Time for another installment of this Wednesday/Sunday night series!
Picking up from last time –
I don’t remember the exact trajectory of the conversation, but somewhere along the way, I felt that they were starting to give me some real push-back.
I’m trying to be a consistently better and more patient person. But I think it’s still my nature that if I’m pushed, I will push back!
They asked me who would be present for the surgery. I innocently asked an easy simple question. (And I think I’m allowed, am I not? I mean, they asked me why I didn’t want to stay with worrisome parents when I have a patient, amazing, medically trained friend… So, if they get questions, I do too!)
So, I ask, oh so innocently, “Why does someone have to be there?”
This is a legitimate question, y’all! The way it works at this hospital is that you go in the day before to get settled, have last minute tests, whatever. Day 2 is the day you have your surgery. (Then you plan to leave on day 4.)
Of course someone needs to drop me off. And someone needs to pick me up. I can get behind those. I can understand that. But honestly tell me, why, on a weekday (in the morning, no less) someone has to drive in for no reason to sit in the waiting room for no reason? Why?!
(Fyi, sure. I’m bitter and really upset now. But at the time, I’m pretty sure I was much more calm… Anyway, getting back to my bitter non-understanding…)
Logically, I don’t understand why someone needs to be there. I don’t know any surgeons ready to rush in and help should something go wrong. I get it, I guess, that people sometimes go to surgeries. Just seems like a waste of time of the people I love.
Even if they’re worried about me, maybe they should be doing something productive to pass the time until the surgery’s over and they could actually see me?
But, in all seriousness, if my power of attorney needs to be there – or someone who can make the medical decisions should something go wrong, okay. I could perhaps understand that (even though we do have phones).
But I genuinely ask, because it’s important to know which person needs to be in the waiting room, the innocent question of “why?”
Then, I get back a very defensive “What do you mean why?!” At that point, I try to explain what I just explained to you. But all I get is, “You’re having major surgery. That’s why.”
Um, does that answer my question of if it needs to be my power of attorney? No. I don’t believe it does.
We’ll pick up with more of this incredibly unhelpful conversation Sunday.