well, other than the ice chips, of course. i have a small handful of that liquid gold left in the freezer – in a small plastic bag that says DANGER! BIOHAZARD. awesome.
no, the best part about being in emergency room is getting to see my friend kathy. i’m not sure how many of you read the comments, but kathy posted this yesterday:
Once again, I heard a familiar voice behind me calling my name “Hi Kathy, I’m back again, twice in one week. ” I recall that visit several years ago when you were in bed #5 and you gave me the bracelet that I have not taken off for one minute since you gave it to me.
I think of you often, I hope you are feeling better, Lots of hugs, Kathy
honestly, that makes me tear up a bit. kathy was a huge help on wednesday when the ER was massively overcrowded, and i ended up in great discomfort in a chair. i wasn’t impressed with my resident’s bedside (or chairside) manner and was feeling forgotten. but once i managed to catch kathy’s attention, i was in a bed and covered with warm blankets within minutes. it’s gotten to the point where i’m actually a little sad when i end up in the ER and she’s not around. even among my closest friends, there are only a handful of people who can say they’ve never taken their bracelet off. thanks for being so wonderful, kathy.
i have lots more to share with you, as it’s been quite the week, but it only feels right to dedicate this post solely to kathy, and to the remarkable nursing staff at NYU. no matter my ailment, NYU nurses have taken such excellent care of me, especially the nurses of the oncology wing on the 16th floor. nurses are your doctor, your therapist and your mother all at once, and they could never receive enough praise (or wages) to properly acknowledge all that they do. i’ve seen more than one patient be absolutely abusive to the nursing staff, and i want to get out of bed and punch them in whatever area is ailing them. i’ve seen it get so bad that mediation teams come to try and stop the patient from making the nurses cry. for reals.
kathy is a very special nurse, but she is not alone.
so next time you’re in the hospital, be sure to treat your nurses well. they deserve it.