Conquering Obstacles (Part 51--The Ugly Nurse)

Unfortunately, a surgery doesn't always go as planned--and so it was with my new hip. While the nurses were moving me to a different bed in the recovery room, the new ball joint slipped out of the new socket. I don't ever recall screaming as loud as I did at that given moment. After making several attempts to slip it back into place, the doctor began screaming...at the anesthesiologist to put me under again. What a circus that must have been!

Later that evening the doctor explained to me that I would be in traction for at least the next three weeks and then would begin physical therapy if all went well. While he was still chattering away, I noticed the nurse walk into the room carrying a set of sheets. Is she seriously thinking about changing the bedding? There was no way that I felt like being juggled around, especially the day of this catastrophe.

The doc must have seen me eyeing the nurse and said to her, "That will not be necessary." But as soon as he walked out the door, she started stripping the bed. I was totally dumbfounded that she would go against what I considered "doctor's orders." When I yelled at her to stop and tried reaching for the "help" button, she blatantly told me, "Don't be such a WUSS." I don't know who was having the worse "bad hair day," me or her.

Then she created the ultimate sin--she insulted my mother, who wasn't even there to defend herself. She had been there, but was home taking care of my babies. To my dismay, TC had also stepped out of the room to speak with the doctor.

"What kind of mother do you have that wouldn't even get you vaccinated for polio?"  I won't share with my readers the response, but you can imagine how I felt at that very moment. Needless to say, the tears flowed. I don't recall her name, but I can still see the looks she gave me.

I imagine that the anesthesia had something to do with my crying, but I hadn't stopped when the respiratory therapist arrived to assist me with breathing exercises. He must have known the second he saw me that he definitely had a situation which needed to be resolved. Once he heard my tale of the nurse, he insisted that I report her to a supervisor, which I did.

For the next six weeks, she never stepped foot into my room. In fact, I didn't know if she was still on the same floor.

To be continued...