To the editor;
My hysterectomy was scheduled for 12:30 p.m., Sept. 19. I arrived at the hospital around 10 a.m. The operating room was ahead of schedule, so I was prepared and ready to go by 11 a.m. The operation was to last one-and-a-half-hours.
I woke up in recovery and the morphine administered was so effective that they kept me there till 5 p.m.
Then it was off to my room with three other ladies, a very spry 90-year-old, a younger lady who had a list of medications to knock you over, and who also talked about them continually, and a third patient that we’ll call BB, who was 84-years-old and had dementia (thus a very short memory span).
BB needed lots of attention and constantly wanted to know what was happening around her. She was also tied into her chair, complaining “somebody get me out/where is everybody/ and help me please” constantly while she was tied.
The next morning, I was given liquid fluids for all meals. Then my blood count went down, and the next thing I knew I was getting transfusions - two bags plus intravenous fluids, but still on liquid food.
The 90-year-old went home, and she was replaced with a younger lady who was crying a lot and in a lot of pain.
Then the lady with all the medications also went home, and around 8 p.m. they brought in a lady who had been found wandering the streets of Kamloops at 5 a.m. that morning.
When I settled down that night with one-half of a sleeping pill I was going to have a good nights sleep; but before I got to sleep the wanderer (BB) decided to visit the young lady (I think she was looking for the washroom) - next thing you hear is the young one screaming. She had awoken to find BB standing over her. Then she went ballistic ranting and raving about being violated.
BB (the lady with dementia) said she was a good listener and if she (the ranting lady)wanted to talk she would listen. By this time there were three nurses in the room trying to settle the ranter down with more morphine.
Finally, all is quiet and I go to sleep, only to be woken again with a lot of banging noise and the young lady screaming and very hysterical again. She’s telling BB to mind her own business.
BB had been tied to her bed to prevent the wandering, but she had undone the ties and ended up in the other woman’s face again.
Now the young lady is screaming for her husband, saying she is not staying there any longer - more morphine for her from the nurses, and the wanderer (BB) is moved to sleep in the hall.
Now I need another sleeping pill, which put me to sleep until 7 a.m., where I find the young lady is still hysterical, wants her husband, is going to write her MLA, and not staying in this “lunatic room any longer”.
The young lady is moved to the maternity room (private) where she can stay until they need it for a mother.
I’m still on liquid food, and today, BB is going to Hawaii. The nurses are very patient and are going to Hawaii with her.
I ask for more solid foods, so they bump me up to soup and pudding. BB is now back from Hawaii and in her bed, and is to be moved to another floor where they can lock the doors and she can wander.
Supper comes - it is liquid food again, so now it’s my turn to complain.
There are two empty beds now in the room, so I think I might get a quiet night. However, a new patient arrives around 8 p.m. All is quiet.
Then I wake up about 11 p.m and the other bed is now occupied, where the nurses are trying to take her blood pressure. I hear them saying “don’t hit” and the lady is swearing at them and telling them to f*** off.
I settle down again with a pain killer and a sleeping pill. I have been told I can have solid foods - guess what I get - liquids!
On the last day I am again served a liquid diet. So I complain again and get the most horrible breakfast of Special K, skim milk, and a heavy muffin.
It was a memorable four days.
BB was a very nice lady, but it was very sad to see her that way.
Makes me think it might be my turn in a few years.
Just sign me glad
to be home again in Barriere