First let me say that I'm happy to be alive, although not very well right now, I'm alive. I'm grateful. I am very grateful to the nurses and doctors who gave me intensive care and kept me healthy. I have tried to express my appreciation to them for their concern and professional service. In my own way that is. Despite everything, I hate hospitals. I hate the smell of the wards, I hate the feeling of being in a hospital. I hate not doing anything.
I was admitted on Monday evening, dengue fever. This had gone on for three days, so by that time I was very anemic. The first thing that happened, of course, was blood testing and the start of an IV. Both of those procedures called for my being stuck in various spots in veins which didn't cooperate very well. Throughout my stay in the hospital, vampires punctured me morning and night, with the first stabbing occurring at 6am each day. Until the very last day when I left the hospital, I had intravenous fluids of one kind or another with their ports often needing to be replaced because of leakage. Both of my arms were covered with black and blue streaks. Oh and rashes..
Since I was not able to take much nourishment when I entered the hospital, I was given intravenous nutrients including lipids and electrolytes in addition to the transfusions. Alas, something didn't agree with me. One evening I began itching violently and noticed that I had a red rash all over my body. I asked that the IV be discontinued, but the nurses did not feel they could do that, so I endured that itching all night until the doctor came in the morning and removed the IV tube. During the night a couple of aides slathered lotion all over me and relieved the itching to some extent. The doctor told me that I might be allergic to something in the IV feed, or that I might be reacting to an additive to prevent blood clotting.
I left the hospital after 4 days and 3 scary nights. However, I do want to say again how much I admire the people who do this kind of work. I am reminded of the story of Dr. Milliken, a famous physicist, whose maid was asked about his education and she said he was a doctor, but not the kind who did anybody any good. We all know that nurses and doctors do lots of good for lots of people.
I was admitted on Monday evening, dengue fever. This had gone on for three days, so by that time I was very anemic. The first thing that happened, of course, was blood testing and the start of an IV. Both of those procedures called for my being stuck in various spots in veins which didn't cooperate very well. Throughout my stay in the hospital, vampires punctured me morning and night, with the first stabbing occurring at 6am each day. Until the very last day when I left the hospital, I had intravenous fluids of one kind or another with their ports often needing to be replaced because of leakage. Both of my arms were covered with black and blue streaks. Oh and rashes..
Since I was not able to take much nourishment when I entered the hospital, I was given intravenous nutrients including lipids and electrolytes in addition to the transfusions. Alas, something didn't agree with me. One evening I began itching violently and noticed that I had a red rash all over my body. I asked that the IV be discontinued, but the nurses did not feel they could do that, so I endured that itching all night until the doctor came in the morning and removed the IV tube. During the night a couple of aides slathered lotion all over me and relieved the itching to some extent. The doctor told me that I might be allergic to something in the IV feed, or that I might be reacting to an additive to prevent blood clotting.
I left the hospital after 4 days and 3 scary nights. However, I do want to say again how much I admire the people who do this kind of work. I am reminded of the story of Dr. Milliken, a famous physicist, whose maid was asked about his education and she said he was a doctor, but not the kind who did anybody any good. We all know that nurses and doctors do lots of good for lots of people.
