I've spent a lot of time in a waiting room this past week.The ICU waiting room at Hamilton General has 54 seats. I've had plenty of time to count them. That's roughly one per bed. ICU visiting hours are 24/7 there, understandably. With only two family visitors at a time, 54 seems like a reasonable amount.
They also recommend that one family member act as a spokesperson, and wrangle who comes when to keep traffic down and allow them time to give treatment.
This also seems reasonable.
Now, I am also well aware that everyone who is in there has a loved one in critical condition, we all do. And they all want to be there to show support.
Completely understandable.
I am very thankful for the support I've had.
But...
...support can go overboard.
This weekend, there were two families that commandeered the waiting room beyond belief. One family went and bought bags upon bags of groceries and set up a complete Deli on one of the coffee tables. Another family had what seemed like a catered affair with pans of lasagna, cannelloni, garlic bread and salads. All that was missing was the wine and the music and we could have had a wedding.
We ended up in the hall.
By we I mean three of us. It was my Brothers turn to visit. We gave up our seats so that they had somewhere to put the salad bar.
Ferchristsakes, it's the frigging waiting room! I did a mental calculation; if all the people at the Italian wedding went in, two by two, for twenty minutes each, it would've taken six and a half hours for them all to go through.
Un-friggin-believable and im-friggin-possible!
We all have loved ones in distress, and we all want our turn, but for crying out loud have a little courtesy and compassion.
DJW
DJ and his family thank everyone for their continued support.
3 comments:
no kidding! No compassion for others... And I hope, who ever was in the hospital is doing better.
dj
I've taken the liberty of adding a comment here from my Mum Anne Davies who came through the surgery for an abdominal aortic aneurysm just over three weeks ago.
The blog entry is available in May at www.countrypointofview.blogspot.com
Before your friend DJ rips into his Mum's doctor for negligence, I would like him to hear my story.I had an ongoing problem with abdominal pains every now and then. (previously, and correctly diagnosed as stones passing through bile duct which were still being created although my gall bladder had been removed) My doctor said "let's see if anything else is going on and I had an ultrasound. My aneurysm was then detected. Over the next 2/12 yrs it was closely monitored with various tests under the aegis of Dr.Robert Maggisano, Head of Vascular Surgery at Sunnybrook. Pretty uneventful enlargement of the aneurysm, until a couple of months ago when it had a growth spurt and an op was no longer a choice but an essential. I had the surgery, and all went well.Tiredness and lack of appetite have been the residuals, but under the tlc of my youngest daughter and family I can tell I am getting back to normality. My GP has decided that as a result of my experience he will schedule an abdominal ultrasound for patients over 55. Personally, I would never have known as I had no symptoms of an aneurysm - so many are never detected until they burst. I believe Einstein, Lucille Ball and George C. Scott had aneurysms. I hope with all my heart that DJ's Mum has the same excellent care that I had.My thoughts are with her constantly,
Anne Davies.
Thanks for your wishes Ozzie.
And thank your Mum for sharing her experience.
As you may have gathered, my mother didn't make it, the blood loss was too severe, and the residual damage too great.
It turns out she knew she had it for a few years, and chose not to have it treated.
This was her choice as a way to go.
Too bad we all don't get to choose how we go.
DJW
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