Hospital Stay Update

Back from Brigham and Women. It is late so I will make this brief.

Parveen was there in the morning but then she reluctantly returned to work.
The doctor at DFCI admitted her today and the wonderful nursing staff arranged for a bed at Brigham. We were going to have to wait a long time at DFCI (until 7 the doctor thought) but then a bed opened up at 3. I rode in the ambulance with her which was a bumpy ride. It upset her a tiny bit and increased her stomach pain.

At Brigham I met a nurse that I knew from Simmons. I saw her several times in the science building, I introduced myself and she turned out to be my mother's night nurse.

At this point she hadn't eaten anything, had vomited this morning, and last night. She tried very hard at DFCI and ate two crackers. This came up soon after she got settled into her bed at Brigham.

The doctors were very caring, good listeners, clear, and helpful. The woman in the curtained bed next to my mother, a little older than my mother wearing a fuzzy black faux fur hat liked her stay so much she took me aside and said:
"I was sick like your mother too, I was throwing up all over the place. I got very good care here. She is in good hands. I will pray for her at church."

A complete stranger was being so nice to me and so forthcoming about the institution's care. I really appreciated this kindness.

The evening progressed, my friend drove over with my aunt and I felt better having them there. The nurses again were so very attentive, they wanted to prepare my mother for a CT scan tonight if at all possible.

One doctor truly impressed me. He is an MD, PhD. I looked at his title and was just like...oh God I hope he's nice...I know it is a poor bias to have. Shame on me!

In any event, he came by and took my mother's ENTIRE history. Like when she immigrated here, what part of Bangladesh she's from, where she works, the whole rundown. I knew he was just doing a mental faculties check on her but he did it so well. He made her recount things he already knew from her chart. His last name was little odd...for a quasi plain looking white guy.

It turns out that his wife is Gujrati and he spent two months in India, knows Gujrati and some Hindi. His sons speak it, one of them is named Anand, he lives with his whole big family (in-laws and all). He talked to my mom in Hindi for a bit. When he left mom said by in Hindi. He replied:
"Salam aleikum" (Goodbye/hello in Bangla/Arabic).

Here's the kicker: He took his wife's last name! The feminist in me is tingling with joy.

The nurse from Simmons gave me the number to their desk in case I can't sleep, I'm worried, I want to know her status.

Anyway, even though I don't know how she's doing right now at 11PM tonight, if she threw up again, I know at least she is in great hands. In fact I think I'll give her a call. Just so that I can sleep better.