I've had a couple of surgeries in my life, but had never spent a night in a hospital until last week: 5 days in there. Even in a very attentive and kind hospital it is a strange, unpleasant - and disorienting - experience. Feeling like a pin cushion is the least of it.
I'd be interested in other peoples' experiences.
Things I learned:
- Rules about your restaurant doggy bag: Heat to 165+ degrees before eating it, and throw it out after 24 hrs. Our new rule: No more doggy bags at all (except steak) which is a drag for me because I have not finished a restaurant meal in a decade. Typical food-poisoning is Salmonella, but I got Campylobacter (which is typically minor but not in my case). Besides fatigue and constant diarrhea, my electrolytes became dangerously imbalanced which is what concerned the docs: Potassium mostly. Plus IV saline to combat the dehydration.
- When you are sick as s-, you don't necessarily appreciate how ill you are because it affects your mental clarity. I had to fall on the floor from weakness + dizziness due to dehydration to realize this was not nothing.
- Being in hospital feels like confinement (is confinement) unless you feel too terrible to get out of bed. Plus the hospital gown makes you feel (and look) like an invalid: "How are we feeling this morning? Did we have a BM?"
- The BBC Planet Earth series has stunning videography. Also I read 2 books. I highly recommend Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World
- A "Clear liquid" diet is the worst thing. 3 times/day: Decaf tea, jello, ginger ale (which is ok), lemon ice (which I hope to never see again). Finally got a nice nurse to sneak me fresh coffee from the nursing station.
- How to fix an IV pump yourself when it beeps an obstruction.
- A regular Med/Surg floor at my place had 4 units, about 20 patients/unit. A unit has a Charge Nurse, 4 RNs, 4 CNAs (Certified Nurse Assistants) and a clerk. The RNs work 12-hr shifts for 3 days (7 -7), then 4 days off unless they want to fill in for others. I had a private room, thankfully. The hospital docs make rounds any time before 1 or 2 pm.
- When a patient dies it is dealt with discreetly. Happens all the time, too.
- Can you sleep normally in a hospital? Nope, even with sleep meds.
More about Med/Surg routines below the fold -
- The routine:
5 AM a guy comes in to take the trash.
6 AM a nurse comes in with the heparin needle (this is pretty much universal these days).
6:30 AM the lab vampire shows up to take your blood.
7:30 AM RN comes in with your meds and to change your IV bags as needed, and the CNA shows up to do your vitals to confirm that you are alive. Arm-pit temps are better than oral.
8 AM the food service shows up. (Food is not bad on their regular plan, but I got only one day of that. That menu had choices of burger and fries, chicken breast with mushroom sauce, lobster tail, filet mignon, a vegan selection - pretty decent choices.)
Around 9 AM Housekeeping comes in to clean.
Hospital MD stops by sometime between 7 AM to 2 PM.
Around noon RN comes in to check or change IV, give mid-day meds, and, with me anyway, for a little chat and jokes.
Around 1, "lunch"
An IV Specialist can stop by anytime to check your IV site.
Around 6, RN checks IV, gives PM meds.
Around 6, "dinner"
Around 6:30 Lab vampire comes by again to take your blood.
7:30 or so, night shift RN stops by to check in, and CNA comes in to do PM vitals.
Of course, all varies according to need. And if you need anything, you just push a button.
