Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Don't faint in hospitals!

I was thinking about the experience I touched upon in a previous post and I have to give you this advice: don't faint in hospitals. People make the most dreadful fuss. They make you sit down and then you have to answer their questions so they can fill out an incident report. Then they won't let you drive home.

Well, actually that was my friend who wouldn't let me drive home. I'd been visiting her husband when I came over all funny. I said, 'I'm just going to the toilet,' and she, having noticed the colour I'd gone, followed me. I got as far as the toilets then, as the door opened to let someone out, I collapsed at their feet.

When I came to, Jan was leaning over me saying, 'Liz, Liz.'
'Oh no, not again' I groaned, and we both burst out laughing. Of ourse, the nurse didn't think it was so funny when she had all the paperwork to do.

Then I was ready to go home.
'You can't drive yourself,' Jan said.
'Yes, of course, I can. I'm fine. I'm used to fainting.'
But she was adamant. 'I'm going to phone your husband to come and get you.'
'He's watching rugby on the television; he won't come out.'
'Rubbish, of course he will when I tell him you've fainted.'

She insisted so I let her have her way. She came off the phone disgusted, 'He laughed!'
'I told you: he's used to me fainting.'
'He said he wouldn't come until the game had finished.'

I tried again to persuade her to let me drive myself home but to no avail. Fortunately some friends arrived to visit and they said they'd take me home.

When we got to the car park I said, 'Okay, Jan can't see us now. I can drive home on my own.'
'Not likely! She'd never forgive us!'

So really, if you have to faint, don't do it in hospitals or with friends. It just causes too much bother.

12 comments:

Dragonstar said...

Poor Liz! Hospitals are like that, too bossy for anything.

Anonymous said...

My friend fainted when she came to visit after J was born, there was a lot of fuss and forms!

Oh and men.. little one locked himself in the bathroom today. in a panic I phoned O.H who just laughed :0/

Furtheron said...

I was about to post on my blog but thought given the thoughts prompted here I'll let everyone laugh on this site...

I was in hospital for a minor procedure. All done I headed back to the reception and had a cup of tea whilst the nurse sorted out forms and stuff I needed. Next thing I know I'm on the floor and all these doctors and nurses around me. I'd just slipped off the seat - Mrs F helpfully grabed the tea cup so that didn't get spilt... :-)

A doctor was examining me and asking what was going on. The nurse was quietly trying to say - he wasn't listening and kept asking until she virtually shouted out "He has just had a vasectomy". Apparently this caused much amusment to hordes in the waiting area although Mrs F would gladly have been somewhere else. Of course then I had to stay there for another couple of hours until they'd let me go...

So yes - don't faint in a hospital - or at least not in the bloody reception area...

Lindsay said...

I have a similar experience with Husband as "Furtheron". The day came for a vasectomy and Husband was told to shave himself at home. Husband said he could not do it so it was left to me. As soon as I brandished the razor Husband was out in a dead faint on the bathroom floor!

Suburbia said...

I always used to feel faint in hospital when I was younger, my step dad did too and I was always his get out clause for any visiting duties!!

You have some good friends:)

jmb said...

Well that's what people do in hospitals. Look after sick people. The paperwork is the worst part of it all. The temperature in hospitals is always too hot so fainting occurs often I'm sure.

Leslie: said...

*chuckling* I love Lindsay's comments!

jams o donnell said...

On the other hand I suppose it's the best place to faint....

Anonymous said...

Oh, how embarrassing! At least they looked after you. I guess you were lucky not to be put in a wheelchair!

Reminds me of the time I stubbed my toe on a bit of uneven flooring in John Lewis'. It bled. Staff members appeared and hauled me off to sit on a chair in a corner while the official first aider was called. She came complete with full first aid kit and rubber gloves. I suppose they have to be careful, but I felt like a leper!

I'm laughing at Lindsay's comments, too! LOL!

Rose said...

I think I read a couple of your posts the other day and forgot to leave a comment. I hope Husband is ok? And yes, don't faint in a hospital...I did this last year after my flu shot--the nurse hit a capillary and blood was running down my arms. I took one look at the blood and passed out. Husband was called to take me home (Good thing he wasn't watching a ballgame). I don't think anyone else in line wanted to get a flu shot after that.

Sorry your team lost; I know you're not into baseball, but I am a Cub fan--the perennial losers. So I can commiserate with you.

Liz Hinds said...

Really it was my friend who was bossy in this instance, dragonstar!

Amanda, I'm surprised at the number of people who faint in hospitals!

THank you for the laugh, furtheron! How humiliating! Tee hee.

Lindsay, I would say typical man but I'm not really in a position to say that, am I?!

Good friends, suburbia? Yes, i suppose so!

jmb, it could have been the heat in my case, jmb. Jan's husband wasn't particularly gruesome: he'd been much worse in Intensive Care and I'd coped with that.

Hi, leslie!

Jams, i suppose so ...

Did they set someone on guard, ringing a bell, and shouting 'unclean!' as well, jay?!

Rose, yes, thank you, Husband is fine. I don't understand fainting on seeing blood. I can talk very logically to myself about it but, in the event, my body takes over, and I'm a goner. Glad I'm not the only one!

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