Conversations you only hear in a hospital #2

There are only a handful of times I’ve been speechless in the hospital.

This is the story of one such time.

This episode happened on an obstetric ward. I was going about my usual duties, reviewing patients, when I turned around and saw one of them crying.

She was on admission for a high-risk pregnancy and needed to stay in the hospital until it was safe for her to deliver. She still had several days to wait.

I expected her to be unhappy about the long stay...but the tears? I didn’t expect that.

Then, she looked me in the eye and said something that caught me completely off guard:

“I just found out my husband is cheating on me.”

She began to sob, and I began anxiously searching my brain for the right response.

Crying kids are easy — a hug, a pat on the back, a toffee, and the problem is halfway solved.

Crying adults? That’s hard.

A cheating husband...while you’re on admission for a high-risk pregnancy?

That’s… really tough.

I sidled up to the bed and gently placed my hand on her shoulder.

It was awkward, but please understand the situation. I was totally and utterly lost.

I spoke words of encouragement. I told her to focus on herself, her health, and her baby.

I said the report (which had come from a friend) might be wrong.

I basically tried everything I could think of.

And it probably wasn’t enough...but this wasn’t in my med school curriculum.

I never found out what the full truth was.

She eventually delivered safely.

Her husband, unfortunately, did prove himself to be a deadbeat. We had to constantly call him just to get him to visit.

But that conversation stuck in my head.

Now it will probably stick in yours, too.

Sorry, not sorry.

You can read the first "conversations you only hear in a hospital article" here.

Thank you for reading.