INPATIENT LIFE

Inpatient Life

Alright, inpatient is very different from outpatient, but there are overlaps, so what I am going to do is describe a multiple day stay as an inpatient chemo patient (how many times can I say patient in one sentence??? omg) and try to hit all of the bases, since inpatient stays are almost always more than one day. Otherwise, you'd be in outpatient!

When you first show up for an inpatient stay, you have to find the hospital's Admitting Office because you have to, you know, be admitted into the hospital. You check in, update information, go through the motions and then someone will take you to your assigned room. Inpatient Oncology is typically in one certain section or floor of the hospital, so chances are you will end up in the same area every time. GET TO KNOW IT WELL. 

Upon entering your hospital room (or a hotel room in hell, interchangeable terms in my opinion) for the first time, it will be a mixture of awe and anxiety at the same time. You have your own space, with drawers and closets and a bathroom and shower, all for you while you're being poisoned. You'll get situated, and during that time your nurse will come in. Nurses in inpatient oncology have assigned patients, so you will have the same nurse for eight to twelve hours, depending on the scheduling. They take blood pressure, temperature, height and weight, and blood work. Then, they will ask a billion questions about your health and who you are and how you're feeling, and yes, you will have to answer all those questions every time. 

(Cue eye roll)

Your nurse will proceed to prepare you for fluids, either accessing your port, starting an IV, or making sure your PICC line is ready to go. Most inpatient folks will have something more durable like a port or a PICC because inpatient means longer treatments which can hurt veins real bad, but I'm not counting anything out.

Once your blood work comes back okay, you will be given premedication, either pills or IV meds or both, to prepare you for chemotherapy. Some, like anti nausea, are just taken before chemotherapy and then taken as needed throughout the stay, whereas others, like Sodium Bicarbonate, are given before and throughout the entire time until you are cleared to be discharged.

After that's been done, the nurse will enter looking like a Smurf with a weird shield mask that makes you feel like you've been taken straight out of Chernobyl.

I'm not kidding. (I used the same photo from the Outpatient post don't judge me)

They will be holding your chemotherapy in a giant bag, and they will double check that it's for you and that you're actually you and that's the drug and amount you're supposed to be getting. Yes, it all matters. Once that checks up, the chemotherapy is hooked up.

For inpatient, the infusion can last from a few hours to a few days. The hospital usually has a television and WiFi, and they have food services that will come bring whatever you order on their menu whenever you want it. Certified Nurse Assistants (CNA's) can bring you blankets, pillows, help you to the bathroom, and get you whatever else you may need. They will also be checking that your vitals are staying normal throughout your stay. Nurses will bring medications you may need (yes, there may be even more medications you have to take, sorry) when you need it, and a blood thinner injection if you're not moving very much.

The hospital tries you give you some freedom; they let you have visitors as long as you're stable, you can usually roam around the floor or section of the hospital for exercise and stimulation, and talk with other patients as long as it doesn't pose a threat to health. You're allowed to bring things from home to make the room feel more comfortable and, well, less like a hospital room. Routines regarding medications, blood work, vitals, and the like are very cyclical and happen at the same time everyday. It's really easy to nail after you've been there a couple days.

How long will you stay there? It depends. Your oncologist may be waiting for your blood counts to look normal, you may have to clear a certain amount of chemotherapy before you may go, or until the side effects subside. You will usually stay the same amount of days each time, so once you've made it past the first time, you'll know what to expect.

The hardest part about inpatient is Cabin Fever. Some days, you just feel trapped inside and all you want to do is break out. But, you're stuck inside, connected to an IV pole that doubles as handcuffs. It really can feel like prison; it gets monotonous when you're trying to stay occupied all day, every day. Getting sleep can be hard at times, and when you hear your IV machine beep or sound off, you'll twitch. Especially at night.

I'm serious. 

But, eventually, you'll meet your counts, you'll pass your levels, and you'll start feeling normal again, and you'll be free! And proceed to go home, take a hot shower, and crash in your bed. You will really begin to cherish your home and personal space.

There truly is no place like home.