I'm not sick. I'll start with that. At least - nothing visibily diagnosible. Sometimes I feel that there's a ghost in my veins causing my body to flare up and attack itself out of fright. But the ghost can't kill me.
Nonetheless, I was stuck in the hospital for 26 hours yesterday because I needed to wait for a test to be done and they wouldn't allow patients to return at a specified time due to the whole COVID-19 shenanigans. The hospital was actually extremely quiet and calm - but maybe that's because it was a Friday night and everyone had plans. I thought for sure I'd be in and out within an hour or two at most for the test my doctor referred me to have.
First, I sat under a warm white tent for 3 hours while I waited for the doctor to decide what to do with me. Nurses floated around and called out names, pulling people aside for chest X-Rays and blood tests. I had my blood taken twice because the nurse forgot she took it already. At least they were thorough! After 3 hours in the tent and feeling dehydrated from lack of water, I was moved inside to a bigger room with beds and bright lights. I was told I could take the test I came there for in the first place within the next 5-6 hours, maybe sooner! In my head I thought "Great, I'll call my husband at midnight for a lift home and this will all be over." A couple hours later, a nurse jabbed a cotton swab down my throat and nose, stuck my chest with stickers for an ECG, and stabbed my belly with blood thinners.
"Go home tonight? hahaha. No one told you? You can't leave tonight. You'll be moving up to the ward soon. You'll be done in the morning." The nurse laughed, rolled her eyes and moved away.
On the verge of tears, I curled up in a ball and waited. But, having to use the bathroom, I asked the lady who shared the room with me the protocol. Apparently, you can't just get up and walk to the bathroom. You ring a bell and they'll roll in a comode for you to use in the comfort of your shared room.
A couple hours later, I was wheeled to my luxurious private ward with bathroom - what a treat after that ordeal! I fell asleep the best I could, but can't waking up thinking about the morning. When morning came, I anxiously waited to be called for my test so I could leave. And then afternoon came. And lunch service rolled through. Crickets chirped and nothing happened. No one answered my questions. Was I being detained? I considered hopping out the window onto the roof below. But I waited this long, so I had to go through with it. Eventually I was seen and told everything was grand.
The little ghost in my veins won again.
