I am in the hospital bored out of my mind.

[leftyladyfrommo]

Anyone else up out there?

Just in for tests. One to go and then I can go home. That goodness. I'm fine but getting hungry. Can't eat until after the stress test.

They need a pool table here or something.

[edgineered]

1. get out of there!

find a coin op table and knock some balls around. that would be stress relief and not stress testing, defeating the purpose. hang in there.

[WinkyDink]

2. I've always said they need TV screens in the ceilings! Or, to update, computer screens!

[leftyladyfrommo]

3. I finished my last test.

Now it's just waiting again. Trying to get home to get my dogs back from vet. I worry more about them than I d about me.

Nurses are trying to get me put as fast as possible.

[davidpdx]

4. This happened to me about 4 1/2 years ago

I was visiting the US to see my family (I live in South Korea) and came down with pnemonia. I was locked in the room for almost 5 days. The evening before I left they finally let me walk around the hospital to see how my strength was. Because I was possibly contagious (they had to confirm what it was through tests for several days) I ended up in a room by myself. That is both good and bad. I had privacy, but of course it got lonely. I didn't take my computer on that trip which made it really hard because I wanted to be online.

[pinboy3niner]

5. Things really went downhill after they eliminated Beer Pong

[leftyladyfrommo]

6. Made I home. So Glad To Be Here.

I don't have TV at home or I thought watching TV eouf pass the time. What has happened. To TV? It was absolutely awful. Too nervous to read. Couldn't sleep.

Everyone really helped me to get out in time o get my dogs out. Vet closes at noon on Saturday.

Stress test was so weird. I almost flew off the treadmill equipment. Scared everyone to death. Patient hurtling through air is nt a good thing.

But no heart problems and that'S a good thing. That 24 hour stay will probably cost ? 15,000. Thank goodness for Medicare and Humana.

[Laffy Kat]

7. Welcome home, leftyladyfrommo!

Glad you're outta that place.

[leftyladyfrommo]

8. Tank you

I m so glad to be back to my tiny little house. My dogs were so glad to be home, too.

Good to know my heart is just fine after all these years.

[ProfessorGAC]

9. Well, At Least You've Got WiFi

Think about how bored you'd be if you just had to watch the 10 channels they have.

I went in with chest pains (turned about to be gastritis) but they wanted to do cardiac enzyme and stress test before they released me.

So, i'm there around 7 pm and they admit me. I find out that at a Class III trauma center, there is a specialist in every field there 24 hours a day. Hence, they need something to do at night.

So, the outpatients get ALL the daytime appointments. I spent 30 hours there until they finally finished the stress test and told me it was acute heartburn! I didn't have a computer. I didn't have anything to play music.

So, i definitely feel your pain!

[pinboy3niner]

10. MiddleFingerMom was devilishly creative in finding ways to pass the time

Of course, not everyone is so fixated on trying to play tag team sponge bath Bingo with the nurses.

[leftyladyfrommo]

11. I don't know why they have to wait overnite

For the stress test and echo cardio whatever. I was through with other tests at 2 pm. Was on monitors all the rest of the time until time for stress test.

That turned out fine, too.

Then had to sit for results and then for doctor to release me. Took 24 hours all together.

Got home and now water is not draining right. Have to call plumber in the morning. At least it's not backing up.

It's always something.

[MH1]

12. It seems odd to me that they want to give you a "stress test"

and then make you wait in the hospital overnight to take it.

Are they checking to see if your stress response to being in the hospital is "normal", i.e. highly stressed?

I guess it is a cardiac thing so maybe not relevant. But if they were going to test your actual stress levels then it seems like making you stay overnight in the hospital would be a sure way to elevate them!

(noted as someone who has chronic stress.)

[leftyladyfrommo]

13. I don't know. But that is how they do it here.

My other tests were by 2 pm so they had plenty of time. It takes a out an hour to follow the whole thing.

My doctor waned me they usually admit you and do the test the next morning.

[leftyladyfrommo]

14. They also took blood 3 times.

Once every 4 hours. Testing for some kind of enzymes that show up if you have a heart attack.

I was on a heart monitor all the time I was there. And they checked blood pressure every four hours.

At least I know it's safe to start walking every day. It is too cold today but I am going to start walking at he park every day. Some friends have a treadmill I can used everyday, too. I am pitifully out of shape.

Did I say I almost flew off the treadmill? Everyone got really excited about that.