Hospital: Two Days
Too Many Mistakes, Too Much Anxiety
I paid for private hospital care.
I have private health insurance.
That’s what you do, right?
🩺
I arrived on the day,
sweaty palms, heart pounding, dry mouth.
I signed the paperwork, my husband left.
They said they’d text him with a pickup time.
Apparently, support isn’t needed here.
🩺
After not too long,
I was admitted.
Dressed in a hospital gown
sitting in bed.
🩺
I waited, and waited.
🩺
Finally, someone comes along,
just confidently breezes into my cubicle,
starts talking to me.
Then she realises, I’m not Felicity.
“I asked you if you were Felicity!”
she says as she storms out.
🩺
Feeling a little smaller now,
more alone.
🩺
I waited some more.
🩺
Finally, my surgeon.
She tells me they have bad news,
my heart sinks.
They’ve run out of time; I can’t be done today.
🩺
The good news?
I can come back tomorrow and do this all again.
🩺
My husband picked me up.
I collapsed into tears.
Went home and tried to watch a movie.
Had another sleepless night.
🩺
The next morning,
I woke feeling less prepared than the day before.
I arrived again,
sweatier palms, heart slamming now, drier mouth.
Everyone knew me and felt sorry for me.
My lovely admission nurse saw I wasn’t coping,
offered me sedation.
I’m so grateful for this.
🩺
Back in my gown, back in my bed.
People stopped by to keep me informed.
My sedation kicked in.
I laughed at my phone for a bit.
I felt ready.
🩺
I chatted to the anaesthetist as she sent me off to sleep.
🩺
“Is it all over?” I said.
“Is it really?” I said again with relief.
🩺
I was moved to recovery,
feeling nauseous and dizzy.
Probably dehydration from two days of fasting,
they admitted.
It still didn’t stop them from sending me on my way.
In less than one hour, they walked me to a recliner and
gave me some discharge instructions.
I ate a sandwich and was handed over to my husband.
🩺
Nothing was said to him,
but he had to sign a form confirming
he would look after me for the night.
🩺
I got home to the lounge and passed out for hours.
I woke enough to have dinner when our son got home.
He went to bed.
I took some paracetamol and ibuprofen.
🩺
Just before I went to bed,
I found some discharge instructions in my bag:
“NO ANTI-INFLAMMATORIES TODAY.”
Not the ibuprofen I’d just taken.
🩺
I remember now, they did say this to me,
when I was dizzy, nauseous and couldn’t walk on my own.
Why wasn’t my husband given my discharge instructions?
🩺
They put my life in danger.
They caused me two days of anxiety.
🩺
I’m left wondering:
Why did I pay for this service?
I could have had it for free
in a public hospital.
About the Creator
Sandy Gillman
I’m a mum to a toddler, just trying to get through the day. I like to write about the ups and downs of parenting. I’m not afraid to tell it like it is. I hope you’ll find something here to laugh, relate to, and maybe even learn from.
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Comments (12)
I really felt your anxiety, frustration, and relief throughout the whole experience. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
🌼Stuff like this always starts with the client doing the right thing, which you did. You ensured that you wouldn't be messed around. The fact that your husband wasn't allowed to stay for support is baffling. 🌼That Antithesis, "She tells me they have bad news, my heart sinks. They’ve run out of time; I can’t be done today," was powerful. It makes your body sound easily discarded. It is sickening how they didn't think to word that some other way so that you don't expect the worst. This was a great control over the narrative, misdirecting my assumption.
I was just having a conversation with a nursing friend today, we both agreed that the majority of public hospitals are actually better-staffed and generally, run smoothly. Private hospitals tend to run more like a business, thank goodness for Medicare. Sounds like you got the shite end of the stick, which is horrendous. Wishing you a speedy recovery.
Sending love and hugs, I admire your strength to have done this piece 💜💜
That is crazy Sandy! When I had surgery I was required to have another adult present to receive all the discharge information for my own safety and he had attest that I wouldn't be left alone for the first 24 hours after discharge. I would be so angry about this. Actually, I am angry on your behalf. Hope you're healing well.
💗💗 .💗💗.💗💗💗💗 WOW 💙💗🌹 LOVE🌹💛💗 HUGS 💙❤🌹 LOVE 🌹💛💗 💙💗🌹 LOVE🌹💛💗
On a different note, I admire your capacity to turn that experience into a poetic form.
That all sounds like a horror story you may have in your dreams. I would write something for the local newspaper about the experience, naming the hospital, that's the only way businesses seem to take note of their lack of professionalism and make changes. That's me being always ready to complain when a business needs some shaking up. I hope you feel better now and your husband is pampering. Also, why in this world sent your husband home with a pick up time rather than letting him stay there with you for emotional support? Those people are simply idiots
Healthcare services is not what it used to be. Its like the world have flipped over night. I can understand stand your stress and concern. Take care of yourself. Sending you healing hugs ! 💕❤️🩷🧡💛💚
Jesus Christ, I hope you're okay - this sounds horrible!
Oh shit, how can they be so irresponsible?! That's atrocious! Not to mention the inconvenience they caused you. Smh. I hope you're okay now
I'm sorry your experience was like this ☹️