Thank Heaven for Nurses!

Like most other old equipment, old people too need repairs from time to time. And if you are lucky, you find a good garage.

Three weeks ago, I too had to be fixed at the Day Surgery in the Hamilton General Hospital. And while it is cool (and sometimes justified) to complain about the Health Care System, this is my rave about the care I received in the post-op recovery room – and a feeble attempt to say THANK YOU to the nursing staff.

Waking up from general anesthesia can be a confusing experience. One doesn’t quite away realize who one is, where one is, and what is happening. For me, this wasn’t the case. The first thing I saw was a friendly face, who welcomed me back to reality. It was one of the nurses who seemed to be attached to my stretcher. I felt safe right away. Maybe I was a bit confused at first, because the bright lights made me think that I was in my wood workshop. Patiently, the nurse introduced herself and explained, where I was. She didn’t leave my side, til she was confident that I was oriented. In fact, it felt like some eighty years ago when my mother was taking care of me. I felt safe without being placed in an infant rĂ´le.

I am using the generic term ‘nurse’ rather than naming her for a simple reason: throughout my 5 hour stay, every single nurse in the recovery behaved in the same way, simultaneously caring and professional. We could exchange jokes and get to know each other. If I would use one name, I would have to use them all, not to do injustice to one I left out. They all were wonderful.

Complications got met with reassurance and support. When I shivered, I was immediately covered with a warm blanket. When I was thirsty, I was first given ice chips, later ice water, and finally orange juice. I never felt like a burden, but always like an honored guest. Although I knew theoretically about the difficult working conditions and stress, nurses experience during these days of Covid, it never leaked through or interfered with the quality of care and devotion to their profession.

As result of this care and attention, being a hospital patient does not scare me any more, If this is what hospital care is like in Canada, then we are really lucky.

A big Thank You to all the HGH recovery room nurses!

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