Waiting room

[Marci4]

This morning my husband and I went to the hospital where he was getting an eye laser correction surgery which lasted 30 seconds. But, before that, we waited in the waiting room for almost 2 hours and I got to experience two different situations that grossed me out. One was the lady sitting next to me who was sitting quietly until she answer her phone and open her mouth..... a terrible smell came out!!!! OMG I couldn't breathe.

The second situation was when another lady sat in front of me with two Jackson Pratt devices hanging from her shirt. You can see the tubes coming out of the bottom part of her shirt and the device attached to the upper part. Both the tubes and the devices filled with reddish fluid. Isn't suppose to be hiding?????!!!!!!!! I understand if you are in a hospital bed, but in a eye center waiting room? in the elevator? in the parking lot?

I just wanted to share with you my experience and ask you what do thing is the best treatment for bad breath and which other gross experiences you have out of context.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

I think that both the situations were ... pretty much none of your business, as these were random strangers you encountered coincidentally and temporarily.

Are you a nurse? Nursing student?

[Aurora77]

I'm sorry you had to see another person's troubles. How dare they go out and offend others!

How is a JP drain any big deal? Several years ago I had surgery and went home with one. On our long drive home we dared to stop. I gasp when I think about how offended others must have been.

Seriously, I can't imagine a nurse freaking out about this. We've all seen so much worse.

[Marci4]

I am sorry Altra and Aurora77, I didn't expect those comments, they seem a little rude. I just wanted to share my experience. I am new to All Nurses and always wanted to start a topic. My expectations were some kind of responses about my 2 questions: best treatment for bad breath and things that you saw, if any, out of the hospital environment that not all people (including children) should be seeing.

I am a LPN (not working as one) and also future LPN to RN student, and I did not freak out, it was my husband who did and other people in the waiting room who were looking to the JP and putting faces of discomfort.

[LandD_RN_chica]

My father currently has a percutaneous gallbladder drain that he tucks in his pocket when we go out. He was in sepsis a few weeks ago and almost died while in the hospital. It makes me ****** to think that someone, such as yourself, would be sitting there judging him. You never know what a person is dealing with and should not judge them. Honestly. The woman with the 2 JPs could have breast cancer and had her breasts removed and had to leave those drains in to drain the surgical sites and is trying to live her life as normally as she can. Maybe you should see if the dr could fix your eyes while ur there and ur perception of people because you obviously judge people while knowing nothing of what they are dealing with. Sorry to be so harsh but it's the truth. Enjoy your night. I hope this puts some things into perspective for you.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

OP, you state you were in a hospital waiting room. People in hospitals are there to receive medical care, whether inpatient or outpatient.

How else is the person who had whatever procedure and still has JP drains supposed to get follow up care and eventually get those drains removed, except to get in the car and enter the hospital via the parking lot, elevator, etc. Is she supposed to have to sneak in through some back service entrance, so that no other visitors to the hospital might possibly see her?

Frankly, I find this rude. The attitude that less than "normal" human specimens shouldn't be seen in public is what historically resulted in institutionalization of the disabled, the infirm, and the mentally ill. I actually find it quite shocking that you would say that things shouldn't be "seen".

[Marci4]

That's my point: the JP should be tuck in a pocket.

[TiffyRN, BSN, PhD]

I'm sorry your husband was traumatized. I think he could have benefited by you as a nurse explaining that JP drains are just needed sometimes after surgery. It would be nice if the person hid them under clothing but I think that about thongs and butt cracks and I see that way too often.

Halitosis can be helped by good dental hygiene and tongue cleaning. Nowadays there are many people that do not have dental insurance and can't afford basic dental care. There are many medical conditions that made the condition unresponsive to usual treatments.

I would add the thongs & butt cracks as other kinds of "gross experiences" I have had. I've also seen couples visiting their desperately sick NICU infant groping each other like they are ready to work on the next kid. Oh, and I remember a mom and child visiting their son/brother and the little girl screaming out "Mommy, what's wrong with that baby?". The baby had a large facial hemangioma which was pretty shocking but had nothing to do with why he was hospitalized. When his other issues were resolved, should his mother have kept him at home to keep from traumatizing other children?

[Marci4]

I got your point guys. I want to apologize, it was not my intention to hurt anybody.

[Altra, BSN, RN]

If you only want to see beautiful physical specimens there's always the club, the beach, or the gym. Or just thumb through the pages of a magazine.

[LandD_RN_chica]

I'm glad you understand. You never know what someone is dealing with in their life. Poverty. Disease. Death. I recently watched a video that I wish I could find to post on here. Everyone's journey is different and who are we to judge. There are people who have it a lot worse than us.

[Marci4]

I will repeat this: I did not mean to hurt anybody, but some of you are hurting me intentionally.