Member-only story
Unveiling the Human Side of Healthcare in the Face of Personal Hardships
I have faced numerous personal challenges in recent years. Between 2021 and 2022, my mother experienced a series of mental health difficulties that resulted in more than a dozen hospital admissions. Additionally, my father-in-law passed away unexpectedly in March of this year. Since then, my husband Nathan and I have been dealing with the complexities of moving forward after loss, including the immediate care needs of my mother-in-law.
Now, my Dad is in the hospital because he has an infection requiring intravenous antibiotics. Earlier in the day of his hospital admission, he had been turned away from an overflowing Urgent Care facility. Once in the hospital emergency department, he endured a 24-hour wait before a patient room became available. While he was waiting, my husband and I promptly visited him in the ER — and the experience left us feeling disheartened.
Individuals kept entering the unit, passing through one of the four triage rooms, and returning to the waiting area without seeing a doctor. As time passed, the room became overcrowded, and people overflowed into the hallways and near the restrooms. Tightly packed like a sardine among many unfamiliar faces, I had ample time to grasp the situation unfolding around me.
