Sunday, 24 March 2013

AHS . . . You Got A Minute?


Hey. Alberta Health Services? I think we need to talk.

Can I call you AHS? Please, don’t give me that look. You know what this is about.

Over the past few years, our relationship has changed.

As you, as well as most of my family and friends know, my reconstructive surgery that took place March 4th (a “minor” surgery) went well. What shocked me is how I’ve been treated AFTERWARDS.

I was promised, in writing and verbally, that I would be admitted into hospital for three full days after the surgery took place and then be released back into my natural habitat.

I ended up being there for two days (ALMOST two days.)

You’re all probably thinking, “Yay! Early exit! He must be doing so well!!” Negative. I was not released due to “doing so well.” It was due to overcrowding.

On the Wednesday, it seemed like that was the only thing that was on the nurses minds; GET THIS BOY OUT OF HERE. It wasn’t even 8 o’clock in the morning. My eyes were barely open and I was hearing:

“David! You think you’re ready to go home today?”
“Feel like heading back home?”
“You have someone to come and pick you up today?”

I felt like a cheap, Barney Stinson reject. You stayed. You got something out of it. Now leave. This happened until I actually was discharged 10:30 that night.

Since first dealing with lupus in 2006, I have never gone through anything like this before. Naturally, I wasn’t comfortable leaving. I was informed, three MANDATORY days. It wasn’t like I had a choice. During one of those days I was bedridden. Very minimal movement. No getting up FOR ANYTHING. For those who have stayed in a hospital (what it do Hospital Homies?), you know that even one day of doing nothing can throw you off, never mind adding surgery to it. When I could get up, I was very wobbly (truthfully, I still am. It takes a while for me to get my balance once something takes me off my regukar routine for a while.)

My physiotherapist Jon came to visit (as well as a whole lot of other beautiful people. You know who you are. Thanks for the visits, love and the gifts!) and another PT helped me get comfortable enough to get up and down stairs and through hallways and such with this leg bag that I’ve been sporting for a while.

No matter what I, my family or anyone else close to me liked it or not, I was going home that Wednesday night. Lucky for me, there are nurses in the family that were able to help me settle back in and learn how to use this leg bag. The alternative was staying the night on a tiny stretcher and sharing a room with already occupied with two sick patients. Coming home was a better option than potentially catching another infection that could potentially keep me there for a different problem.

Staying home has been one of my biggest challenges though. THIS IS NOT A VACATION. At the moment, I cannot return to work at CTV until April 4th. When you’re passionate about you’re doing, the people you work with, and the opportunities that you’re given, every moment away from it/them sucks.

Because I’ve been having this foreign object in me for weeks now, I’m prone to infection as well. Real bad ones because of the anti-rejection meds I’m on as well as my weak immune system. The other night, I had a fever. Another high one. 38 and over. When I called for assistance, twice, there was no response. That was on Wednesday night. I’m talking to you Sunday night and still have not heard from anyone. Normally, I would go and wait it out in emergency, but I usually get a response on where to go and who will be contacting me on my arrival. SO, this time . . . I didn’t go.

*Cue scolding.*

I know better for next time. What I DID do this time around though is take some Tylenol and drink litres of water. I passed out and felt better in the morning. I saw my lupus and family doctor afterwards and they advised me to just book it to EMERG next time, WHICH I PROMISE I WILL.

Wow, this was more of a rant this time, wasn’t it? Sorry. Needed to share this experience. I hope we can still be friends. I mean, we’re both changing, but I think we both need to make a better effort to help each other out. We’re stuck together, FOR LIFE.

BUT I’m always talking about positivity right? So that’s the mentality right now! Find the positive In everything that comes your way. I’M NOT SAYING IT IS EASY. No at all. But it’s doable. That’s a David Adomako-Ansah Original Quote.

Take Care & Much Love
David The Recipient