Hospital -1- triage 12april 2010

Triage: I am in emergency, "admission and planning unit", since 3 hours. A grumpy nurse took blood unceremoniously. She threw the various syringes and needles on the side table, asked for urine.
At the 7pm change of nurses, Margaret ordered me into a gown.
About 5 patients in the room, separated by curtains, a cacophony of ringtones and groans in surround sound.
Right now a guy is being told that his cancer had invaded his bones. I saw him being hardly able to walk.
A young doctor saw me and answered my questions effortlessly. He explained that in order to get a CTscan in a day or two, I have to stay the night, I can't just go home and be phoned, no. Sounds inefficient, but "you are in the system then". Suffering for the system? The lovely doctor lawrence tells me that there are benign kidney tumors, but that the ct-scan can not tell the difference. He says that radiation can cause tumors, but I am not quick off the mark and forget to ask him exactly what damage a ct-scan that radiates like 500 chest x-rays can cause.
Anyway, we agreed that radiation was the least of my worries.

So now i am in a bed next to an old lady that was brought in by ambulance who "feels funny" and is very week. Someone is snoring, i am glad to remember that i brought earplugs for the night.

So i am trying to pass time and occupy myself.

My wirelesss network sniffer "barbelo" tells me they have a hidden wlan with wep, i dare not ask for internet access. The nurses seem to ruled by a strict regime. Taking my temperature, pulse and bloodpressure every two hours. I am sure there is a resentment.. But suddenly the strong english-accented Margaret was warm and friendky, she asked what i do. We will share the night together in ward 33.

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