A Long Day

All morning, the ascites tube was not draining properly, my tummy was painful. The nurses told me to wait till Monday. I felt like getting angry, “Why does a hospital tell patient to wait for two days to ease her pains? Surely someone could help?”

As the pains became more intense, I decided to take matters to my hand. I got out of the bed to look for the weekend medical consultant. I found one in white gown and went up to him, “Please don’t let me suffer for the whole weekend, just take a look at the tube!” I insisted. “I am not going back to my bed till you have a look.”

The weekend medical consultant promised me he would come.  “There are bubbles in the tube, that is why it is not draining.”

He injected water with a syringe to flush the tube. It was a sudden cold shock again but it worked. I was so happy seeing the fluid filling up the tube.

Several hours later, I let out a big long fart, air stuck by the peritoneal fluid for hours….. and the tummy ache was gone.

The Indian man in the next room came into my room, howling, “I want to see my boss! Let me go!”

Nurses came to coax him to go back to his bed but he wouldn’t budge. Security men were called in to carry him back to the bed. When I walked passed his room, I saw that his legs were tied to the bed railings. He continued to howl hauntingly, “I want to see my boss! Let me go!”

It was so sad to hear this. Perhaps he was worried about losing his job when did couldn’t show up for work. He must a laborer or some sort. His family looked quite unkempt and deprived. I heard the nurse telling his wife about buying more diapers for him. She nodded, all the time touching her gold bracelets.I wondered if she was going to pawn her bracelet to help her husband.

One thing I know is that it is not cheap to be a patient. And if you don’t have the things needed in the ward such as adult diapers, you lose your dignity.

By Ching Ching