Thursday, August 17, 2006

Back off freaky happy people! (frustration and negative feedback)

The full spectrum is here at the freaking shiniest happiest hospital on the planet. And I can not smile at one more volunteer, patient care assistant, nurse or med student or doctor-in-training or actual doctor. Not while my son is sick. Not while the child in the next room is screaming her head off. Not while I feel as though I haven't slept in a month. Don't come in here and ask me if there's anything you can do for me. No, there is NOTHING you can do for me. Back the hell off, give my kid his medicine, and imagine what it's like to be in my shoes. This happy crap is really starting to piss me off.

PMS...check. Lack of sleep...check. Irritable child in need of an attitude adjustment...check. The trifecta of a great day. And all of these caregivers are on speed or something. Seriously, do they teach them that tone of voice at medical school or what? I expect syrup to drip from their lips as they smile those smiles at my son (who really could care less whether they are even in the room).

And is there some rule that moms and dads suddenly lose all person-hood once you enter a hospital with your child? Yeah, the kid's fever is up...he just got done screaming and crying for fifteen minutes. Yeah, the kid is refusing to eat because he wants to go home. Yeah, the kid won't take the damn motrin. What do you want me to do about it? Leave him alone for fifteen freaking minutes and let him step down off the ledge he's been clinging to since yesterday when he lost all control of his little life. Heck, let ME step down off the ledge too. Back off and stop telling us that he needs to take more Motrin right now...that he needs to eat...blah blah blah. If you have some magic answer for how to achieve these things, more power to you. But having been his mom for four years, I THINK I carry a little more weight than you as far as his opinion goes...so shut up and let me talk to my kid!

And let me tell you something else...no more teaching sessions. He's FOUR. He doesn't need to hear about antibiotic resistent bacteria and treatment possibilities and how LONG he's going to be stuck here in this place. He does not need a dozen people filing into the room to stand around his bed and talk about him like he's not even here. He does not need you chasing him down in the playroom with the IV pole and informing him that he won't be able to play anymore because you have to hook him up (we'll get him to the room...just give us a minute to do it so that we get minimal resistance). And he does NOT need students accosting him in the BATHROOM to look at his leg. For Christ's sake, he's not a freak, he's a little boy and you have just crossed the line. He's asleep...let him sleep...or I will hurt you. And I have just the attitude to do it right now.

***And one more thing. It is NOT MY JOB to alert you when the damn beeper starts going off on the IV monitor. Figure out how long it's going to take to deliver the medication and come back at the right time. I'm tired of hunting you down to turn off the freaking beep!

(Just so I'm clear, this is not a condemnation of the freaky happy people, but more a realization of MY limits. I'm tired, frustrated, angry, sad, and basically at the end of my proverbial rope.)

10 comments:

Kellie said...

Everything you just wrote brought back so many terrible memories of my son being in the hospital with kawasaki's syndrome. We had so many med students chasing him around I eventually asked them to leave us alone. The kid was in hysterics with all the strangers poking and prodding him.

You'd think they'd (Medical personnel) would get it - if they are sick enough to be IN the hospital, they ARE sick. Leave them be!

I'm glad you're there with him Catherine. The other thing I remember was how many kids in the hospital there without their parents - I wanted to take them all home with me. Asshats having babies.

I hope you both get feeling better soon.

Julie said...

I know this has to be way beyond frustrating for you. Hoping you and Steve get a little breather and that Sam heals really really fast!
(Is he tired of the little glove-baloons yet? Turkeys with head injuries are sooo creative).

Becci said...

How frustrating! I really hope he gets better soon and can get out of there. Poor boy....

Sherri said...

I hope Sam feels better soon and you can all head home and get some much-deserved true rest in comfort and without the company of strangers in scrubs!

Sweet Coalminer said...

Oh my. I've been looking at your blog every day and just seeing the pre-weekend post. Was blogger down?

Anyway, I'm so sorry you're going through this. Sam-a-lama, you'll be home with mommy soon! I hope things start looking up. And I hope you find Milo. I hope this is bottoming out soon. ((hugs))

kate said...

(((((((hugs))))))) Oh boy i hope he is feeling better and can go home soon...

Clare said...

I'm so sorry you and your family are having to go through this. I hope Sam gets better very soon and that Milo comes home.

lorem ipsum said...

Don't ever think of apologizing. You've earned the right to bitch.

Wishing Sam a speedy recovery. Poor kid (and mom and dad too). :-(

Heather said...

I hope Sam is feeling better now. Poor little guy. I don't blame you a bit for being irritable. I would be pretty mean and ugly by now as well.

Kendra's mom said...

Thinking of you and hope Sam gets better quickly. I wish you lots of strength to get through this.

PS: We also have a dog called Milo. I hope your Milo comes back soon.

Mom

My mom insisted on living independently. She wanted to live in the two-story house she and my dad built in the 70s, despite the fact that da...