Pulling The Curtain Back

I think I've left you sitting on that stretcher in your hospital gown and that thin little white sheet long enough.  Not only has your patience visited your brain, it's visited and over-stayed it's welcome.  It's gone.  Your husband/wife/daughter/son/friend, are also now as anxious as you are because your response to this situation has now become unpredictable.  Or perhaps, maybe you're more anxious because you don't know how their resentment will affect your continued ER visit.   Fear.   As if being in the ER wasn't enough to invoke all the fear you needed for the rest of your day or even week, year.   And  no matter how the person who is about to open that curtain tries, it's going to be their fault.   Perception and reality - our kissing cousins.........remember them?

Because I am a patient advocate - I'm going to start with your perception;  While I do believe that perception always has realities back then it's safe to say that I believe no matter what, SOME part of your perception is going to be reality based.  

Finally after what seems to have been hours to you, (perception or reality?)   the curtain is ripped open and an Emergency room Doc hustles in without any acknowledgement of the family you may have at your bedside.  His introduction is so rapid that you're not even sure what his name is; His eye contact may or may not be present;  (Did he pull the curtain behind him?")  (Does he seem to be rubbing alcohol rub into his hands to indicate to you that he's cleaning his hands prior to touching you) His introduction is followed in rapid succession by a series of questions that you barely have time to answer, much less think about;  "What's going on with you today?"  "How long has this been going on?" "Do you have any medical history?" "Take any medications?" "Allergies to medication or food?" "Describe the pain to me."  And depending on your complaint, he will do an assessment which could include, again depending on your complaint - of feeling an extremity if you've "injured" something" pulling your gown up or back or both, (were you asked if you were okay with that or did you just allow a complete stranger to, in mugging terms, roll you over without your so much as blinking an eye). He may look in your eyes, ears, nose, throat, feeling on your abdomen" he may ask when you last ate, and then the personal onslaught begins.  Questions you don't even want to answer in the privacy of your own home and somehow this stranger wants you to answer him in a voice loud enough to be heard across the ER room.  "When did you last pee?"  "When was your last BM?" "Last menstrual period?"  "Could you be pregnant?"  And for you men patients, the onslaughter can be exactly the same and just as personal, don't kid yourselves.

 And then; without so much as asking if you will be okay with anything he's about to say, he says;  "We'll figure out what's going on, we're going to be running some tests. They'll get your blood, we need you to pee, I'm going to do an X-ray (or not) and we'll give you some medication (or not)." and with that, the curtain moves like a wave in motion - as he breezes quickly out of your room."  It happened so rapidly that you turn to whomever has come to the Emergency Department with you and say "what did he just say?"    Perception or reality?    They're kissing cousins;   We medical professionals in the Emergency Department know it and you will need to know it, understand it, relate to it, empower yourself to it. You have just allowed yourself to be shut off from YOUR own HEALTH care.

  Oh yeah, remember how frustrated and angry you were BEFORE the ER Doc walked in?  Did you do one thing constructive with that frustration?   I'm guessing no.   Why not?  Dear Patient, this is just the beginning ...........the curtain, depending on whether your ER Doc opened or closed it behind him, is about to begin blowing in the wind..........again.

Tomorrow;   His Reality.  What your perception could never begin to interpret.  And yes, it makes a difference;  For you both.