This was on Main Board-Anybody close enough to help out?

I still haven't been able to meet you all and I don't post much but I know this Georgia Board is awesome and supportive of each other. I saw this post on main board this morning and thought maybe someone here is close enough to marrilee to help her out. Take Care and know you are all in my prayers. ~L~ 12 days out -- This is hard! Original Post by Marrilee M at 8:39 PM PST on 10/11/2004 This thread has been viewed 222 times 30 miles north of Atlanta, GA - RNY (09/30/2004) I had open RNY on 9/30. I'm 5'2", 350#. I was in the hospital for 8 days. Wound up with a stint in Intermediate care because I turned blue during surgery (not real sure yet just what that meant, I'll have to ask the doc). It was soooo hard in the hospital. I'm single with no family that could assist. I had a friend that stayed for the first 24hrs but then that was about it. And unfortunately the nursing staff in the reg. rooms are spread too thin. Plus just needing help getting in and out of bed. And the bathroom issues. If I had to do it over again, I'd hire an attendent. I'm sooo sleep deprived. I can't sleep in bed because I couldn't get up once I got horizontal. I sleep on an air mattress, like an Aero bed, now imagine taking a 5'2", 350# woman with a 12" incision and 2 tubes and laying her down in bed, now tell her to get up. So I've been trying to sleep in the recliner. The most I've put together is 4 hours. And this afternoon I had bad diarrhea. It took hours to take another shower, change the dressings on the wounds, load the washer, warm up a little soup. I'm wiped out. How do other single people do it? My best friend has been very sick, another friend is sick also. A third friend has disabilities and couldn't help much. Plus others are at work during the day. Since I'm on disability they were going to order visiting nurses but after I talked to the guy who was going to come out for the first visit I canceled it. I wouldn't trust him to feed my budgie, I sure wouldn't trust him with these wounds, drains, medicines, etc. Plus I've had visiting nurses in the past and they're really a hassel. There's someone different everyday so you're always getting phone calls for directions and changing times, etc. Then you have to explain all of the medical stuff to each one. So I'm kind of stuck between a rock and a hard place. They are a hassel but I am struggleing and could use some help. What do you think? I'm going to try and get some water and protein drink in and crush a tylenol PM. I've got to get some sleep. Roughing it in GA, Marrilee