Yep.
Test subject I would rather called myself rather than being a maternity ward patient.
Roll eyes.
I was admitted for 3 days.
Mind you I have been admitted numerous times before. But this time I cannot take it. Everything.
So long story short, I applied for DAMA. Discharged dishonorably. Haha. Kidding.
Discharged against medical advice.
Firstly. I went to the local government hospital in our area because my obgyn referred me there. My obgyn worked at a private hospital also in our area. Not to say that I can afford private but I just want to share my thoughts.
She referred me because we thought I was leaking. Bear this in mind. This will come back to haunt me later. I was 27 weeks pregnant. So of course I don't want to give birth early. I want my baby to be in perfect health! So when we thought I was leaking, the private hospital did not have any specialists for premature babies. They do have, but they would call specialists from the government hospital, which would be a lengthy procedures, so to cut it short, my doctor referred me there.
So. I arrived there around fifteen minutes later.
I went to the labour ward. The doctor probed me (in which i don't care. I just want to know what is wrong with me). She said I wasn't leaking. But she wanted to keep me in at least one day to observe.
I was ok with that, even though I had a mild homesickness (as since I got married I never slept away and I never left my husband's side, so I was worried of his well being as how he's worried of mine). So I spend my first night there.
Then, on to my second day.
Nothing was done on to me. No tests...no nothing.
No news of discharge. I experienced no pain. But I was still there for observation.
Husband came during visitation hours. Cried a bit because I missed him. Then he left once visitation hours ended.
Specialist came to see me and ask me if i had any more leakage. I told her I wore my panties and see nothing - they're clean and dry.
Pretty much that's it for my second day.
My third day. This was a little bit eventful.
Suddenly, another specialist came.
She asked me the same question - if I had any more leakage. I told her that I wore panty liners and they're clean and dry since day 1.
Then this word came out of her mouth. I quoted her directly.
"Okay, I see there is nothing wrong with you and your baby. You have no leakage, the labour ward doctor also said you did not have any apparent rupture anywhere and your waters seems okay, and did not lessened. You appear to be okay."
I was glad. But that wasnt the end.
"But you said you were leaking."
I frowned. I did not say I was leaking. I thought I was leaking. And it was proven by the labour room doctor that I was not leaking. But I didnt say anything because I didnt have time. She cut me through my determinedly open mouth.
"So," she continued. "We're going to treat you as if you are leaking."
The only word that got out of my mouth was - "What?"
She did not look at me or even acknowledge my existence as a human being so she continued to write on my case note.
"We'll give you dexamethasone - to mature up the baby's heart in case you have to push out early. You wil lbe given erythromysin to combat bacteria. If you have leakage then we're afraid you'll be infected." Then she turned to the nurses. "Is she having fever?"
"No," the nurses said.
"Never mine, treat her as if she's having fever. Give her antibiotics."
Then, without any warning, without asking for my consent, I was given 2 doses of dexamethanose, and I have to inject erythromysin in order to combat bacteria that wasnt there.
The next day, I told them that I wanted to be discharged. I told them that there was nothing wrong with me. So they took my blood test. This one I consented. Because I wanted to show them that there was nothing wrong so let me go home.
My blood test was.....I dont know how to describe. My HB plummets. My WBC risen up. I didnt have fever. My heartbeat exceeded 100bps. And suddenly, the specialist came again and told me;
"Oh dear, your WBC count rises. Your heartbeat exceeded 100bps, this is different case entirely. You have to stay for one more day and we'll treat you for tyroid."
My eyes widened.
Tyroid? I dont have tyroid.
I know if I have tyroid.
My heartbeat exceeded 100bps because I have asthma and I was given dexa. It was a common side effect. Everyone knows that, just like how Ventolin affects you. I told them i have asthma in my health record. It is impossible they didnt know.
My WBC count rises because my body was told that there are bacteria that needed killing where there isnt any. This is common knowledge.
And suddenly, without diagnosing me with tyroid, they're treating me for tyroid?
I couldnt take it anymore. So I told them.
"Discharge me"
"We can't"
"Yes you can. Discharge me."
"You're not well."
"I am well. Discharge me."
"Sorry, we still have to treat you."
"Then discharge me. I wanted to be discharged against whatever you said. I wanted to be discharged against your medical advise."
Then the specialist didnt say any word.
She ignored me fully.
Nobody came to talk to me. Not even the nurses.
Suddenly, when it was nearing night time, I went to the nurses counter and asked what's next.
"Oh, you're being discharged. Why havent you change?"
I frowned. Nobody said anything to me. I know, i wanted to be discharged, but nobody said anything about me getting the discharge I wanted.
But I dont care. I'm out. So I went and changed to my everyday clothes and walked out of the ward as a free mom to be.
And that's not all.
They said i didnt deserve sick leave for all the days I spent in the ward.
Because i was against their advise.
Stupid, right?
But I dont care. I rather have less annual leave (to compensate the days I spent in ward), than to have my body injected with something that will not cure me of something that i didnt have.
So that's my story, of being admitted. I thought I felt like a test subject, hence, the subject.
Thank you for reading my ramblings.
Back to work guys.
Btw,
I am no more a scientist now. I am a researcher.
Same thing? Maybe.
