How Weird Is It to Have Enjoyed Being in the Emergency Room?

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I know it wasn't Ketamine, but it was definitely a tranquilizer of some sorts. Apparently, my intake exam showed abnormally high anxiety, and they didn't like that . So instead of telling me to "just relax!", or worse, the thought-terminating cliche "it'll hurt more if you don't relax", they gave me drugs. Good on them. It's a far cry from the doctors I dealt with as a child. I felt a feeling I can't even describe. I mean, I was in a situation that could unravel even a hardcore NT, who are often able to <groan!> "think positive" all the time. And yet, I felt more comfortable in the ER than I do on most days at work! The doctors did give me an anesthetic, but it was the local kind, due to the nature of my surgery.

All in all, I felt both safe and free. Safe, knowing that people actually give a damn about me. Free to scream if it got too painful (other people in the ER ward did the same, only I was too drugged to care), as opposed to holding it in, to avoid getting in trouble with my family for showing too much fear/pain. Still, having had a good time in the ER is just not normal, at least from the NT society's point of view. Hence, this thread.

LOL...In New York City, they'll laugh at you, or perhaps even refer you to Psych, if you mention a "courtesy something or other" which would take you back home. For me, it was always back on the subway or a bus.

Emergency Rooms (known as Accident and Emergency in the UK, where the "operating room" is known as the "operating theatre") have, indeed gotten much better over the years.

In the 1980s and before, it was usual for people to wait at least 4 hours to be even seen by somebody. Most of them had no TV to watch. The only "entertainment" was listening to people moan and groan. Nowadays, at least they'll put you in a "triage" unit, while you're watched over the staff there.

the thing about special k, is that it disinhibits one from speaking one's mind no matter how randy, especially if it is randy. when I worked in the hospital we were wheeling a patient [female] in to the OR, and she was ordinarily prim and proper but herein she was regaling us with tales of her husband's ginormous thingamagic, and the rest of us had to humor her as best we could.
anyways, the only time I actually enjoyed being in the ER was being sent home from it with some pain relief courtesy toradol and various other feelgood drugs administered via IV, but the toradol shot is normally given in the ol' glutes and it hurts like WANG!! ! going in, first the sharp jab of the needle, the pressure of the needle spreading apart the muscle fibers in the butt, and then the intense BURN of the toradol going in. it leaves a giant knot in the muscle back there which is felt always up to a week later, especially when sitting down.

The irony of it. A pain killer causing more pain than it stops!

My Mother is an asthmatic and her Ventolin nearly killed her. She had an allergic reaction to the propellant!

well I hope she is doing better now I know somebody who if they eat even a trace of egg, will go into shock. I am thankful I don't seem to have those types of allergies. the toradol is in the same category of discomfort as being at the dentist's office to have to undergo painful shots in order to numb the toothache. only it is far more intense. the only thing I can imagine hurting worse is to have a chest tube put in for pneumothorax. I shudder at the thought of it. it's torture for sure.

I went to casualty last week. The nurses and doctors were very caring and understanding. I felt guilty about taking up a bed though. I asked if I could sit in a chair so someone else could use the bed. The nurse said no because I needed to be hooked up to the machines and it was easier to do it where I was. She also said my condition is just as life-threatening as anyone else's.
They gave me Valium which was unhelpful when I went over to the MHU because it made it very difficult to fill out the forms. I was thinking H, but writing I. I knew my address but couldn't think how to write it. There was a distinct lack of communication between my brain and my hand.
I felt safe in the ER even though I stimmed the whole time with my fingers in my ears to block out the beeping from the machines. It was a relief to have someone take care of me. Everyone was really nice even though I'm a complete mental case. I'm not sure I enjoyed the experience but it was a huge relief to get help.

^^^
hope you're feeling better now I can say that ER visits are generally about as much fun as a fart in a space suit.

Thank you, I am feeling better this week.
Wasn't there something on the newsfeed recently about smelling farts curing cancer or something to that effect? In that case a space suit could be considered your own portable ER.

http://www.iflscience.com/health-and-me ... ure-cancer
according to the above article, it is more theory than fact. but it's as funny as hell!

Yes, I enjoy reading the ifls articles. Erectile dysfunction too? That would have given men a great excuse for farting in bed.

that reminds me of my late parents, in bed at night my dad would have a mattress-rumbling nocturnal flatulent emanation, and the resultant noxious gas cloud would awaken my mother who would be choking and gasping and flapping the sheets in an attempt at getting some fresh air, which would awaken my dad and he'd grumble "gawddamnit woman, what's goin' on?!"

I feel for your poor late mother. My SO is sweet but has near killed me at times with his nocturnal gas emissions.

In an aside: do you feel we have digressed slightly from the topic of this thread?

You're by no means the only patient who jokes and laughs with the staff. It's not that unusual reaction. Sometimes it's the meds talking, sometimes it's relief, sometimes it's the comedy of the situation, sometimes it's just personal chemistry and funny jokes. Laughter is one very human way to deal with stressful situations.

there were times I got injured on the job working in the hospital, and they would cart me down to the ER, and at those times I found that it was one of the few times I'd rather be at work.

I have always loved being in hospital.
I was in for 3 or 4 months in my early 20,s, all those beautiful nurses keeping me company, compared to the isolation of a bedsit.
Up to 9 hot meals a day, (I used to eat the ones nobody wanted).
One nurse would take me back to the nurses home for sex when she finished shift.
It was a real paradise and I felt lived there, a bit like the Children's Home I suppose, with nice human company.

I go into hospital for an operation next Monday, will be an adventure but the NHS isn't like it used to be, they operate on you now and send you home the same day to maybe die alone.

you were so fortunate I wish you godspeed with your operation