Breaking all the rules

To those who know me it comes as no surprise that I bend and on occasion break rules. With these events in my life it was no exception. I did many things in the hospital that tested staff patience.

Once I felt strong enough I begged the doctors to let me have a shower and not be subjected to the “sponge bath.” They agreed with hesitation, there actually happens to be very nice showers in the Cardiac ICU of Foothills Hospital, none of the staff knew that. I then pleaded with the doctors to let me walk around the nurses desk once, I could hear the staff gripe about me doing so but I did it. I had more visitors and even had a painting put up in my room. All of these things were breaking the “rules” and the staff weren’t impressed.

I then asked to be moved out of the ICU to the regular Cardiac Unit, the doctors didn’t think I was ready but I negotiated with them and they reluctantly agreed. They told me I would not like it there. I knew they were never going to let me go home from the ICU so I went anyways. I was placed in a room with 3 other patients, these patients were all at least twice my age and with that came frequent trips to the restroom, hard of hearing and quite annoying roommates. I lasted one night of no sleep as the nursing staff were constantly in the room. I got my cardiologist involved and my brother noticed that the “overflow” patient room across the hall was not being used. With a little tact and negotioation with the charge nurse he had me moved into this palace of a room. I would spend the rest of my time at the hospital in this luxury suite. I had a massive room, flat screen tv, panoramic views and my own “sitting area.” The only complaints I had if any were that I had to go across the hall to use the restroom and the staff would use this room as a shortcut between the halls. I could survive these if it meant a better night sleep.

The following days and weeks were filled with visits from specialists, therapists, and tests. They believed I may have had my Myocardial Infarction or heart attack due to a viral or bacterial illness. I had a team of infectious desease doctors struggling to find what was making me sick. I was asked questions of travel destinations and contact with certain things. I answered yes to all their questions. I loved to travel and had been from the ruins of the Parthenon to the Amazon with monkeys and insects, I also worked at a vocation that included interactions with persons with low personal hygene and all manner of illness. I told the doctors they wouldnt figure out where I got the mystery illness, just make me better. I spent 18 days on some very strong antibiotics and was very ill from the medication.

17 days after being in hospital I talked the doctors into letting Cara take me outside. I said that I needed fresh air in my lungs and the sun on my face. Cara wheeled me down to the outside doors of the main entrance and then the doors opened. The smell of fall filled my senses and the sun felt so good on my face. I could barely take it all in. I lasted about 15 minutes sitting in the wheelchair and had to have her take me back in. I was exhausted, in the back of my mind the nagging thoughts of “is that all I can do” crept around and just wouldn’t leave my train of thought. I chalked it up to being on bed rest for so long, I would learn how wrong that was.