Passing time at the hospital
Here I sit in the surgery waiting room at Good Sam in Puyallup. Grandma is still in recovery from her surgery this morning. It was a more difficult surgery than anticipated and she's still having nausea two hours after the surgery.
Sitting here has given me plenty of time to reflect on how this hospital has been a part of my life. My mom was born here in 1957. I was born here in 1975. Grandma had her hip replaced here, her gallbladder removed here, a hysterectomy here, her rotator cuff repaired here, her ulcer repaired here and now her colon shortened here. Two of my sister's kids were born here and I got to see them just after birth. I had emergency surgery here after a car accident in high school. A friend of mine spent most of his nursing career here.
I've seen this hospital go from a small building on the hill above downtown Puyallup to a sprawling mess of construction confusion with its new tower. The old ways of getting around the hospital no longer work due to the construction. I remember parking in the small lot above the Emergency entrance. Now there's a valet and a labyrinth of corridors and shielded walkways. I hardly recognize this place.
Yet, there remain familiar elements. The cafeteria is still run by a crusty old lady who calls everyone "sweetie." The little chapel by the surgery wing is still tucked into its corner. Emergency still has its drab end of the wing with its tense waiting room full of worried people.
I'll be spending more time here in the coming week. Grandma's recovery is expected to be five to seven days. She wants to go home now and that's a good sign. I will be here for a while longer.
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