What Happens Behind the Doors of My Hospital Room
Hospital doors hold back the stories and secrets of many unique patients. They block the noises from the outside world, but the outside world is always curious about what is happening behind these doors.
At Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC, they do everything in their power to make their patients comfortable and try to make their stay as enjoyable as possible. There are colorful rooms, healing gardens, the sixth floor atrium and the artwork all over the walls.
Behind the doors of my hospital room, there are beeps coming from my pump on my IV pole and monitors that I continue to hear for days after my discharge. There is a technician that comes in to take vitals every three hours morning, noon and night. There are nurses constantly coming in and out to give me the necessary medications and make sure I am doing OK. There are doctors coming in at all times of the day; some at 6 a.m. and some at 6 p.m.
A wheelchair sits beside my bed so I can get from my bed to the bathroom and anywhere I need to go. Transport comes in to take me to get the required tests done and then bring me back. The IV team is called to come in and switch my IV because my first one went bad. Phlebotomists come in to get my blood work done to try and get a diagnosis.
Not everything that happens behind these doors is bad. The therapy dogs came in and consistently put a smile on my face even when I was at my worst.
During the Christmas season, the Pittsburgh Penguins came to my room to visit and deliver presents. It allowed not only me but all the patients a few minutes to forget they are even in the hospital.
There are volunteers and workers who try and provide some entertainment with movies or board games. It gives us someone to talk to and have some much-needed fun. They bring in cards that have been sent from family and friends, and sometimes visitors come in. They give you a bit of a social life when you have to have a limited one in the hospital. There are doctors and nurses coming in who really care about you and finally have a diagnosis.
Most importantly, behind these doors lies hope — hope that a new treatment will work, hope for a better tomorrow and hope that there will be a cure in the future. This hope fills every hospital room along with everyone who walks through the hospital’s main doors.
At the age of 14 and as a freshman in high school, Nora was struck with a mysterious illness that would cause chronic pain along with many other symptoms. It wasn’t until she was 16 that she was finally diagnosed with Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) and Joint Hypermobilty. She was then diagnosed with Late Stage Neurological Lyme Disease and Lyme Carditis 17 years after the initial tick bite. Nora began writing for The Mighty over a year ago to raise awareness for her diseases and as a way to cope. Today, she has over 25 stories published and many shares and comments on each story.
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