 8:30PM update: Wonderduck txted me that he is in the Critical Care Unit with some kind of blood issue. He's been there since Tuesday and he has successfully escaped from the spiders but is still stuck in Mirkwood. He has his phone but is still waiting for a chance to charge it now that he can use it.

Posted by: Ben at December 23, 2022 08:35 PM (DH73r)

6 Posted in comments at Brickmuppet:
Just as a FYI, I'm out of the CCU. I have some massive infections, a surgical procedure on Tursday. Not in any pain, feel pretty good honestly.
According to a doctor, I was close to have serious life-threatening issues, but that's been handled... 6 units of blood about 12 big bags of saline, and at least a month of antibiotics are in my future. But I'm alive.
I still can't Pond though.

Posted by: Cadrys at December 27, 2022 01:12 PM (T6enK)

7 Arrrrgh! Glad you are feeling better, but holy cow!
On the bright side, it's well known that getting blood from a young, healthy person can actually jumpstart your own body a tad, if you're sick. So hopefully all your blood came from some young whippersnapper who never gets sick.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at December 27, 2022 01:57 PM (sF8WE)

8 Suburbanbanshee: another Heinlein prediction come true.

Posted by: Rick C at December 29, 2022 10:38 AM (BMUHC)

9 There's a game called Placid Plastic Duck Simulator, on Steam. It has no interactivity at all, just camera controls.
If you leave it open long enough, you get more ducks and achievements.
Probably not what you want right now, but it does have an odd relaxing fascination to it.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at January 13, 2023 01:00 AM (sF8WE)

10 Along the same lines as the above, I just got off a session on the World of Warships public Test server. This year's April Fools game is back to the Hot Tub from the old Bottleships April fools game, only this time, you're driving around Rubber Ducks.

Posted by: Mauser at February 23, 2023 08:20 PM (BzEjn)

11 I'm sorry to have to report that Wonderduck, AKA Eric Carra, passed away on March 8 due to complications from his medical problems. His stepfather asked me to let you all know since this blog and community meant so much to Eric. His obituary is posted at the Fitzgerald Funeral Home in Rockford, Illinois. Here is the link: https://www.fitzgeraldfh.com/obituaries/Eric-T-Carra?obId=27495006#/obituaryInfo There will be a memorial gathering this Friday, March 24 at 1:00pm Central time. There is a zoom link in the obituary. Eric was a lifelong friend. He will be missed.

Posted by: Vancanson's Duck at March 22, 2023 02:44 PM (0dtXM)

12 Very sad news. When Wonderduck was still posting, this site was a part of my daily routine, and I was always cheered when I saw that there was a new military history or Formula One post to read.

Posted by: David Eastman at March 22, 2023 06:47 PM (hiYWq)

13 So sad to hear he passed. He's the reason my wife and I started following F1. His writing (from driver nicknames to crash euphemisms) never failed to get a chuckle.

Posted by: Will at March 23, 2023 03:00 PM (jrY13)

14 Dang. Sorry to hear about this. RIP, Wonderduck.

Posted by: Rick C at March 24, 2023 02:11 PM (BMUHC)

15 Requiem aeternam dona eis, Domine. He was one of our own. God Speed and Safe flight Wonderduck

Posted by: StargazerA5 at March 24, 2023 05:15 PM (QbD7n)

16 RIP, Wonderduck.
Thank you for the many wonderful anime recommendations and reviews over the years. Our tastes aligned quite well: Aria, Hidamari, Nanoha, and many others.

I'm honored to have been called Pond Scum.

Posted by: mikeski at March 26, 2023 02:24 AM (DgGvY)

17 Another titan falls. RIP, Duck.

Posted by: ubu at March 26, 2023 06:34 PM (UlsdO)

18 Too soon! I was 2 years older. RIP

Posted by: Pete Zaitcev at March 26, 2023 10:20 PM (LZ7Bg)

19 We will all miss you, Wonderduck. Creative in everything, interested and interesting about so many things -- your blog was a bright light.
Praying. Please pray for us, too.

Posted by: Suburbanbanshee at March 29, 2023 07:42 PM (sF8WE)

20 Oh, dammit. I skip checking on the comments for a couple of weeks and the news I kind of expected but mostly feared has arrived.

We shared a joy in music, in anime, and in duckies. I'll give Rusty a pat on the head in tribute.

Posted by: GreyDuck at April 02, 2023 08:53 PM (twFTQ)

21 I only just saw this sad news. RIP.

Posted by: Andy at April 05, 2023 02:57 PM (znlo7)

22 Happy birthday, Eric Duck. Rest in peace. You are remembered, you are missed.

Posted by: In memoriam at April 24, 2023 05:24 PM (OKEYY)

23 Silver Lining is a nice post providing us the right ideas that are bringing the right results. You can have a peek at these guys to find the best services that are providing us the right results.

Posted by: Kathryn G Davis at November 02, 2024 12:38 PM (JoF5E)

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