Part II: The hospital

Sorry this update took longer than I expected to get posted. I went back to work today.

So after calling insurance companies and trying to decide what we were going to do. Cari strongly suggested going to the emergency room. I was a bit unsure of this at first, because I did not feel I had an emergency situation. After a bit of convincing, we went to the hospital. The check in process at the ER was what you would expect. This is a fairly small town, I didn't expect to wait long. Wrong expectation. Seems everyone in Easley had problems the same time I did. Nobody in there seemed to be having an emergency, myself included. The kids were getting a bit restless, even though Cari came more than prepared with a plethora of books and crayons. Our neighbor came up to the hospital and took the kids to her house to play. That helped. Also, before they left, there was a nice man that worked at the hospital that came out and encouraged our kids to draw him pictures in exchange for stickers.

Finally, I made it in to see the triage nurse. She asked the basic questions. I told her I was feeling sore in my neck. The check in nurse had typed in the computer that I was "pain in the neck." This is when the experience starts to get away from your normal ER visit. The triage nurse asked if I wanted to wait for a room, or I could take a hallway bed. Excuse me, a what? Hallway bed? I asked what was the benefit to a hallway bed. She told me if I decided to wait for a room, I would be waiting much longer to be seen. I opted for a hallway bed.

It is just as it sounds. A bed in the hallway of a busy hospital. They were nice enough to put two folding screens around the bed. There was a plastic chair beside the bed for Cari. This was the "room". I told Cari we should scoot the curtain over about three inches, then the bed, then the other curtain. Continue this process until we blocked some doors. Cari was not amused with this idea. We were placed directly across from a bathroom. I considered jumping out at people when they came out. I would shout at them, ensuring they had washed their hands. Again, Cari was not impressed with my concern of hygiene. As I continued to exam my settings I found a sign. The sign sat directly above my head and read, "No waiting or loitering in the hallway." I swear this sign was directly above the bed. Cari also pointed to the ceiling where a letter "C" was hanging. This was a permanent hall bed! This was not, "we are busy, put the bed in the hall", type of deal. This was an everyday thing! They might consider taking the, "no waiting" sign down, it was making me nervous.

Next was my trip to the x-ray room. They came to me with a wheel chair. I insisted I could walk, but that was not an option. Hospitals really don't like patients walking from room to room. Maybe we are too slow. Before I headed off for my trip, I had to remove my shirt and put on a hospital gown. I did this in my private hallway "room".

In the x-ray room, Cari had to wait in the hallway. Hopefully she would not receive a ticket for loitering out there. The x-ray doctor was very nice. I stood in front of the gun with my back to a white board. I was not offered any type of lead vest as the doctor ran behind the cement wall to turn on the machine. We took about five different pictures. My favorite one was opening my mouth and shooting the x-rays right down my throat! I swear! Oops. A couple of the shots did not turn out too well. Had to do two of them over, including down my throat again. Wish I had a picture of this x-ray gun for you, tubes running out of it in every direction. Ugh.

My x-rays came back normal. The doctor met me at my hallway bed and told me she would issue a muscle relaxer prescription and give me a pill there. I absolutely hate taking medicine. I do not want to add any of those chemicals to my body. I will only take tylenol in extreme cases. I told Cari, I did not want to fill the prescription, and I didn't plan on taking any of that crap. When the doctor came back, she was holding two small plastic cups. One of a pill, the other of water. Oh, peer pressure. I didn't put up much fight, and took the stupid pill. Cari asked some questions for me first, ensuring this would not make me drowsy or any other ill effects. Discharge was normal.

I took the next day off of work and rested up. Called the insurance company of the guy who smashed into me. I never did fill that prescription. I felt pretty sore. Not real painful, but very annoying. We went over and took some pictures of the car that day also. The lady at the auto body place told me it would be a total loss. Good, now I get a new car! I raided the car for all my belongings, including ripping the CD player out.

After working all day today, I already feel much better. We are going to pick up a rental car on Saturday, paid for by the smashers' insurance company.