I Went Back To The Hospital For The Nausea
[ Sunday November 17th 2024 at 4:18 am ]
I am done at the hospital emergency department. Faithfully Gary The Hamster greeted me. It was really great to come home to him. I gave Gary his evening meal. Then I really wanted a treat. I went to a 24 hour gas station to buy a snack for myself. I purchased a 6 pack of raspberry - cream filling pastry and a can of Pringles. It has been at least 2 years since I purchased Pringles and at least 20 years for the raspberry pastry. I am very careful about what I eat. I don't want to gain weight. I wanted something nice from just how horrible the past 2 days have treated me. When my left artificial hip injures me it is a very physically demanding experience.
The emergency department was absolutely slammed this evening. At one time there were 3 critically ill patients requiring life saving medical treatment. No other patients were treated during this 2 hour block of time. One patient was in respiratory failure. Another patient had a stroke. The third patient, 99 years old, had a hernia and doing surgery to repair it would have killed him. Instead this required the team to set the hernia the same way you set a broken bone without an operation. I really feel for the health care professionals. The wait time was understandably long on account of these 3 deserving people of the health care teams needing their full attention.
When I first arrived there was the 12 hour shift change happening. I was recognized by a nurse who helped me on November 7th 2024. Even though she was dressed to go home she wanted to know why I was back and what happened to me now. After I explained this she affirmed I was in the right place. Then I asked her if she would do something for me. She responded "sure" without hesitation. I explained how grateful I was for my care on November 7th and that I purchased a "thank you" card for the emergency department staff. I asked if she would position the card where it would be seen by the various staff members. She was happy to do this for me before she left to go home. When people go out of their way to help or support me I always try to express my thanks. This includes when it is friends. There has been several times this year where I've sat at my computer crying from the severe pain and friends have patiently listened and loved me during what has been really difficult.
As for my treatment: My blood was checked. I've managed not to be dehydrated. This has been a whole skill onto itself. I've been juggling my meal times around the nausea. Also there is no other new illness (such as food poisoning) or other infection in my body that is causing the nausea. It is just the artificial hip doing what the damn thing knows best.
They were very grateful that I took my pain medication at home and applied the numbing gel where it hurt before coming to the hospital. In fact I've seen different times when I've done what I could to help myself the health care workers went out of their way to help assist me. I've even had phone messages and e-mails from my doctors telling me they have been thinking of me. It makes me feel loved and helps me through this unpleasantness of my artificial hip injuring me.
They did an x-ray today to check that the bone had not fractured. It hasn't. With my blood work being satisfactory and the x-ray not showing a problem I am left with the artificial hip having injured (although it feels much more like attacking) me again.
The emergency department doctor was happy to assist me. He recognized and remembered me from when I attended the emergency department this summer for help with the artificial hip. He recognized my name and how understanding I am of the hospital staff not having control over the emergency department wait times. I could sense that the time the doctor spent with me he was 100% with me. He had great questions for me from the notes the triage nurse made. He listened to my primary concern: Being able to function in my day to day life. This business of living with nausea is so debilitating.
After the emergency department doctor reviewed my x-ray he asked what I really wanted for help. I explained I just need something more that I can take when the hip creates a compounded injury and the medicine I was prescribed on November 7th has only lasted for 4 hours. I asked if he would prescribe 15 or 20 tablets to get me through until my damn artificial hip is replaced. I asked if this could be done safely. There is an option for this. I have the option of a prescription and if I don't have drug coverage and it is too much money I could use over the counter 50 mg Gravol tablets. I am not looking for medicine to fix me. I am focused on the defined period of time from now until when my surgeon in Kingston operates on me. I am willing to use medicine. I trust my doctors. I start asking questions when it isn't working for me. It was really great conversation. I don't feel alone dealing with this.
Then I said to the doctor there is a second issue I need help with. I showed him an image I extracted from video I took 4 days ago. The fold of skin on my bum is raw and has been bleeding. I haven't washed myself as much as I should have during the past 3 weeks. The nausea has robbed me of almost all my energy. It has been necessary to budget my energy the same as people budget their money. For at least some of the time I have picked quality of life activities over showering to help me cope and co-exist with all the pain and mobility challenges my artificial hip is causing me. The doctor did as I requested. He prescribed the ointment I have previously used to treat this my skin integrity issues. In the short term (until I have surgery) if I just can't get into the shower or tub the pharmacist suggested I buy baby wipes to keep myself clean as an alternative to showering. I am not worried about the bigger picture. It is just that the past few 3 weeks have been really demanding of me. Now that I have anti-nausea medication I am starting to rebuild the systems I live my life around.
I am very glad I went to the hospital this evening. I didn't want to make a fool of myself. I didn't want the hospital staff to think I was crying "wolf". Friends had assured me it was fine to go. The hospital staff and health care professionals were all very kind to me. They were concerned that I had come back. They listened to me. At the end of today's emergency department visit they simply wanted to help me with my nausea from the damn artificial hip failing inside of me.
I am going to have some food and then I need to sleep. Tomorrow I will deal with going to the pharmacy for the meds.