hospital at home – Lee Duigon

Just Like Being in the Hospital

leeduigon(patty)January 11, 2025

Chaos, anyone?

Last night was chaos for us–just like being in the hospital! Bouts of frantic activity, punctuated by long spells of fruitless waiting for things that didn’t happen. The visiting nurse waited an hour for a certain medication. Then he left… And of course, a minute after he was gone, a courier brought the desired item. By then it was almost 9:00.

The only thing we’re missing is people marching in and out of our room all night to subject us to tests, turn lights on and off, leave the door open to the noisy hall, and occasionally stick us with needles.

Nurse was supposed to come at suppertime. So supper has to be delayed… and delayed… until I finally start eating. That precise moment, the nurse shows up. But of course the medicine that was supposed to be delivered before he got there… wasn’t there yet.

Whenever either of us starts to do anything, one of these electronic doodads beeps or clangs and we have to stop to talk to a nurse or a doctor on a screen. Sometimes the machine distorts the human voice, so we don’t know what they’re talking about.

Being this sick is one helluva bad job.

P.S.–Yeah, well, all right, if you’re at home instead of in the hospital, you’re not surrounded by other sick people coughing and sneezing at you. So in this sense it’s safer.

Out Of Gas

leeduigon(patty)January 10, 2025

23,060 Out Of Gas Stock Photos, High-Res Pictures, and ...

Patty and I, we’re out of gas and need some rest–watch a movie or something. At least until the second visiting nurse shows up. We are bombarded with medical phone calls and electronic messages today.

At least I had my cigar.

I’ll try to come back later with a hymn or something.

(This “hospital at home” jazz is wearing us out.)

Sorry I’m Late

leeduigon(patty)January 9, 2025

It’s like you’re in the hospital, but you’re also at home. That’s how it’s supposed to work.

It’s also how I wind up at 11:00 before I make my first post of the day.

Sounds like something that ought to work, doesn’t it? After all, we’re safer at home. My wife came to see me in the emergency room, various people coughed all over her and sneezed at her… and now she has a cold.

Anyway, one nurse visits us in the morning and another in the afternoon, couriers come to our door throughout the day, the visits can take up to an hour each… Come to think of it, it’s very like being in the hospital! Several people asked me why I didn’t write while I was in the hospital for six weeks. Well, because it would be impossible, that’s why! Way too many interruptions and distractions. (The Game Show Network playing loudly in the opposite room–who can concentrate?)

It’s sunny here this morning, but also quite cold. I wonder if I can sit outside and have a cigar.

Our Hospital at Home

leeduigon(patty)January 8, 2025

Please don’t ask why I’ve posted this particular video. Salute the girl in the white robe for not freaking out.

Okay: instead of keeping the patient in the hospital, you send him home. Sounds like it ought to be a good idea.

So we’re knee-deep in medicines, electronic doo-dads all over the place, a visiting nurse in the morning and another in the afternoon, couriers… It takes up tons of time and we find it increasingly overwhelming.

I’m not criticizing the nurses. They’re good people, hard-working, competent, pleasant: I have no complaints. I’ve been sick since summertime and I’m really, really tired of it. (“No mas! No mas!”) And it’s wearing out my wife.

The morning nurse has come and gone, here for almost an hour, there’ll be another one this afternoon. Couriers deliver my medications one pill at a time. (I’ll bet that’s hard to believe; but it’s true.)

It’s still better–mostly better–than being in the hospital.

Please, folks, keep those prayers coming. We need them.