(no subject)

[electricland]

Three years ago tomorrow at about 1 in the morning I walked into the Montreal General's ER with excruciating abdominal pain and with the start of a fever. I stayed overnight, went in to work, got scolded, went home, went back to hospital when the pain and fever got worse, then spent 2 days and nights on a gurney before they discharged enough people to get me a bed. That was the start of the fantastically awful year that was 2001 (which, frankly, sucked well before September 11th came along to put the capper on things).

Wow, am I glad that's over. Things are going MUCH better now.

Actually as hospital stays go, it wasn't bad once they stuck me on enough painkillers and an IV drip. I was the youngest patient in the ER by 30 years or so, and I felt like something of a fraud amid all the old people with terrible things wrong with them, or nothing much wrong with them but nobody at home to take care of them -- I mean, I was perfectly able-bodied and, aside from minor details of the pain and the infection, perfectly healthy. The staff at the General, with the exception of one and a half porters, were lovely, and I got a lot of visitors and flowers. Eventually, I got out.

Those porters, though.

The first, a woman of about 50ish, wheeled me up to the ultrasound room after I'd spent the first night dozing fitfully in the ER.

"Have we been a naughty girl, then?" she asked.

Dazed, confused, sleep-deprived, feverish and in pain, I just stared blankly at her.

She pulled a condom out of her pocket and waved it at me. "I always carry one of these."

I couldn't think of anything withering enough to say, so I stayed quiet until she left. In retrospect I wonder if I should have complained to someone. It seems minor, but I was shocked, and I've never forgotten it.

The half was just funny -- I was being taken back to my room after another ultrasound, and my ever-thickening medical chart was travelling with me. I flipped it open and started to read. The porter said "You're not allowed to read that."

This time I just ignored him.

Comments

[ex-mthrtong.livejournal.com]

blech. what was wrong, exactly? i've have--magically--yet to be admitted to a hospital. I've had two surgeries, but they were both outpatient, a couple trips to the emergency room when i was a kiddie. Nonetheless, I've spent lots of time in hospitals, visitng family--waiting for other people visiting family. oh i hate them.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

I had

CAUTION: IF OF SQUEAMISH DISPOSITION, STOP READING HERE. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

a gynecological triple-whammy: large uterine fibroid that decided to start acting up in a major way (hence heavy bleeding), ovarian cyst (hence pain), and mystery infection (hence fever)!

Oh, it was just delightful. I don't recommend it at all. But, as I say, if I HAD to be in the ER, at least I was treated very well...

[elissa-carey.livejournal.com]

Yikes! Glad you're better. It almost sounded like you were more in need of an appendectomy. I can't say which seems worse, now.

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Heh. I think they thought that too, at first. It was kind of funny, actually. I knew it was gynecological -- it felt just like really bad period cramps, only a little bit off-centre, and not responding to my usual treatments. But what did I know? I was just the patient. It took them a while to figure it out (they X-rayed me first and couldn't find anything). Hence the ultrasound.

Still, at least they had me nicely medicated while they thought about it...

and thanks for the good wishes! All better now.

Three Years?

[life-on-queen.livejournal.com]

Which makes it three years since I started my screenplay course—I suppose I really should have finished it by now. And three years since I got a message on my cell phone from Dennis saying "R's in hospital, here's the number."

No, that didn't stress me out much, no not at all. Really, it was an omen that 2001 wasn't going to be a good year. And, y'know, Dennis is still the total pits at taking and giving messages.

Oh, and y'want me to sick Dan on the porter?

Re: Three Years?

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Three years!

I wish I'd thought of Dan at the time... I don't mind for myself really, I'm tough, and if I'd been more compos mentis I'd've blasted her, but I do rather mind for the next 16-year-old that comes along.

Re: Three Years?

[raithen.livejournal.com]

were you not going home like, 2 hours ago?? HUH?

Re: Three Years?

[electricland.livejournal.com]

Actually I feel peppier.

That and I have to finish the Scary Marketing Doc.

Re: Three Years?

[raithen.livejournal.com]

*eyeroll* WORKAHOLIC. But glad you are feeling peppier. Wish I could say same.... *zzzzzzzzzzzz*

see above, regarding 3 years ago tomorrow scoldings. Your colleagues have a point....

If scary marketing doc not done by 7PM, I shall teleport to Mtrl and kick your butt home. Is that clear?

[ex-mthrtong.livejournal.com]

double blech. lady problems are the worst. and hospitals. but good you came out in one piece and relatively unharmed.