Member-only story
Being in the Hospital Made Me Realise How Much I Miss Nursing
But I didn’t know how to be a patient
Working unsocial hours and public holidays felt normal before my brief career as a nurse educator. When my most recent role meant having bank holidays and weekends off, I didn’t know what to do with myself. It felt like I should be on the frontline somewhere, not on the sofa watching TV or even having a social life.
Being reasonably healthy, I never expected to experience care on the other side at this point in my life. But that’s exactly what happened last month.
A kidney stone was found incidentally on a scan back in 2023. I had no symptoms, but at 9mm, it was unlikely to come out without treatment. After a long wait, I opted to have three sessions of shockwave treatment — the least invasive option. It was tolerable and it felt like someone flicking me in the flank for 40 minutes. My noise-cancelling headphones blocked out the clicking sound from the machine, known as a lithotriptor.
My kidney pebble turned out to be more stubborn than me. The treatment failed to break it up, and it wasn’t going anywhere. Or so I thought.
I was listed for a slightly more invasive but still minor surgery under general anaesthetic. I would be waiting for a few months. I didn’t think too much…
