My Adventures in Hospital-land and Rehab Center
Not to long ago, the illustrious Fr. Robert Barron (now an auxiliary bishop in LA) of Word on Fire made his observations about being a patient in a hospital when suffering appendicitis. He described the place by the name Hospital-Land. Needless to say, he got it most of it right.
I went to Valley Medical Center for the series of surgeries to fix my left leg. At this point, my left hip joint is non-existent and in its place is a antibiotic-laced concrete spacer is rolling around killing germs. From the start I was taking heavy duty IV antibiotic through a PICC line in my right arm with an oral one. I was sent to a rehab facility to recuperate. I shortly started having fevers and vomiting. They sent me back to the hospital. When I got to the hospital that second time, one of the Disease Control doctors figured out that I was having an allergic reaction to the antibiotics and had me removed from them. It took a week to purge it from my system with a little help of a transfusion. I was returned to the rehab center a lot better off with a different antibiotic. I was later taken off of it. The rehab center worked with me on my walking and other life functions.
A major bright side, members of the Quo Vadis Board of Directors and two former cast members from our 2011 production, “Cha Joe” paid me visits. Here’s something to ponder. Visiting friends in the hospital or other facilities is still a Corporal Work of Mercy, regardless of whether you know the person or not. A patient appreciates visitors. It springs hope in the heart.
