My First Steps (Part 6)

The plan, as it was explained to me, once leaving the Observation Section (OBS), was for me to be transferred to the general ward of the hospital for enhanced training by specialists in the maintenance of equipment, nutrition, mental health and physiotherapy, to name a few.

Once trained, my reintegration back to home would coincide with an appointment with a home care nurse, who would help set up the technologies required and arrange for home or external visits with other care providers.

When I left the OBS, I was already doing my own self-care; switching out appliance parts as necessary, cleaning the equipment and myself properly, and being able to suction any blockages that may occur.

I left the OBS on Friday evening, when, of course, all the experts had departed for the weekend. I was advised that since the necessary equipment wasn’t being delivered until sometime during the weekend, I would need to remain in the hospital until Monday.

Oh, Joy!

Walking down the short hallway to “the ward,” the situation awaiting me was curtly explained.

“We’re really full this weekend and don’t have any semi-private rooms available. You’ll be placed in a four-person ward. If something opens up, we will move you.”

Oh, Joy!

Now this made me a little cranky, in that I have been paying for many years to our insurance provider to have the option of a semi-private room.

Moving into a four person ward was like having a business class ticket on a full flight and getting relegated to the back of the airplane to a seat by the washroom.

I survived, and met some new friends along the way.

The transition from the hospital to home had a few hiccups; mainly administrative, but it was difficult to reconcile the expert and kind level of care by my medical team with the uneven service delivery of hospital and home care administrators.

It took the fierceness of my daughters to demand and receive both the service and the promised timeline for that service that I was supposed to get to permit my transition home. Once that hurdle was jumped, the level of care provided by our assigned nurse kicked in and smooth sailing returned.

Things are now falling into place, and my frustration about my hospital lodgings, etc has passed. Perhaps that issue had more to do with a need to be fierce about something to emulate my daughters’ fierceness in their advocacy for me.

I have a good medical team with a variety of skills to shepherd me through my transition. And a loving, supportive family and unwavering friends who unconditionally have my back.