I'm no stranger to hospitals. I have been to several of them over the years, not as a patient but to attend to my loved ones. My parents have been taking their turns going in and out of treatment centers in the last few months. In October alone, I have been to three of them in different places, two of which were for my mother and another for my father. I wasn't just visiting, I stayed with them, becoming their nurse (a.k.a. attendant or watcher).
And yes, I had my fair share of nice and bad experiences during those stays. Some of the not-so-good ones are negligible (forgivable), others simply infuriating. But I am not talking about them today because I don't want to get worked up😁 Rather, I will share the nicest ones on our recent hospital stays.
We brought Mom to the newest hospital in the region to seek further opinions and advice from specialists regarding her illness. When we arrived, the emergency room attendants met us while we were alighting from the car. We did not have an official referral (just a previous hospital diagnosis) but Mom was admitted quickly anyway without any issues.
She was given utmost attention at the ER, her vitals were taken and tests were done then she was wheeled to her private room which while it's on the 6th floor, didn't have natural lighting or a view because another tall building was blocking it. We had to have the lights on even during the day to keep the room bright.
On day two, we requested to be transferred to a room where we could get some sunshine. We knew it would cost more but we wanted to be comfortable during our stay, especially for Mom.
Our request was granted sooner than expected. Another patient had been discharged and the room was reserved for us while it was being cleaned. My sister had gone home so it was only mom and I. We had so many belongings (bags, packs of diapers, comforters, bottled water, food, and such) that moving them to the other end of the floor would take me ages.
A bit exaggerated but this is a glimpse of the hallway for an overview of the distance. There were 8 doors from Mom's first room to where she was being transferred so yep, too many steps to count, lol!
Thankfully, one of the nurses on duty didn't hesitate to help me carry them to the new PR while I packed the other stuff. She must have taken 5 trips between the rooms, walking along the hallway with bags on both shoulders and other things in her hands. By the time I finished packing, she had already moved most of the stuff I only carried the last set (my shoulder bag and packs of fruits and food).
I felt so ashamed but she was warm saying with a big smile it was her pleasure. I was grateful of course, and would always remember her kind gesture which was one of the most sincere aid I have received while in the hospital. I adore her for going the extra mile, beyond what her duty as a nurse called for. Without her, I would have felt all alone.
With that experience and other good ones, I can confidently say the hospital not only had better facilities and great services but also angels without wings. The nurse's kindness was glaring proof that there are angels (not in heaven but) among us here on earth 😇 and I was fortunate blessed to have met one of them during my most vulnerable moments!
Sharing this as my participation in the day's topics on the #decemberinleo prompts. Check it here for more details.
All pictures are my own. 10122024/03:00ph