I just learned something new. The nurse is now doing the pump thing. I explained that he must have 4 hours. (I had to because every nurse wants to do it less and they go into the explanation, etc ) but I just politely explained that the last infusion was a little over 3 and he became ill the next day and please to make it 4. No problem there. I even gave her one of my muffins. She is very very nice and we've been speaking french for 30 minutes.

Now this is what I learned today. I naturally assumed that the bag of Gamma would hang on the iv pole during the infusion. So when I see Alan, with all the iv stuff in his arm and the bag of gamma is on the table, I just said "have you started yet?" and she replied, "Oh, this has nothing to do with gravity, it goes through the pump". I did not understand this whole thing. How on earth can medicine go through a pump if the bag is not hanging on the iv pole? She must have seen my confusion and she laughed and showed me how the pump is monitoring the infusion, and the arrows are going in a certain direction and if it becomes occluded or it was not infusing at the rate programmed, the pump would be beeping.

I had absolutely no knowledge that this is how it is done. I tell you, this is absolutely amazing. I thought everything is done via gravity and I still don't understand how the pump draws out the liquid from the bag but since I'm not a medical person, I don't have to understand anything, right?

The pump is not beeping, that means it's working, so we'll eat our muffins.

She also explained the pouch thing and she explains that people can have the gamma bag lower than the pouch and it still infuses. Never knew such a thing was possible.

I should have done what my mother did at 56 years old. She went to nursing school. I wouldn't feel like such a boob!!!

lol

Melody