The frequent flyers…. Every hospital has them. The patient that returns much too quickly and is known by just about all staff. As they roll in the door the whispers start to ensue as the patient is quickly remembered. The negative connotations with someone being a frequent flyer is evident, as many believe they are just attention seeking. For some frequent flyers I am sure that is the case, but for others like me we have no choice but to be a frequent flyer.
Every ounce of me wants to scream “I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE” as I roll in the door and am hit with flashbacks of visits before. People wonder why you are anxious as you fight to breathe and yet forget the fact you have lived the same nightmare over and over. You know what it feels like to have your lungs struggle to fill with air, or whats its like to go from hypertensive to hypotensive in mere minutes, you know what its like to have epi be the thing that is keeping you alive while simultaneously making you experience some of the worst pain of your life, and you know what its like to have some who find your condition unbelievable.
Most young and sick don’t want to be frequent flyers, we would prefer not to be known by name. We’d prefer EMS, ERs, and ICUs to never have to see our face again. But the choice isn’t ours. We have no control over the next time our body will suddenly betray us. So we pray and hope that we will be met with the same compassion and care as the other girl down the hall who has never been seen before. We don’t want to be admitted or spend hours in the ER, we just want to get stable enough to go home. We don’t want to be a burden or be needy, we just want to live.
So here's my plea, if you work for EMS, or in an ER, or ICU, next time that young frequent flyer rolls through your doors, don’t whisper to your coworker, instead look them in the eyes and say “I remember you, and I am going to ensure you get great care today”. I can guarantee you’ll make their day a little brighter.
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