Jerry Update #4

Just got home from visiting Jerry. His potassium is up to a 2.1, it has to be a 3.5 before they will send him home. So maybe tomorrow some time.

I think the doctors are back to treating the symptoms and not finding the problem. They are just giving him potassium every which way they can, IV, liquid, food etc. They have not run any tests other than 2 EKGs, xrays (which showed he has bronchitis on top of everything else), and the labs that check his potassium.

Which is all good, but none of that shows us what is causing him to loose potassium to such a great degree, nearly fatal degree. I hung out for about 3 hours this morning hoping the doctor would come by so that I could hopefully get some answers, but noone came by.

I have also decided that Jerry is in the least family concerned squadron in the Air Force.

At Lakenheath and at Eglin both when Jerry was TDY someone called at least once in a while and checked on us. When he was sent to Germany to check out what the deal was with his blood pressure, they called almost daily just to see if we needed anything. When he was at Eglin and got put in the hospital they called, they stopped me on the road, they stopped by the house with dinner. When I was in the hospital from my surgery they came by the hospital, both times and checked on me, plus checked on and helped Jerry and the kids.

Here, nothing.

At least since Lt. G left. When Lt. G was in the flight, and Jerry was in the hospital, he called 2 to 3 times a day, and checked on the kids and I. He offered to bring dinner by, he offered to take the kids home with him for the night (which I turned down because they were expecting twins at the time). He stopped by the hospital several times, even took Jerry his laptop to watch movies on. The new LT? Not so much! Considering I couldn't even tell you what the new LT. looks like or sounds like, and he has been in the flight since September, I think the only person he is concerned about is himself. I know he likes bragging when he causes his enlisted to get in trouble with the shirt/commander, he has made the mistake of doing it loudly when people are on the phone. I don't think he is someone that I really want around my kids anyway. But wouldn't he be a better officer if he showed some compassion, some care for his enlisted members when they are in the hospital? Or even if he showed some care and compassion for their family members by picking up the phone and calling to see if they needed anything.

Jerry has been in the hospital twice now since Lt. G left. The only person that calls to check on us is Jerry's NCOIC (kinda sorta, they are both the same rank) J. J called here yesterday rioght before I called the shop to let him know that the ER was admitting him, to find out what was going on. Then he called last night to see if we knew anything new.

Jerry has had three visitors to check on him, the shirt yesterday, and J and E (J's wife) today.

But has anyone from the squadron called me and checked on the kids and I? No.

I know that I let my pride get in the way and don't ask for help. I know if someone says what can I do? I tend to say nothing, because I am not used to leaning on anyone else. But I also know had someone from the squadron shown up in December with food, or to clean house with me, or just to take the kids for a few hours, I would not have turned them away. Hell if someone from the squadron showed up last night and said let the kids come out to dinner with us, I would have been all over it.

I am not saying that I want someone to take over around here, but just a show of support and a hey we are here if you need us would be nice.

Especially since it seems like all they want to do here is point fingers and blame everyone else, and they don't seem to ever want to help the people/members/families in trouble.