2001-03-04 - 18:45 MST

March 4, 2001

From the morning of March 6 th to the late evening of March 13 th Heather and I will be in Tampa. I don't know if I can get to internet access there, but will be online as soon as I can when we get back.

Where Its Needed

I am not a person who has spent most of his life in hospitals, but have been there often enough to have an insight or two.

In all my times there, I have only been attended by one person who I didn't think was professional enough. I had my appendix out, and was back in my room before evening. Somewhere in the middle of the night the nurse jiggled my shoulder and asked if I needed a sleeping pill. I rather think I glared at her and I know I said, "Well, now I do !" It was my misfortune that she had to double shift that day. I had cautiously slithered out of bed, carefully edged my way to the bathroom, did my normal morning thing, washed up and went back to bed. After while nurses did their thing, doctors did their thing and the breakfast cart came round. I think all I had was liquid, same for lunch.

Near shift change the "sleeping pill" nurse was doing the blood pressure and temperature thing, and stupidly for sure, said to me, "We didn't have a bowel movement today I see." I don't know if a post appendectomy patient has any thing there to void anyhow, but I said, "Well, I waited for you to come and go with me and you didn't show up, so I went by myself and washed and shaved while I was in there, but if you want, tomorrow I will wait so we can have a bowel movement together." I got chewed out and was told by her that my doctor would be informed by her. I was chuckling as she huffed off.

Knowing how underpaid hospital personnel are they are still the greatest. If given a chance by the grouch in bed, the nurse will be cheerful, patient and do extra little things not called for in their job description.

The unglorified bed pan brigade will be just as nice and courteous. The janitorial people have a smile and a good word as they work around the room.

Once I got past the officious clerk in admissions -- everything was gravy.

I was in hospital for the third surgery for a cat bite which caused a staph infection of the bone. Doctor would take the joint apart enough to scrape the staph off and would try to get the two bones to fuse. Anyhow, with this infection I was ensconced in a "Dirty" room -- where the attending nurse had to don extra garb for our protection and for everyone else in the hospital. She was priceless, what a cut up, smart ass she was. Doing all the dressing changes, etc. that my condition demanded, keeping up a line of chatter that would have gone over in an "improv" situation. All in all, her respect of and love for other people was self evident. Then after she did her thing with me, she would go out and take of the extras, go wash her hands and on to the next duty.

Usually the nurses at night would bring me coffee before they went off shift while I was confined to bed. After that I was allowed to wheel my IV stand and do for myself, to sign out and go down to the smoking room, and even the gift shop on the main floor.

My treatment and relationship with personnel has always been so common sense and humanly kind that I figured that some dodo bean counter would horse it up - - so far as I know it hasn't happened yet.

My last time in hospital after our car wreck episode when I was in a room, for a time or two a nurse would come around with pain medication, and teach me which button to push and which direction to turn my head to speak. That mastered, when I hurt too bad, button pushed, I was answered and would request pain medication -- shortly it would come. If it was not time yet for the biggie I was brought something that would tide me over.

My first trip to physical therapy was in a wheel chair, later an orderly would accompany me, then I was on my own. What a wonderful group the Physical Therapy people were. My experience with them was an education in itself. As well as aiding my rapid recovery.

Later on when I went home a physical therapist would come to the apartment to supervise my efforts and to help train me to do the exercises by myself, her actions were as professional and kind as any I encountered in hospital. The only grouch I saw all the different times I was in hospitals was the one staring me in the face when I looked in the mirror.

I was in hospital the last time long enough to know everybody's name, x-ray people on up and on down. I miss them all but really am willing to see them only socially, praying that I am never bad enough off to require their professional services again.

It is wonderful to be in need attention and get help when and Where Its Needed . . . . .

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