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My husband called from the hospital after 8 pm last night and told me to come pick him up. He said it was noisy there, and that there was a lot going on, and was repeatedly adamant about just walking out of the hospital without being discharged and meeting him out front. As I tried to clarify what the situation was, he was saying he didn't need any discharge paperwork or a doctor, he could just walk out. He was having trouble even deciding where he wanted me to meet him. Of course, I said no and was trying to placate him, but he was getting “spicy” with me. Then I heard him ask a nurse or someone where his room was: another tip-off. Shortly I heard muffled sounds of him arguing quite extensively with the nurse or whoever it was that was there with him. Finally, the phone disconnected.
He “has” had trouble in the past after surgery, getting weird because of the anesthetic: becoming disoriented, hallucinating, or wanting to forcefully leave, feeling he was in something like a concentration camp, etc. I've heard anesthetics are harder on people as they get older. Also, I was told that old people usually start hallucinating in Intensive Care. The first nurse I spoke to the day after he was admitted said he was one step up from ICU. But after all, it surprised me that he seemed disoriented with just several days in the hospital. How disappointing that he is confused and disoriented even without surgery, and of course wondered if he would be harder to handle when getting out. Once at UCLA they got three shifts of a big burly male nurse to just sit in the room to control him even though I was there because he was threatening me also. He didn't make a peep with the big guy there.
Since I realized he was the one causing the trouble I did not call the nurses station, and just left well enough alone, hoping he would not continue pressing me to help him escape.
He is getting better but they want to take an MRI because of kidney problems. I've been much better home alone. The first night (that 3 hours) was scary with nightmares. Now I'm fine. But I know it is your prayers and support that has made all the difference and I can't thank you enough. So many wonderful people, you have touched my heart deeply!
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