A Friday Buffet
No. 004 My patience as a patient is non-existent.
Hello!
It’s a rainy morning here, near Boston, but I heard that this will clear later in the day and we’ve got a beautiful weekend coming up. I can’t wait. It has been a wicked busy week (same for you?), but let’s pause for a moment. Grab your coffee and take a few minutes to read. I hope you have a joyful day and wonderful weekend. Thank you for being here.
My grand plan for today’s discussion seems far less grand now that the time has arrived to tell you about it. So let’s summarize, shall we? I’m happy to be here writing to you because the end of last week was a blur. Or rather, it wasn’t a blur, but I did spend a very (very) long time in the Emergency Room. I am OK! Do not worry.
As someone who prides herself on being efficient in every corner of life, spending an exorbitant amount of time in a hospital (ER) waiting room is pretty much at the bottom of my list. Well, I don’t think it’s on anyone’s list of anything considered good, but you know what I mean. Hospital waiting rooms, for the actual patient, are excruciatingly painful (literally and figuratively). I also know what it’s like to be the person-with-the-patient; neither is a positive experience.
I have been in the hospital a lot throughout my life for a recurring issue that will never go away (yup). It is something I am accustomed to and while it’s never a “good time” for these instances to happen, I am constantly working on making sure the frequency is as low as possible (although never truly avoidable).
Essentially, I am prone to obstructions in my intestine due to multiple surgeries as an infant (entirely separate from my celiac disease diagnosis). There is a lot of scar tissue and sometimes things just… get twisted. And stuck. It’s not good!
The problem is incredibly painful and no matter how many warning signs I recognize, I tend to not just book it for the ER the first second I notice what’s happening (ridiculous, I know). Perhaps it’s because I know the amount of waiting that will ensue or I am too hopeful that it will resolve on its own, trying to push past the pain and my better judgement. Long story short: an ER trip is (almost) always necessary for this situation.
My hours in the ER were filled with plenty of pain, but even more extreme waiting. Due to my uncomfortable condition, I basically paced in the corner for many hours and saw others come and go. The Emergency Room was packed, which was surprising for a weeknight, but alas, everyone else was having their own form of emergency at the same time as me. It felt like a massive meeting of the annoyed and uncomfortable.
Eventually it was my “turn” and I got to go behind the big doors and was finally allowed to lay down on a bed in the corner of a hallway. Glamorous! This is not a comment on the hospital itself or the state of healthcare overall, we don’t have enough time for that discussion/debate, but it seemed that the less-needy patients (read: those who didn’t try to make a lot of noise) were in the hallway beds and the ones needing far more care and chose to be louder got the tiny rooms with doors and TV sets.
I never try to make a scene when I’m the patient (is that weird?), but I definitely wanted one of those private spaces with a TV so that I could be a little distracted by the (painful) reality of my being in the emergency room. I was never offered a warm blanket either, which I found mildly offensive (and surprising as I saw them brought to everyone else who yelled for one). Regardless of the environment, the care I received from the nurses and doctors was excellent. No surprise to me, the entire situation resolved itself by the time I spoke with a doctor over twelve hours into the adventure. #impatientpatient
Given how great and normal I feel today, I don’t want to further dwell on my experience. I had a couple scans, lots of IV fluids, and a giant lemonade/barium concoction that I can still taste to this day (I appreciate that the nurse added lemonade to help the flavor, it worked). It’s funny how looking back on these experiences they feel like the briefest moment in time. In reality, it was an hours-long ordeal that could’ve been (and has been) much worse. So in the scheme of things, I am fine with it. And I feel good!
I am not here to minimize a necessary trip to the emergency room, belittle the care I received, or gloss over a situation that can be (and has been) pretty scary and painful. However, my mental and physical strength, and attitude, gets me through it every time. It is an unavoidable issue, despite my best efforts, so when it happens, I go into Strong Mode and just get through it.
It should go without saying that Seth was with me for every second of the experience and I am very lucky and thankful for him (as well as family and friends who were constant support).
Moving forward, I’m focusing on hydration (water all the time), eating well, eating often, and sticking to my fitness routine that serves as a daily reminder that being and feeling strong can get us through the wicked tough stuff.
My tolerance for pain is pretty high, but my tolerance, and patience, for waiting is pretty close to non-existent. Quite the combo, right? I am who I am and I’m proud to be me, scars and all.
In lighter news, I’d love to share today’s Buffet. Let’s have a fabulous fall weekend and get outside. It’s going to be gorgeous.
I’m determined to get back to Faccia a Faccia in Boston for their new Saturday brunch. Their GF options are incredible.
Meal planning is pretty much the default activity come Sunday morning (fun, right?), but we don’t always stick to the routine. Need help getting started? Read this.
Ordered velvet hangers during the Prime sale this week. I’m excited for everything to match and for hopefully some extra space (maybe?) in the coat closet.
Thoroughly enjoyed reading this piece about what everyday folks in NY are wearing right now for everyday activities.
I impulse-ordered this camel-color, short-length sherpa coat from Saks, on sale, and will report back as soon as it arrives. #coatcollectorforever
I’m baking Pancake Bread this weekend and the name alone makes me happy.
I do love the Abercrombie denim, but the Perfect Vintage style at Madewell is a trusty go-to for the variety of washes (many available in petite). Highly recommend!
Red Carpet style is all about rare, vintage pieces. No surprise there!
Check out this list of the best food TV available this month. We started watching ‘Chef’s Table: Pizza’ on Netflix and it’s so good!
Creamy Tuscan Chicken looks incredible and a perfectly indulgent option for a weekend dinner at home.
Considering these corduroy pants (I love green!) for an alternative to my daily denim. Hmm…
Fairly random, but I really love this R+Co Television Perfect Shampoo and many other products from this haircare brand.
Just for fun luxury: Speaking of sherpa, this very chic, cropped Khaite sherpa zip-up jacket is pretty fabulous, too. Although not quite as practical…
Cheers and joy,
Mollie
