Hospital - Day 4 - The New Brunswick Connection

The pattern of my hospital stay continued today except my back wasn't so good this morning. My night nurse Mc. set me up so I could sleep on my side and he kept the Dilaudid coming at regular intervals. I slept well, but about an hour after I woke I started feeling pain and then after our morning walk in the ward I was in serious pain. It hurt every time I breathed in and out. It just plain hurt. For the first time I was truly uncomfortable and in a significant amount of pain. We started with Tylenol, but the request for Dilaudid came pretty fast. I laid down to rest and fell asleep. When I woke my back was significantly better.

The order of the day was the physio briefing. M., my mom and me walked into room and around us were men and women ranging from late 30s to late 70s. The patients are easy to spot, we're the ones in pyjamas and housecoats clutching our teddys (pillow used to brace your chest when you cough). When the physiotherapist started her spiel I couldn't help but feel like I was at a self-help meeting. The intro was like AA (or at lease how I have perceived it on television), "Hi my name is Vince and I had a valve repair and double bypass". The group then responds in unison, "Hi Vince", in a long drone. ...The group didn't really respond that way, but it would have been funny. In reality we gave each other the understand nod that goes with being in the same situation.

My day nurse, H., had been in and out a couple of times in the morning, but I was feeling some serious pain and didn't notice the University of New Brunswick pin she was wearing. A night nurse I had earlier in the week, Mt., was from NB and my night nurse last night, Mc., was from NB. I figured what the hell, I'm going to ask. Indeed all three nurses knew each other and all three came from the small town of New Maryland close to Fredericton. I now had lots to chat about because I had been a quasi-resident of Fredericton for almost 2 years during a project with the DND.

That night my nurse was again Mc. Mc. had lots of work to do on me, changing dressings and the like. While he was working I figured, I'll ask him, "hey how well do you know Mt.". Mc. responded with I smile, "I've know Mt. since the second grade". I thought that was cool. How many of us are still in touch with a friend we've know since we were 7 years old. I didn't dig to much and whether they are buddies or not, that's none of my business. I just thought it was cool. 3 people that know each other from the same small town, working in the same city and in the same hospital ward. The best part is they were all awesome nurses.

I didn't mess around tonight. Mc. gave me the Dilaudid and I was out for the count. Tomorrow is discharge day.