Hospitals and sick parent

[sarahblonde32]

Hi all,
My mum is poorly and in hospital for a couple of days. Im obviously worried and thinking the worst, but equally trying not to think the worst. But i absolutely hate hospitals. Which is selfish as i have to go see my mum but while im there im secretly freaking out! Theres ill people everywhere, and despite the propranolol my anxiety was high.
Any tips for hospital visits and staying strong while visiting relatives and not freaking out?!
Sarah x

[PWO_Nathan]

I cant relate to this as such but what I can is give you advice when I was in hospital a few weeks ago, hopefully it will be relevant or at least help.

So I spent much of my childhood life in and out of hospital visiting my constantly ill father but I was too young to understand how ill he actually was.

This stayed with me and now I am 35. Due to my HA I am dying of some illness or other most days. Disaster then struck, I was admitted to hospital for three days with suspected appendicitis.

My kids visited me (2,6 & 8) and this brought back my childhood, as some sort of self-satisfying prophecy. As appendicitis can lead to complications which could then (while very rare) lead to death, I latched onto my imminent death.

I then remembered one very important thing, we have a fantastic health service in this country and if I was to stand the best chance of survival, I was in the right place to do it. I was kept in for 3 days not because I had appendicitis but because my CRP levels were high. The NHS will only discharge people once they cover all the basis.

Your mother is in the right place for the best help available. You "hating" hospitals is standard, I have yet to meet someone who "likes" hospitals - why? As we associate hospitals with death. How many people do you know who have been in hospital? OK so how many of them came out? I would bet good money a large portion.

Personally and going back to my father, he frequently hospital many times with heart attacks (had 3 in total) and throat cancer. Each time her came out. What did he die of? pneumonia in his sleep some years later.

Try to keep positive, if you find it 'too' hard maybe consider asking the doc for some diazepam. I feel awful advocating drug use but it has been a god send for me and without it I would not have held my job down.

[sarahblonde32]

Hi and thanks for replying. All makes sense what you said, we do have a good NHS i agree. Sorry to hear of you frequenting hospitals, i haven't had to thankfully that much, ive never been in but my mum has been poorly a bit, she had cancer and surgery and now has an infection. I feel so helpless while im there, i just sort of stand there feeling like a spare part. Thank lord my dad was a paramedic and knows what to do and is also a very calm person cos im useless.
I took 40 mg of propranolol but not sure it helped much. I just need to get a grip really. I also have emetophobia and cannot bear vomit or any illness near me. And yes i guess we associate hospitals with death and illness.
I will have to be strong and get on with it for my mums sake. Although i will spend the night at home worrying that something might happen.
Thanks for your words x