What are you like as a patient/the sick one?

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I'm currently incapacitated at home with little to no will to move. My lovely fiancé is my caretaker today as I make my way through the course of what appears to be either food poisoning or some stomach bug :scrying:

I find myself wondering how nurses are when the tables are turned and it is their turn to be nursed---and perhaps not just in the hospitalized sense but also at home. Personally, I prefer to suffer alone... I.e. I'm not into being cuddled/having hair held while attempting to vomit or something. Don't get me wrong---I love being pampered normally like after a long day at work, but when I'm sick I prefer to self-quarantine...

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Specializes in pediatrics; PICU; NICU.

I'm the same way. If I feel miserable, just leave me alone with my misery.

Even when I had my knees replaced, I didn't want a lot of fussing from anyone. I knew when I was discharged I would be at home alone during the day so I made it clear that I needed to be allowed to do for myself even in the hospital. I think that scared the nursing staff a little. They weren't used to that level of independence.

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Specializes in M/S, LTC, Corrections, PDN & drug rehab.

I like to be taken care of my by husband. Maybe it's because I'm a nurse & take care or other people combined with me always taking care of him & our son.

But since I've been sick & pregnant I just want my son to be taken care of. Let me sleep or recover & I'm a happy duck.

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Specializes in allergy and asthma, urgent care.

Put my meds by the door and leave me alone! I'm not very good at being cared for by others. I've been hospitalized twice since becoming a nurse, and felt weird having other people do things for me. Just make sure I'm breathing once per shift, please.

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Specializes in Vascular Access.
If I feel miserable, just leave me alone with my misery.

Same... Luckily it's not very often. I do appreciate that my wife will bring me water.

Get feeling better OP! That GI stuff is awful.

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Specializes in LTC, assisted living, med-surg, psych.

I'm like a cat: when ill, I'd prefer to hide myself away so I can die in peace. Haha!

Seriously though, when I was in my own hospital for chest pain I recorded my own I & O and cleared my own IV pump at the end of the shift. I'd accidentally pop off a telemetry lead and fix it myself so the CCU nurses wouldn't have to make a frantic call to the nurse's station to see if I was OK. I dropped my meal tray and cleaned it up. I am fiercely independent and refuse to be waited on. I knew how hard my co-workers' job was and I wasn't about to make them slave over me.

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Specializes in NICU, ICU, PICU, Academia.

Ditto to all of the above.

Leave me alone, shut the door. I'll let you know if I truly need anything, otherwise you do your job and I'll do mine.

PS: I'm in the early throes of the Martian Death Flu right now and am hiding away in my home office to escape detection as Mr. Mean is home from work for the week and will start following me around if I let on I'm sick.

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When I'm sick DO NOT BOTHER ME! I will drag myself to the kitchen to gather up Gatoraide, water, and some crackers, then persuade the dog to get under the covers with me for warmth and the comfort that's in it. Then I will hibernate. If I do happen to survive, a Diet Sprite and a lime popsicle will aid in my recovery.

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I'm a big fan of making everyone miserable around me if I'm miserable! Just saying!

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