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Montana | I recently dumped my four wheeler front end into a deep ditch and went off over the handle bars. I ended up in Hospital with very important Pelvis repair surgery. I am recovering rancher who cannot put any weight on my right leg for four more weeks.
While in the hospital my first night, My pain level was high so they gave me some very powerful pain meds.
I was sound asleep when suddenly a nurse was shining a light at my eyes and so I opened my eyes and looked at the light. She told me to look at her and i did and then I said, "that is not hard to do" she asked me why and I said , "Because you are pretty!" She was very silent and finished checking my vitals and left my room without cleaning my dinner dishes or making any effort to make me comfortable. MY prior nurse had been very attentive and warm.
I was told by my previous nurse that I needed to keep ice bags in my pelvic area to prevent swelling. right after the nurse took my vitals and left , I noticed that my ice was melted and warm and so was the one on my neck to help my whiplash. I rang the nurse and when she arrived after a long wait, I asked her to refill my ice bags with ice. She grabbed the ice bags and refilled them and came back just dumping them on the table with my dishes. she turned and left my room very rapidly. I managed to get the ice bags in place and fell back to sleep. I woke in a few hours and I had to use a urinal and had no idea how to clear the area of ice bags before adding fluids and it was tipped up and spilled out and soaked me and my bed. I was so sad and embarrassed and I rang for my nurse and gave her the urinal with what had not spilled and told her I had a very bad spill and I was soaked. She dumped the urinal and i never heard her rinse it but she det it on my bedside table among the dishes and my personal stuff. I told her that I thought I needed bedding change and she said I would be all right and left my room. The wet became itchy and stinky and woke again and called her and asked her to bring me some wipes so I could try to clean myself. She brought a bag of wipes and threw them on the table by my bd and left my room. I was wishing I could leave too because it was stinky. I tried to open the alcohol wipes and the bag was so tough so I got my dinner fork and poked it in and ripped the bag open to get wipes and tried to clean myself. I still had on my own underwear and they were really soaked so my efforts to clean were not very successful. This was around 3 Am and when she came back at about 4 Am to check my vitals, she saw the alcohol wipe package and said, "That was stupid! now they are all going to dry out!!!" I sked her how I was supposed to open it and she showed me a lift tab on the side, I said it would have been nice if you had told me that when You brought them. She did not answer but finished my vitals. and began to leave and I asked her to change my bedding or get someone to help me. she walked out telling me I would be ok.
At about 7 Am, the new shift arrived and my very sweet RN from the day before, who had settled me in the room, arrived and came to greet me and check my vitals. I told her about the wet and stinky and she immediately got a sweet young CNA who came and worked her precious heart out to roll me and change my bedding and get me out of the stinky shorts. She is just barely 5 feet tall but very strong and sweet. We managed to roll me and get out the bad stuff and get me in clean dry sheets and gown. she then proceeded to thoroughly bath me in preparation for surgery. She was gentle and thorough and it was like Jesus had sent me a tiny Angel to make me comfortable and ready for surgery. She continued all day to dry my back and maintain my ice because a series of emergencies over the fourth of July delayed my surgery a day.
My surgery was July 5, first thing in the morning with the finest Surgeon with the most experience and skill and his Lady PA was more than wonderful. I was met by Occupational Therapy , another Angel who grew up on a cattle ranch in North Dakota, she did everything perfect for her Occupational Therapy and then invited me to walk and begin Physical Therapy under her supervision and direction.
I was shocked as i expected to have to wait got the physical Therapist. I asked her why she could help me with the Physical therapy and she told me that she could see that i had clearance to try to walk from my doctor and had directions to allow me to get up and try to use the bathroom if I wanted. I had asked my Doctor for that about four hours after my surgery when my pain was controlled. and he had listened very close and believed me. She said that because a nurse was cleared to help me walk , she could help me too and this way she could help out the very very busy Physical Therapist who was swamped. I visited with her a lot and learned that she and the physical therapist worked as a team to make sure patients needs were met as soon as possible and they always had each other's backs. I was so inspired and impressed by this incredible young lady.
I had a series of incredible nurses and staff and I took names and kept notes about each of them , I have a relative in charge of Quality control for the hospital.
After I got home I contacted Risk Management and got a wonderful lady that was warm and receptive to every comment I shared. I had a lot of feedback and she never acted anything but incredible and attentive. She offered to do anything she could to get record information requests to my Dr. Son and RN Sister in Law. I was blown away by her professional attitude and wonderful receptive manner.
I went back for my Doctor visit yesterday and before I went I wrote poems of praise and thanks for the incredible nurses and staff, I also wrote Poems for my Doctor and PA. When I arrived at my doctor's clinic, I called the Risk management lady and asked her where ai could bring the forms and poems . She quickly said she would come meet me and get all the papers and deliver them,. In less than five minutes , she was there to greet me and pick up the papers and forms.
I shared with her that i had written a letter to the nurse who left me in the wet, apologizing if I offended her and telling her that I realized she may had been over worked and under staffed for the fourth of July holiday weekend. As I wrote that letter and thought about the work and stress and upset, like patients I had heard yelling and screaming, for her and perhaps at her, I suddenly realized all that had been overwhelming her. As i apologized in the letter and shared my concerns for her, My heart had a beautiful warm glow. This was the first time I had ever really tried to give unconditional forgiveness to someone who did not say they were sorry. I hope my letter blesses her life and I hope my poems for others really inspire and encourage them,
I share this to suggest that we all try to find the best in everything and everyone while we praise Jesus in all things because I do and my healing is amazing and miraculous.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to thoughts and comments from others. | |
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Life Reflections after Hospital Stay
