# Broomstick's Husband Is In the Hospital **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 27, 2013, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791 "2013-09-27T11:40:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/21 "2013-09-27T20:24:47Z")
Sending good wishes your way. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/22 "2013-09-27T20:25:44Z")
Saying a little prayer for the Broomsticks (file that under “things you never thought you’d say”). I know you have other priorities right now, but do keep us updated as best you can. ---
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/23 "2013-09-27T20:27:50Z")
Making with the prayers. Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Cheez\_Whia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d26b3c/32.png) [@Cheez\_Whia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheez_Whia)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/24 "2013-09-27T21:14:15Z")
Oh no! ☹ I hope they sort this out quickly and he gets better soon! Don’t forget to take care of yourself too! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/25 "2013-09-27T22:44:20Z")
Thanks for all the good wishes folks. Since I’m having a bit of dinner at home before heading out to the hospital again here’s the update: Looks like it’s a really bad kidney infection. Which was causing enough swelling to create a partial bowel obstruction. :eek: Gotta remember, the spouse has a long-standing spinal injury and doesn’t always feel pain when he should. He kind of knew _something_ was up, and even had an appointment scheduled with his urologist _for next week_ but apparently he didn’t clue in to things quite soon enough. The other thing is that there is no sign of a bladder infection this time, which is a bit unusual, because in the past that’s how it has started - bladder/UTI infection climbing up into his kidneys. Of course, that’s only tonight’s theory, it still might be something else, but at least they’ve eliminated some of the scarier possibilities. Of course, they’ve done tons of labs and tests and all sorts of things. It was a 9 hour ordeal to get him to the hospital, admitted, and settled in a room. AND there was other crazy shit - he’s been to this hospital before and somehow or other their records showed he was taking a daily aspirin. Uh, NO. _He is allergic to aspirin_. Ugh! Had to review all the medication and stuff. Fortunately, the spouse keeps an updated list of what he’s taking and how much on our home computer so we had printed off a couple copies and took them with us, it made it all much easier (but still mucky). Anyhow, he’s been thoroughly rehydrated, was medicated for nausea and pain, managed to get some sleep last night, and today he’s keeping down solid food. He says he still feels like shit and to be honest he still looks like shit and still has a fever, but being able to rest and eat is progress at this point. And they have him on IV antibiotics. If it’s an infection that will also help. It’s expected he’ll be in the hospital at least 3 or 4 days, so we’ll see how quickly he improves. Since I’m the sort who loses their appetite and/or forgets to eat when under a lot of stress I’m scheduling my meals and making a point to eat something three times a day. My boss has been decent about letting me come in a bit late this morning and, since we had very little going on this afternoon, let me off an hour early. Just have to work tomorrow and my weekend will be here. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/26 "2013-09-27T22:52:47Z")
Luck to him. ---
**Author:** ![nonacetone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nonacetone/32/2819_2.png) [@nonacetone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nonacetone)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/27 "2013-09-27T23:21:13Z")
Sending you both good wishes, and a swift recovery for Mr.B. ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 12:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/28 "2013-09-28T00:53:58Z")
May the news keep trending to better. I hope he’s healthy and home soon. ---
**Author:** ![InternetLegend](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/internetlegend/32/13154_2.png) [@InternetLegend](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/InternetLegend)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/29 "2013-09-28T01:54:51Z")
I’m glad to hear that you’re trying to take care of yourself as well. I hope Mr. Broomstick improves quickly on the IV antibiotics and that he’s fully recovered soon. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/30 "2013-09-28T01:55:25Z")
I’m sorry he’s so sick, but glad to hear it’s something treatable. Do take care of yourself! Hope he’s home and feeling back to normal very soon. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a88e4f/32.png) [@Digital\_is\_the\_new\_Analog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_is_the_new_Analog)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 2:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/31 "2013-09-28T02:24:53Z")
I hope it clears up quickly, and he’s back to flying around soon. Witches need their broomsticks! ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/32 "2013-09-28T02:33:31Z")
