(no subject)

[cherry]

So, hi, it is six am and I am still up. I'm not going to lie, I've seen this side of six am more than a time or two, but those have always been due to fun causes or in the name of getting my work done that's due the next day. This time, this time was in no good cause at all.

You'd think that if you went to the hospital at 1:30 in the morning on a Saturday night, it wouldn't take them too terribly long to get to you, right? It's before the bars close, and it's not Friday night.

Okay, the back story on this: I've been having random numbness and tingling in my left arm for a bit over a week now. Mainly the last two fingers, the side of the hand, and the side of my arm, but it's spread to the middle finger and stabbing pains at the back of my neck. Tonight, my elbow became swollen, red, and numb, so I called the 24-hour provincial health line.

Their response was something like "We recommend any random numbness be checked out within four hours. Four hours? IS NOT A WEEK." Under urging, I decided to go to the hospital, even though I'd never been there (and it was an experience, let me tell you -- lights off, pretty much everything closed down and spooky, and directions not very well marked at all).

So I sat in the waiting room, tuning out the infomercials on the tv with my iPod, intermittently reading The Time Traveler's Wife and my newest issue of Discover, until 5:30 in the morning. At which point, I was given a 'take better care of yourself' bit, a note for the masseuse, a confused look about the elbow, and orders to go to the student health centre if it didn't clear up completely, soon.

But hey! I'm still awake, I read a few hundred pages into The Time Traveler's Wive and the experience is a story -- albeit a poorly phrased one, likely containing grammatical errors that my brain is just not up to catching at this moment.

Comments

[farwing.livejournal.com]

But...aren't the people at a hospital supposed to tell you what's wrong with you? At least you had good reading/listening material. Get some sleep and be well.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

That's kind of what I thought. If you waited until 5:30 in the morning to see someone, they would give you some idea of what was wrong.

I got about 5 hours. Which is about what I get during the week, but a little less than I prefer to get on weekends.

Sleep is for the weak. *G*

[http://users.livejournal.com/_divya_/]

Hmm, I was under the same impression that Farwing is, where I thought that doctors were supposed to, um, KNOW THINGS about numbness and swelling?

::disapproves of them::

The only good part is that you don't have to pay them money like you would here, right?

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

That might be the most wasted night EVER. I'm just saying. *G*

The only good part is that you don't have to pay them money like you would here, right?

Nope. Not a penny. *loves on universal healthcare*

[elvenjen4.livejournal.com]

Umm yeah, numbness and tingling, NOT so good. There are so many tests the hospital could've given you! Not thrilled with that.

I'd put a heating pad on your arm and go to the student health center. If they say go back to the hospital, have them write a note to actually investigate it!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Yeah, no, I was not impressed. My only problem is that 1:30 in the morning? About the only time I have time to have it checked out. I was hoping it would go away on its own, but it's not doing that.

I take good care of myself -- what are you talking about?

[gurrier.livejournal.com]

Hospitals, ugh. Especially when they just waste your time. Hope the student centre is more useful!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

Thanks. *G* That was not the best use of an evening/morning ever, I shall say. My only problem is finding time to GO to the student health centre, because I have, like, every other Wednesay afternoon off.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

Shit mate. I hope it sorts itself out, soon.

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

*snugs* Thank you, hon.

I got the package, by the way! Thank you! (We're still being checked to see if we're terrorists every time we mail a package, though. *G*)

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

You did? Yay! Sorry I couldn't get the first two House discs to work, though. Hee! They think I'm a terrorist...

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

They always think we're terrorists. I find that incredibly humorous.

Pssst. I need your new addy for non-nefarious purposes.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_bounce_/]

So everything I send you still gets opened and looked at? Huh. :)

[kissingdaylight.livejournal.com]

Yeah, ERs totally suck with the whole helping you thing unless you're gushing blood. They don't seem to want to run any tests or take any time to diagnose anyone that didn't have a heart attack. I don't really know why ... I've just learned to stay away.

Sorry you had such a rotten night. :\

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

See, I'd never been to a hospital before. It seems I wasn't missing much.

At least it's a story to tell. *G*

[ella-bee.livejournal.com]

{{{glomps}}}

Waiting times suck, but otoh, health care's free. I guess it's the trade off.

Feel better!

[cherryice.livejournal.com]

So my right hand isn't working properly now, either? There's no strength in it, and I wasn't able to finish my midterm this afternoon because I couldn't hold my pencil any more.

*hates*


Thanks for the good wishes! I'm just going to go and put my head down on my desk now...