Bubba's Binge-Continued

This hospital visit is as a result of an all-day "drug cocktail" as a family friend says. Bubba tells us the ingredients:

Skip Afternoon Session at School
("all we were doing was sitting there eating candy anyway!")

Marijuana (2 big joints)

8 Coricidin Cough/Cold Tablets
("taken all at once!" "I learned that in Rehab" he says)

Powdered Cocaine

Smoked Cocaine

Smoked "Keef" ("a concentrated form of THC") he says, with Hashish

Gee, I think to myself, is that all? Knowing his propensity for alcohol, I tell the doctor that he's also an alcoholic, so he throws that in the drug screen as well.

But, it's difficult to get a urine sample. Bubba's so dehydrated that he can't urinate, try as he might.

The nurse threatens him with a Foley Catheter. While we stand on the other side of the curtain, I ask him if he understands what a catheter is, and he says he doesn't. I explain very motherly, using precise terms for anatomy parts and what she's about to do to "it"!

He curses after hearing my explanation and I once again tell him to watch his mouth.

Several cups of water and 20 minutes later we get his specimen.

Time for an EKG. I tell Bubba that I am going to get a little perverse pleasure in the technician pulling the sticky contacts off his hair legs! She laughs out loud as I say...."Do it verrrrrry slowly!" Bubba finds it amusing too and I explain that it's "retaliation" for me having to spend my evening in the ER.

Now the IV. Again, I somewhat enjoy seeing him wince as the nurse has to stick him repeatedly with a long needle into what she refers to as his "good" veins. She keeps running into "valves" she says, and she can't push the line in properly.

The astonished RN brings over her fellow nurse to show her the problem. Because it's so "unusual" to have that trouble according to the nurse, Bubba smiles and says, "You guys are just messing with me!"

On the fourth try, the needle slips in properly and they begin the first bag of fluids. I silently pray that tonight's needle experience makes him stay away from any IV drugs. They take five vials of blood for testing. The nurse explains that the amount is standard for heart problems.

Hours go by, and I watch him as he twitches and jerks from the toxins in his system. Resting?

The rest of the story....next entry..........