So, yesterday I began my fun journey at the hospital with my sister —>> Is it ok to laugh at people in the emergency room?
When we last left, she was moved into her semi private room. Semi meaning not private at all. I suppose that little curtain is supposed to give the illusion that you are in a private space but the reality is, you can hear your roommate moan, talk, watch TV or talk to the hospital staff. But hey, this isn’t a hotel, so we all must stop whining about this. 😀
Now, I know you are wondering if she had a good roommate or not. Good being loosely defined. After all, a “good” roommate could be someone who never speaks and you forget they are there, or they are “good” because they provide you hours of entertainment during your stay. My sister’s roommate was one that didn’t stay long, but did provide plenty to laugh at. Sort off. Because in the end, I think if we think about it too much, it was sad really. 
At first I was sad when I saw her roommate. An elderly woman who had lost her leg at some point and was using one of those pole artificial legs. While quiet at night, the next morning we saw a whole other side. Our new roommate was a talker. To anyone that would listen. She often held the nurses “hostage”. Turns out she was addicted to pain killers and had been through withdrawal several times. She was about to be sent home from the hospital and there was a round robin of folks coming in to speak to her.
The funny thing is, they never got to leave. Nurses, Doctors, Social Workers, the Chaplin, her husband, you name it. I could see them standing there while she explained that she didn’t feel she had a problem and on and on about her life. For 4 hours I don’t think any of them said a word. Well, unless Hmm, uh huh, and I understand count.
Once she finally left, the silence was deafening. The relief on the ears was amazing. One of the nurses came in and tried her hardest not to say how she felt “safe” to enter without fear of being trapped. So we just said it for her. LOL
As for my sister, they ran on her some tests and then the waiting game began. They lead you to believe you will be going home as soon as the doctor reviews the results. However, then the woman comes in to take your order for your breakfast, lunch and dinner the next day. No matter how much you protest and say you will not be there, you MUST commit to a turkey sandwich and soup. Oh, and don’t forget the jello option. Jello just tastes better in a hospital. 
The hours begin to tick away and the afternoon grows older. You begin to wonder if they plan on keeping you captive for another night and for some reason no one seems to have a clue as to what is going on. So you all just hang out and wonder. Butts become sore from the wonderful seating arrangements. My sister dozing on and off from the pain meds.
This alone was funny. She would fall asleep in that hospital kind of way (where the mandatory mouth open, drool falling kind of way). Then every 20 minutes she would jerk up and yell at my nephew and I to go for a walk and stretch our legs. To which we both would say we would and off she would go again to snooze. Then I’d go back to my ipad and he to his itouch.
Soon I realized that we would never leave if we didn’t ask. What I always find amazing when this happens is it always seems to go the same way….
Me to Nurse: Do you know if the doctor has signed off on the test and she can leave?
Nurse to me: The Doctor’s are very busy and he probable hasn’t had a chance to review it.
Me to Nurse: Do you think by chance you can see when the doctor might be taking a look?
Nurse to Me: It probably will not be for a few more hours, like I said they are kind of busy.
Me to Nurse: I would appreciate it if you wouldn’t mind asking.
Nurse leaves, semi-ticked off I bothered to question what she asked me.
Nurse returns in 10 minutes later and begrudgingly… Nurse to My Sister: Looks like you get to go home now.
Me to myself: Glad I freaking asked or she would have been eating that Turkey Sandwich the next day as the doctor would have gone home for the night since no one followed up for him.
Five more minutes pass and the doctor comes into the room to tell my sister she has a “Happy Heart”. Isn’t that nice. I loved this guy. He was awesome. Plus I got to tell the rest of my family that she had a “Happy Heart”. The rest of her wasn’t happy. The rest of her hurt or didn’t work. But dang it, her Heart Was Happy! 😀
For the record, I LOVED all the nurses we had. There was only one that seemed to have an attitude any time she came in the room for anything. And you guessed it, this is the one from the above conversation. Funny thing is, she wasn’t even my sister’s nurse. Yep, she didn’t even rank enough for the board in the room of who is who. I wonder if it was to protect everyone involved. LOL
I’m glad to say we blew that Popsicle stand in less than an hour. And my sister has been doing great with her Happy Heart. If she was a penguin she could have Happy Feet and a Happy Heart. 😀
But the real fun was the two nights I spent at her house with her dog and the thunderstorms. In our final piece of the saga, I’ll share that fun.
Ohhhhhhhhhh, and my internet is back on!! Yipee! It is still slow as molasses as we have terrible service in the middle of no where, but it my terrible service and it is working. 😀
~~~till we laugh again~~~
