Kidney Stone: Epilogue pt. 1

A little reflection:

  • Hospitals are amazing places with absolutely caring people manning the floors. When I was in emergency and having my surgery, I could feel genuine empathy from those making sure that I was comfortable, and prepared for what was to come.
  • Emergency rooms are some of the most callous places on Earth, not because they don't care, but because they have to be. Seeing people come in at their worst (in my case literally drawn to a blubbering mess after having wretched minutes before) makes folks have to keep their cool. I'm sure I wasn't the worst for wear of any of the folks there, especially the hard-of-hearing gentleman next to me.
  • I'm a privacy wonk as much as the next guy, but if having a centralized database of my up-to-date medical and insurance information available via a card or some piece of ID would mean I'd never have to fill out another damn essay on my medical history, I'd be the first in line. It really gets old after a while.
  • I swear every time I went to the hospital and asked for something, I didn't do it right, and had to go somewhere else to fill out my particulars so I could get whatever it was that I needed. What a huge pain in the ass.
  • I can see why folks get addicted to painkillers. I'm not saying that I had pain that would have made me a junkie had I been less strong, but having some assurance that you could lead some semblance of a normal life if you only take this pill / inject this drug is extremely sexy.
  • I can sleep in a hospital, but they definitely like to make sure you don't get much rest.
  • General Anesthesia is a platoon leader, and his goal is to conquer your ass.
  • I have never seen more bizarre things come out of my body than during this episode.
  • You can fake any kind of wellness if it means you can get out of the hospital sooner.
  • Insurance companies do not like paying for prescriptions under any circumstances. It's not about filling the pill vials that make pharmacists valuable, it's navigating the 500 different pitfalls that will get an insurance company to make you pay full price.
  • Every man gets a queasy look on their face when told about kidney stones,.
  • I am fortunate to work for an amazing company, an amazing manager, and amazing co-workers who helped me get through this by picking up my slack, and letting me recuperate as much as I needed.
  • I have amazing parents for putting up with the waiting room debacles from today.
  • I have an awesome wife who was there for me at every step of the way, even when it was our wedding anniversary plans that were getting preempted by my predicament. I love you, sweetheart.
  • I've blogged way too much about this whole ordeal.

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