By Tedler D. Depaynos, MD
It was quite some time since I met my lawyer friend and when he treated me to strong cups of strong Starbucks coffee he started relating his experience in a hospital where he underwent an “extensive” surgery. Since I have been practicing in a local hospital for decades, I was surprised why he was eager to relate his experience. Just to make him at ease I made no objections.
He had an exhaustive worked-up with complete laboratory examinations, X-rays, C T Scans, MRI and cardio-pulmonary clearance before he entered the Emergency Room for admission. With the prepared orders of his attending physician he breezed thru with his admission. The admitting resident MD asked similar questions as the admitting nurse except that the small ER nurse was with wide smiles in contrast to the MD who was little formal. He breezed thru the admitting process because of his Out Patient worked up. What just delayed his admission was the verification of the available room. I made no comment but just smiled and urged him to go on.
The ward’s nurses were likewise with smiles except that they seemed to be in a hurry as they introduced themselves and briefed him what they would do to him as ordered by his attending MDs. He was wheeled the following morning to the Operating Room where he met for the first time his anesthesiologist. He was still in the transport bed and while the anesthesiologist was still conversing with him, he was put to sleep. That was all that he could remember and when awoke he was again in the transport bed being wheeled into the ICU. He did not know if he ever underwent any surgery. Later he found out that his surgery lasted for 4 to 5 hours and his stay in the recovery room was more or less the same. After several days when he answered that he felt nothing during the surgical procedure, the anesthesiologist simply answered “Very good”. In retrospect, he commented with a little nervousness that it would probably be the same experience when one would finally sleep permanently. One would feel nothing! Again, I merely smiled and concentrated in my cooling coffee.
At the ICU he was wheeled into a single room. He was asked to stay flat with his hands on his side until 2 PM the following day because the surgeons ordered that would be his position for 24 hrs. He felt alright while the anesthesia has not yet wear off except that his only movement was just closing and opening his eyes and looking at the low ceiling which was so boring. During this time the minutes seemed to hours. He felt as if he was in a coffin buried alive. He then remembered to pray.
At around past midnight he started to feel severe pain at his nape and back shoulders and not at the site of incision. Despite the analgesic injections, the pain became so severe that he felt himself about to shout and cry. It was only when a “hot compress” was applied to the painful areas when he felt some relief and was able to sleep. At that time the anesthesia might have completely wore off already and the strained muscle due to his position during surgery became painful. He was made to lie flat on his chest with his arms and nape probably elevated for 4 to 5 hrs. while his surgery was going on. His worried cardiologist came over despite the very unholy hour and was very glad that the pain did not originate from his chest. He said he cannot imagine what would have happened to himself if it did. After this experience, he promised himself to lead a cleaner life quitting his bad habits and probably get closer to the Lord. This made me hide my wider smiles because his experience surely have awakened him. Perhaps, this was the reason why he was relating his hospital experience.
I suddenly got reminded of a judge several years ago being confined in the ICU. During one night, 2 of the patients in the Unit passed away and he could clearly hear the massive failed resuscitations done. He demanded the following morning to be discharged from that room and when he was discharged, he gave himself a similar promise.
At daytime, his wife and children in separate occasions were allowed to visit him which relieved him of his boredom. He was simply happy when he was transferred to a bigger private room. Some of his children went on leave from their work just to be with him. They even contributed heavily to settle his hospital bills. He emphasized that this made him very proud of his family, just a part of his blessings.
The day he was about to be discharged, a group of friends from the adjoining offices came for a visit expressing their Best Wishes. He was surprised that they learned that he underwent surgery when he mentioned it to nobody except his secretary. When they left they promised him with insinuating smiles that they will just tell their other friends that he is still in Austin, Texas for a vacation.
We parted with another shake hands and as he walked into his parked gleaming black SUV, he seemed to have graduated from PMA despite his slightly bulging abdomen and was no longer looking at his shoes. I promised to meet him again next week at the same place so I could familiarize myself with the expensive beverage. I wondered what he would again relate to me.**
