I’ve written before about one of my Dad’s sayings- “Hurry Up and Wait!” Meaning often times, especially in the medical world we are told to be patient and sit around for your turn, but when it is your turn you better be ready to jump to attention!
Previous events have taught me this is wisdom for a lot of things, but especially waiting for a transfer to another facility! You need two things to happen and align. The first is that you are accepted by the receiving facility, and the second is that they have a bed available for you. The second is where the waiting comes in- you never know and can’t predict when a bed will become available. There are so many factors about bed availability: is someone actually going to be discharged and do they have a ride home or are they waiting for a bed in a facility that is also on a backlog? Timing is everything because you also have to coordinate transportation and the distance facilities are from each other comes into play too.
Right now, I am trying to move from the “Big” hospital in Myrtle Beach to MUSC in Charleston. The two facilities are about 2 1/2 hours away from each other and transportation needs to be an ambulance. I have been granted acceptance, but no beds are available in cardio-thoracic surgery, where I need go.
I can totally see how this is going to go down. I am finally going to chill out and relax some from a crazy day today and enjoy breakfast in the morning and someone, well intentioned, will burst into my room to let me know transport is on their way and everything needs to be ready. So, I will frantically try to pack up my stuff with some help, and the WAIT because transport is NEVER on time, unless you are not prepared, then they are early!
Usually by the one week mark in the hospital, my nerves are frayed at best. I am tired of being woken up, poked, prodded, and have a revolving door of doctors who don’t have the time to get to know you as a case, never mind a person. The last thing I want to do is be rushed or having to sit around and wait!I am not entirely sure which is worse!
I took a meal/infusion break writing this and right on cue, my nerves have had it- total meltdown. I can’t stand when a nurse or medical assistant puts a blood pressure cuff on you, or worse, a thermometer in your mouth and then starts asking you important questions. I might have lost my stuff a little bit by saying, WAIT! I can only handle one thing at a time! It seemed to have the nurse take a step back and say, I see you are a little agitated. I said a little and most of it is not your fault, but give me a little grace, and a little room. We seem to be successfully moving on from that point.
I am also receiving my IVIG infusion this evening. A new record for me to have two treatments in a row in the hospital (I receive it every two weeks). One treatment in the hospital makes me appreciate that I usually receive it at home, a second treatment in the hospital in a row, makes me miss my infusion nurse, Gail, something fierce. We have a routine down, where our needs are both met. The questions are limited to the newest adventures and not my lifelong medial history. Food is shared and family stories are told. We catch up like the friends we are.
So, here is to the next phase of Hurry Up and Wait! My sincere hope is that tomorrow is the day I move down to Charleston and MUSC. Home of the Wizard and other great doctors who simply get me and my complicated medical needs. I don’t feel like Boo in Monster’s Inc when she touched Mike and Sully; there I am not the weird one. I like being treated as the “normal one.”
I’ll be in close contact with you all, especially when a surgery date is set. In the meantime send my story far and wide, especially to prayer warriors- I need an army of prayers to get through this next phase!
