Musings Between Hospital and Home

Illustration found on the web

I have spent a notable part of the past week in the hospital with a family member who would not want me to publish his situation on the web. It's been quite a week, running back and forth two or three times a day between busy schedules at work, and the hospital 15 minutes' drive away. It has given me a bit of time to think on my drives, though, and to pray. Praying is always a good thing, more and more important to me as the years pass.

During my drives I have also had time to muse upon the things I have observed through the past week.  Here, in no particular order, and with no attempt at being literary, are some of my observations:

• People with medical training in my family are prone to not realize when it's time for them to seek medical help.
• People with medical training can be really, really grumpy patients.
• Doctors will actually tell you when they don't agree with each other.
• Nurses come in all kinds of flavors. 
• You shouldn't trust your first impression as to the expertise of a medical person.  People who seem a bit "fluffy-headed" can turn out to be quite good.
• Nurses put up with a lot of junk and yuck.
• Speech pathologists teach patients how to swallow and to eat so they won't choke.  I did not know that.
• There's a starch that they put in liquids so they are "nectar thick" and patients won't choke on them. Somebody I know hates that stuff being put in his Sprite.
• It's really dehumanizing for an adult to be in a bed with a diaper on, and to be required to soil it when they can't get out of bed.
• Visitors can be an upper.
• Hospital stays don't necessarily bring peace.
• When a patient declares, while being rolled into surgery, "I suppose there will be a general offering taken up," you may as well just laugh.
• It's really wonderful when a doctor prays for the patient before putting them under anesthesia for surgery.
• Chatty nurses outside a room in the night hours really annoy a patient.
• Medical personnel who are good at explaining--which is all of them that I've met in this past week--are much appreciated by the family.
• When the patient's toilet overflows, for Pete's sake, the janitor ought first to turn off the water valve.
• Patients' beds should be positioned, if at all possible, so they can see out a window and get a sense that they are still connected with the world and its weather.