I found out how not to wait in emergency! And also learned what true sadness is
I ran out of my blood pressure meds a few days ago. Have an appointment with my doc on Monday and figured 5 days without the pills won't be a problem. No.
My heart was racing around suppertime today and my head was pounding. I felt weaker than I've ever felt in my life. Even thinking was hard. You have to kick me in the backside to get me to go to the hospital, But I called a taxi and went.
Waiting room was full but after checking me the triage nurse immediately ushered me into emergency where I was hooked up to machines, no waiting for me! BP was 190/120 pulse was 162. Tachycardia, very dangerous. A pulse rate over 95 is dangerous for someone my age, I was at 162 at rest. The nurse told me my eyes were bulging from the pressure.
Anyway, long story short, they gave me my medication but the doctor wouldn't release me until I'd been observed for a few hours on a heart monitor to make sure things were back to normal.
That's when the sadness part happened. I was in an ER room and an elderly lady was brought in by paramedics. A curtain divided us so I couldn't see her. The paramedic read his report to the attending nurse. She had complained of chest and arm pain and so was brought in. The paramedic read her chart which had numerous health issues, including alzheimers. She was set up on an IV drip and her husband cam in to see her and comfort her.
He called her 'mother' and told her everything was going to be okay. She knew him but not much else. Couldn't remember why she was there. He would explain gently and she would understand, then forget again a few minutes later. And she would ask again what was going on, where am I? He'd tell her again, in gentle loving tones. Over and over. Nobody was there but him most of the time, just me, hidden behind the curtain. He never lost patience, and I could feel the love in his voice for the woman he had spent his life with and who is now dying in the worst way - a memory at a time.
There was more but I don't want to get into it deeply. His name was David, like me, I know because she told him several times that she just wanted to go, she was so tired of being sick and a burden to everyone.
I was in the next gurney with tears rolling down my face, hoping that I would be half the man David is in later life, and hoping even more that I never have to find out, that my wife never suffers like this woman is.
I found out how not to wait in emergency! And also learned what true sadness is
Good to hear that you are okay and your BP meds were filled! Hypertension is not something to be taken lightly so I'm happy you went to the ER. thanks for sharing that special moment you overheard behind the curtain. Working in a hospital, I would say its quite common for children to forget about their ailing older parents. It's always touching to hear stories about how some children still love and care about their parents who are deteriorating so quickly. Thanks again.