All hospital chairs are the same

Warning this blog does contain some semi-graphic descriptions of bodily functions.

Last night at approximately 12:45am Andy woke me up and told me he was having a terrible pain in his lower abdomen. I knew instantly that it was really bad and immediately suggested going to the ER. I got out of bed and began to get dressed and then he started feeling very nauseous and had to throw up. We weren't able to leave for the hospital for about twenty minutes because he was so sick he felt like it wouldn't make it. Finally we left and he held a bucket in the car on the way over there. At the ER he was in so much pain that he could not even stand up straight and was constantly holding his side that hurt. Thank God that they were not busy and were able to quickly get him into the triage room. In triage they went ahead and drew blood to begin doing blood work and also started an IV so that he could receive medication and fluids. They took him back to an actual room in the ER where a nurse came in and did his initial evaluation. The nurse said he thought it might be kidney stones, but that they would find out for sure from the blood work and when the doctor came in. They started him on fluids, Demerol for pain, and Phenergen for nausea. The doctor came in and told us that he was going to order a catscan to check for kidney stones. Luckily for Andy he had all the good medicine and was not feeling as much pain or nausea as before and he was able to get some sleep while we waited for the catscan. The technician finally came and got him and I was left by myself in an uncomfortable chair watching the X Games at 3:30 in the morning. Finally Andy was back and he was able to rest some more while we waited for the results. I managed to get some rest by laying my head on part of Andy's pillow, but still the chair was not comfortable and I have a knot the size of Texas in my right should blade to prove it today. Around 5 am the doctor came back and said it was kidney stones, but that they had already passed to his bladder so he was going to be fine and it was just a matter of time before they were completely passed. He was sent home with a prescription for the pain, the nausea, and an antibiotic to get all the gunk out of his system. We both stayed home today so that he could rest and recover and I could rest and take care of him. The experience was scary for me because at first we had no idea what was going on and I was so worried about my honey. I am glad that in the end it was just kidney stones, but I am not glad that Andy had to go through that awful experience.

Now a little bit more about my title. The last time Andy and I were in the ER was two months after we got married. Andy's parents were out of town camping in New Mexico with Joel so that asked us to check in on Andy's grandmother Eufa and take care of anything she needed. We received a call one night from a person that works at her retirement home explaining that Eufa was having trouble breathing and wanted us to come check on her. So we did and she said she was having a little trouble, but that she wanted to stay there and was feeling better. So we helped her into bed, put the phone next to her, and told her to call us if she needed anything. At 1am she called and said she wanted to go to the hospital. We went up to room and helped her get ready while we waited for the ambulance we called. We spent the whole night with her in the ER in these terribly uncomfortable chairs and finally found out at about 6am that she had pnemonia. My point is that she went to Covenant and last night Andy an I went to UMC and both hospital's emergency rooms have the same uncomfortable chairs. I know their concern is the patient, but what about the person that is stressed and is patiently waiting with the patient and helping them through their emergency. Ironically enough when we took Eufa to the ER it was during the summer olympics and this time with Andy it was close to the winter olympics.

I hope I never have to take my husband to the ER again and that the next time either of us is in a hospital we are having a baby.