Suggest you get a Hospital Advocate

I had a difficult time in the hospital in getting information and getting the things my doctor said should happen to actually happen.

The first night, I had a morphine drip, which can cause terrible itching....which I did not know beforehand. I thought I was going crazy! The lady next to me kept shouting out, in Chinese, so when I did get some sleep, I was awakened by her shouts. I found out from her daughter, the next day, that she was shoulting "I'm dying". Nice.

At 6:30am the next morning, finally I was permitted to get some ice chips and maybe a sip of water. It took three requests (and you can barely talk) and three hours to get it. Not good.

The second day, a doctor prescribed a gas-x type of chewable. However, I didn't get it for 2 hours! And I had to get very annoyed and a bit nasty before they finally did so!

The diaper on lady next to me leaked onto the floor around 2:30 pm. Her daughter told someone right away, then at 3:00, and again at 5:00 (I left to go out walking, and in the lounge, so I wasn't in the room for most of the time.) The NURSE finally cleaned it up at 6:30!!

Hospital personnel were quick to say, "It's not my job", but not necessarily make sure that someone DID their job. I was disgusted with them.

Not everyone was lazy and uncompassionate, but the majority were. And I was at Beth Israel, a hospital with a good reputation, in NYC!!!

So, have someone who has your back by your side for as much time as they will allow. And make sure they aren't afraid to get a bit pushy!