The 9 Life Lessons I Learned From My Husband's Hospital Stay

He's fine. He's really fine. Let's get that out of the way. My husband recently had surgery that required an overnight stay in a major Los Angeles teaching hospital. Here are nine lessons I learned as a patient's wife in those 24 hours. 1. Honey wins more friends -- and lime jello -- than vinegar. Nurses are busy people. They are running around making sure nobody dies on their watch and when you have a request like "Can my husband get some lime jello instead of orange?" they may not respond as quickly as your cranky patient would like. Stay calm. Stay polite. While your cranky patient may want his lime jello ASAP, there are others whose needs are greater. Asking nicely, even for the fifth time, will likely receive a more positive reaction. And probably just going down to the cafeteria and buying it yourself is the best idea of all.  Lesson: Some battles just aren't worth fighting. Lime jello is one of them. 2. I meant it when I said he's fine, but ... While I wouldn't deem any surgery "minor" if it involves anesthesia and a hospital, my husband is really, truly fine. All of our well-meaning friends texted, called, emailed and visited. There were offers of child care and cooked meals. At one point, I was too worn out to respond to anyone else. Both my husband and I are grateful for the support we received. Hospital stays are scary, no matter how minor the problem is that got you there. Knowing that you aren't flying solo truly makes itl better. Lesson...
Source: Healthy Living - The Huffington Post - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news