Well, went to see him. We’re both tired but he’s starting to get some color back and they keep sending more food his way to get him to eat. I was a bit alarmed to see he was on vancomycin, they usually save that for drug-resistant bugs. I did get snappish with the nurse. She was getting scoldly about him re-using catheters and going on about how he needs to use a new one every time… I’m sorry, it’s been a long day at work, I had to deal with a workplace bully who thought today would be a really good time to jack me around, and now this nurse is scolding us. Well, here’s the math: a new catheter every time is $5 each time (this has somewhat to do with the catheter he needs to use, which MUST be latex free because he has an allergy to that). _At least_ four a day. That’s $20 a day, $140 a week (that’s more than our weekly food budget, by the way) and $600 a month (which, by the way, is more than our rent+utilities). We are poor. Officially so. _We literally can not afford to do that, we just don’t have the money._ She then started in with “Medicare pays for a couple hundred catheters a month…” I pointed out _we don’t have Medicare_. That’s not our insurance. And we can NOT find a place that will accept our insurance for those catheters he needs. We don’t re-use them because we’re stupid, it’s because we _really don’t_ have a choice. And the light bulb goes off over her head. Yes, this is a _really stupid_ way to run things because, just two days into this hospital stay it’s already cost _tens of thousands of dollars_ to treat this. He’s going to be in until at least Monday, so the money keeps adding up. Which is just another example of our jack-up health care “system” that we can get covered for tens of thousands for an emergency hospital stay but when it comes to preventing it with something as simple as a sterile piece of plastic we’re kicked to the curb. Which sounds really pissed off but yeah, I am. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 2:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/33 "2013-09-28T02:47:37Z")
Hey, girl. _Hugs & Best Wishes_ He’s going to be Fine… I Truly believe that. But while he’s getting the world’s best care, we are also all worried about You. Please calm some if you can. Please eat right, even if you’re not in the mood. Please get a good nights sleep or as much as you can for as long as you can. Look, this sounds selfish but he Needs you at your Best, because it won’t be easy for him to see you at your worst. Please take care. Please? You are who he is looking forward to seeing you know… not some nurse. ---
**Author:** ![applebetty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4af34b/32.png) [@applebetty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/applebetty)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/34 "2013-09-28T05:10:19Z")
Sending good wishes…hope he is better soon. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/35 "2013-09-28T06:22:01Z")
{{{{ **Broomstick** }}}}. Be as mean and pissed as you have to be. Being a patient advocate is a hard and thankless job, but you’ll both do better in the long run. Don’t let the bullies get you down. You want I should come beat up on em? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/36 "2013-09-28T15:25:12Z")
> [@Broomstick](#): > > And the light bulb goes off over her head. Yes, this is a _really stupid_ way to run things because, just two days into this hospital stay it’s already cost _tens of thousands of dollars_ to treat this. He’s going to be in until at least Monday, so the money keeps adding up. > > Which is just another example of our jack-up health care “system” that we can get covered for tens of thousands for an emergency hospital stay but when it comes to preventing it with something as simple as a sterile piece of plastic we’re kicked to the curb. > > Which sounds really pissed off but yeah, I am. Preach it, Sister! ---
**Author:** ![Gagundathar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a183cd/32.png) [@Gagundathar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gagundathar)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/37 "2013-09-28T15:33:29Z")
My Lady and I extend our best wishes and expectations for a speedy recovery. Be your usually assertive self at the hospital. They make mistakes just like we all do, but their’s are fraught with danger and calamity. The catheter incident is indicative of just how broken our health care system is in general. And, don’t forget to take care of yourself. He needs you sane (well, ok… relatively sane) and healthy now more than ever. ---
**Author:** ![Buttercup\_Smith](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buttercup_smith/32/473_2.png) [@Buttercup\_Smith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buttercup_Smith)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/38 "2013-09-28T15:46:59Z")
I think the sickest I ever was was a kidney infection. Here’s hoping for a speedy recovery. ---
**Author:** ![ENugent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/4af34b/32.png) [@ENugent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ENugent)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2013, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/39 "2013-09-28T16:17:49Z")
Wow, that sounds awful. I hope he gets better soon. Take care of yourself, so you’ll be able to take care of him when he comes home. Do you think there’s any way to get a doctor on the phone to yell at your stupid insurance and get catheters covered under some kind of exception, or have you already tried all of that? (Completely off-topic, except you’ll know it’s not entirely if the answer is yes, have you read _Courting Greta_? If so, what did you think?) ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2013, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791/40 "2013-09-29T02:16:30Z")
I was thinking more along the lines of, “Well, if you have to re-use them (and it sounds like you do), they need to educate you on the best way to sterilize them to prevent this from happening again.” I’m awfully glad that they have figured out what’s wrong with him and he’s on the upswing, though. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/broomsticks-husband-is-in-the-hospital/669791.md?page=3)