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Hospitals Smell Funny...

According to Blue Cross, I've had 29 medical claims filed by doctors in the last 90 days. I will begin the New Year with at least three that I have already added to my calendar, one minor surgery, at least one out-patient test, and I am anticipating there will be more medical nonsense to follow.

I had to spend the night of December 23-24 in the hospital, my body being decidedly low on certain fluids and nutrients.

So, we've gone from trying to fix my vision to a neurological assessment to a neuro-psych wasting my time... to finding a serious, potentially very serious, internal physical problem. At least we know my exhaustion was definitely not psychological. I really was "drained" when I said I felt like I was running out of fuel.

The comments I would make about neuro-psychology aside (for now), someone should have caught my medical condition in early October when I first had basic blood tests. Apparently, reading the results wasn't part of the service charge?

Two and a half months later, long after the initial eye surgery, someone realized I looked pale. Wow, shock of shocks, a doctor actually looked at me and realized something was wrong. Trust me, this new G.P. has my complete attention and respect.

I can't say I like hospitals. No one does. They smell funny, are incredibly noisy, and there are a lot of sick people present. The depressed family members in the cardiac ward didn't help. (I was placed in the ward because it had free beds and there was some minor risk that my heart my want to take a vacation.)

In the 24 hours I was in the hospital, I had three roommates. One had suffered a serious stroke; his partner waited by his bed anxiously for hours. The second had undergone minor surgery for arrhythmia but suffered a "bleeding problem" all night. Talk about a noisy room, there were always two or three nurses tending to his wounds. The final roommate arrived as I was leaving, though he had received three phone calls -- before his arrival. Apparently, I was in his bed, which he had occupied for several days before my arrival.

I actually didn't sleep well until early morning. I slept much better once my wife arrived. She sat by the bed, reading a book, while I faded in and out of sleep.

Somehow, I felt better knowing she was there. Even in a smelly, noisy hospital, knowing my best friend was nearby was enough to let me sleep. I think that reflect just how important she is to me.
Worst thing... I didn't get to sneak out to get her the pendant I had seen online and liked. I ended up getting her a slightly different pendent the day after Christmas. It wasn't much and definitely not nearly as much as she deserves.

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