If any of this is spelled poorly, grammatically incorrect, or just plain incoherent, blame it on the morphine.
I went to the ER last night with terrible abdominal pains. They diagnosed pancreatitis. So now I have to go a couple of days NPO (nothing by mouth) with a saline drip.
But there’s a twist to the story. It’s a whole new hospital. Actually it’s a replacement buiding for an existing hospital, and yesteday was it’s opening day. It’s a big beautiful state of the art facility. Every patient room is a private room and has free cable and phone and free inernet access via the TV, which doubles as a browser.
Patient care procdures are all new and computerized.
And lucky me, I was one of their first ER patients and I’m the very first to use the patient room I’m typing this rom. I get to beta test all of it!
Some examples of my testing.
Last night I needed some xrays. The nice woman pushing the gurney I was in wandered all over the hospital trying to find the xray department.
the process of taking my history turned into 3 people stabbing at a keyord trying to figure out how to enter my information.
This morning, when it came time for another dose of morphine, and I was in terrible pain. it took two hours for the pharmacy to figure out how to get the computer to allow me to have a dose.
This last thing isn’t the hospitals fault, but it’s taken me 5 hours to type all of this because I keep falling asleep!
Wow, davidm. Sorry to hear of your pancreatitis! We just recently opened a new hospital here including transferring current patients to the new facility. It went as smoothly as one can expect. I hope they get the pain meds worked out so you can get some relief.
I’ve had very similar experiences with our local, 30+ year old hospital. My mother once waiting something like 6 hours for something to soothe her sore throat (sore because of the NG tube, so not something unanticipated.)
Hospitals suck, but they’re usually better than the alternative.
I was going to guess kidney stones when you mentioned severe abdominal pain. SAP can be almost anything though, and when I had stones the first time it seemed like it took forever for them to figure it out.
Man, when I finally got that Demerol, in the vein no less, I felt like I was floating. I’d never felt so good in my life(I thought) “Pain? What pain?”
Keep us posted on your recovery. How big is the hospital?
Spiderman, how do you know what hospital? I guess from my location and the opening date? It’s the new Einstein Montgomery on Germantown Pike, where Wood’s golf course used to be. Was that your guess?
Anyway the pain went away by Sunday afternoon. So I’m no longer on morphine, which makes me nauseus anyway. My lipase is elevated (I should Google that) and I’m getting an MRI Monday morning.
The third shift nurses are asking me how to work things. I’ve been here longer than them!
This keyboard is a pain. It’s one of those sealed rubber things, easier to disinfect I guess, but I’m a touch typer and the keys respond way too slow.
Hopefully, I won’t be here too long. I talked with my boss on Sunday and I have whatever paid sick time I need so that’s not too much of a concern at least.
Glad to hear you’re on the mend. Being is hospital is terribly suck. The charm of the “New Smell” probably wears off really quick!
Wishing you a speedy recovery and quick release from hospital. Take it easy, when you get out, treat yourself at least as gently as you would your child/spouse, okay?
I’ve heard pancreatitis is unbearable. Hope you feel better soon!
