Hi everybody, my hospital update. They said yes!!

[JMCKUSICK]

It's gonna be short and sweet because I'm still in tremendous pain.
At 2pm they came and took me to get that tube in my chest to drain the fluids around my lung.
It went well, they found a two liter bottle of Cherry 7-Up plus another 500 ccs.
That's right, they drained 2500 cc of fluid in less than 15 minutes.
My dilemma is that when they put the tube in, the referred pain hit my left shoulder and it's the worst pain I've felt since being here.
They gave me my normal pain medication and it did nothing so the NP on duty allowed a single dose of Dilaudid.5mg and thank heaven, it worked.
Unfortunately that was four hours ago and the pain is back in full force. I asked them to see if they can get another order to help me through the night and everybody seems to hem and haw as this is not "normal".
This is likely the most negative sounding post I've written about my experience here, because I'm afraid I'll be up all night with pain that borders on unbearable if I move the wrong way.
I'm hoping they will allow.....
I'll post further tomorrow as I'm sure I'll have some improvement.and because it's so critical for me to be in a good mindset.
Thank you guys for listening and I will use your positive wishes, prayers and energies to try and have a better night than I expect.
I love 😘 you all and as much as I've come to need your gifts of healing spirits, tonight I'm requesting them. Please.
You mean the world to me, my DU family.
Love, John

They approved my request and more than that, my nurse was the first person to acknowledge that this pain level is quite common.
It makes me cry that I was validated and makes me cry more for all the people who can't speak for themselves in situations like this and therefore suffer needlessly.
Thank you my spiritual protectors. I wish I could express my gratitude in a way that's commensurate to your gifts.
Love, John

[surfered]

1. Good vibes headed your way, but probably not as good as dilaudid

[JMCKUSICK]

7. Your vibes have moved me to joy beyond description,

Inspired me to be better, given me affirmation and validation, bricks of self esteem that will survive a hurricane, offered hope that allows me to see beautiful outcomes, graced me with the very best of what all of you carry inside you and I could go on and on.
Dilaudid kills pain

I was fully expecting your energies to carry me through a rough night. And they already have.
Thank you surfered and everyone else that knows that I meant them too

[surfered]

10. ❤️

[The Blue Flower]

13. Very happy you've had some relief from your pain

Wishing you a peaceful night's sleep. Healing is happening.

[Dorothy V]

2. If you feel a touch on your right shoulder,

It's just me, sending you what strength and encouragement I can.

[JMCKUSICK]

8. Thank you Dorothy V

You've touched me countless times and I try to be still enough to feel them all

[Tanuki]

3. Best wishes for a peaceful, pain-free evening.

May your healing be quick and complete.
Amen.
💐🕊

[JMCKUSICK]

5. Thank you Tanuki

[Walleye]

4. I sure hope you get some relief tonight. Take care of yourself.

[JMCKUSICK]

6. Thank you Walleye

[boonecreek]

9. Sending healing vibes your way.

Glad the new med is helping. Hope you get a good night's sleep.

[Diamond_Dog]

11. We're all pulling for you!

As hard as we can!

[JMCKUSICK]

26. Thank you Diamond _Dog

You have no idea how successful you all have been. I'm learning to dare to trust and rely on the miracles that seem to endlessly flow from you all.
As soon as I started writing this post, I remembered your power and started to believe it was possible and in a place where getting a hold of a Dr can take hours sometimes, it took minutes and it really is due to all of your souls directing their energy and prayers in exactly the same direction.
So powerful.

[debm55]

12. Now get some sleep.

[JMCKUSICK]

34. Thank you Debbie

P

[Karadeniz]

14. Im feeling your pain along with you.....so get better pronto !!!!

[JMCKUSICK]

23. Thank you Karadenix

I will use your words as inspiration.

[Omaha Steve]

15. Wishing you the best

K&R!

OS

[JMCKUSICK]

22. Thank you Omaha Steve

You are truly amazing

[MLAA]

16. Hope you get some healing sleep while you can ❤️

[JMCKUSICK]

21. Thank you MLAA

[CaptainTruth]

17. Best wishes to you!!!

[JMCKUSICK]

20. Thank you Captain Truth

[Clouds Passing]

18. Sleep well JM. Glad you got the pain meds. 🙏🏼💚

[JMCKUSICK]

19. Thank you CP

It's amazing how hard it is to sleep when you're feeling spiritually awakened.

[Clouds Passing]

24. It is, funny and not funny at the same time.

There are good tracks on meditativemind.org to aid with sleep. I hope you have your device plugged in.

?feature=shared

[hamsterjill]

25. I'm embarrassed to say that I've not kept up

I am on and off DU sporadically. But whatever your situation is - I wish you comfort. Pain can be such an awful thing, and it robs you of necessary sleep and peace that you need for healing. I hope the hospital staff gets you something that grants you that good night's sleep.

Wishing you all the very best.

[58Sunliner]

27. So glad you got your meds. I hate it when they try to invalidate your pain in a medical setting.

A chest tube can be quite painful. Hope you get lots of pain free rest!

[JMCKUSICK]

35. Thank you 58Sunliner

I can't count the number of times the facility that I was being treated at, set those unrealistic expectations in large part to "look"like they were fighting the abuse of opioids when in fact the were forcing people to go underground and fostering addiction.

[58Sunliner]

41. They make people suffer too. I will no longer see a doctor who will not prescribe pain meds.

[DENVERPOPS]

28. Great !!!!!!!! NC

[3catwoman3]

29. Hoping to hear, come morning, that you had a passably...

…comfortable night - hospitals are not the most restful places.

And, as a retired nurse practitioner, very pleased to hear that your nurse made you feel heard. That’s how it should be.

[electric_blue68]

30. Hopefully you are/will soon to be deeply sleep

😴😴😴😴

[HeartsCanHope]

31. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time.

Sending you healing thoughts, and a big hug. Hope you're feeling better very soon.

[Figarosmom]

32. I wish you a pain-free

Night and hope a good night's sleep brings further relieve.

[BlueSpot]

33. If I've read everything right, you're at Barnes-Jewish

One of the best heart hospitals in the country.

That is a lot of fluid removed. I hope that has eventually led to some relief, even if it took awhile.

Your attitude sounds good and you're in a great place to help.

Keeping you in my thoughts.

[JMCKUSICK]

38. Thank you BlueSpot,

They are really really good.
My whole left side hurts from the drainage procedure, with heavy soreness at the implant site for the hose, and the referred pain at the left shoulder still very painful.
What does feel much better is the "knot" in my right shoulder blade is either resolved or substantially improved.
I'm no Dr, but it seems the right medicine can accelerate the healing process while the wrong kind or too little can really almost cause more damage.

[murielm99]

36. Prayers and cyber hugs.

I get it about the pain. Get all the help you need with that.

I am glad you are posting.

[JMCKUSICK]

37. Thank you murielm99

I appreciate your kind words

[Laffy Kat]

39. Boy, they are getting so stingy with pain meds these days.

The docs are afraid we'll turn into raving addicts. Pisses me off. Most of us will never abuse pain medications, we just want relief.

At least having all of that fluid out should help with comfort. Hugs to you.

[Laurelin]

40. I'm glad you're being taken care of

Get well soon

[debm55]

42. Glad you got a good night sleep