My mom has been visiting me here in New York. She came last Thursday, and was supposed to go back home Tuesday. But late Sunday night she started feeling sick, and spent most of Monday in bed, very weak. We cancelled her flight back, rebooking it for Wednesday. But she remained weak, maybe even got a little worse, running a bit of a fever, and we cancelled the Wednesday flight also.
Finally yesterday she was so bad I called my doctor, who advised a trip to the emergency room. The paramedics came, gave her oxygen and I think an injection of something, and she improved immediately. Then we all went to the hospital. It was the first time I ever rode in an ambulance--though they didn't use the siren except at one corner.
Anyhow, in the emergency room they checked her over, and over and over and over. A total of four exams by two residents (or whatever they're calling them these days), the attending physician, and my doctor, who came a bit later. All asked the same questions, and came up with the same diagnosis--some pneumonia in one lung. They eventually did a chest x-ray, though I never heard the results. They admitted her, and gave her anti-biotics.
The only problem is, they don't have any available beds. So she's stuck on a gurney in the aisle in the emergency room. She was sleeping on and off, even amid the noise. Hopefully in the morning they'll find a real place for her.
Altogether I spent about 7 hours at the hospital, mostly in the emergency room, except for a couple times when they shooed all the visitors out to the waiting area. There were all sorts of interesting things going on, in both places. But that will have wait for another post.
Get well fast, mom.
4 hours ago
2 comments:
I hope your Mom gets well, soon.
Carolyn Ann
Sorry you're going through this, but glad to know (from the posts following) things seem to be resolving somewhat.
And, apropos of nothing (not to mention: nearly two months late), your post (this one) about 9/11 was one of the most interesting I've read. The fact that you were there for both WTC attacks... whew. And your matter-of-factness about it, honoring the dead without capitulating to all the inappropriate hype, the imprecise (to put it gently) comparisons to Pearl Harbor, etc.... all that was helpful and clarifying for me, thank you.
- V.
P.S. I always find this "choose an identity" thingie in the comment window hilarious... would that it were so simple as toggling between the available entries. (If I've made this observation here before, apologies... remember, I am easily amused.)
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