My Very First Hospitalization Experience!

 First time in a German hospital! A bit scary, confusing and different...!

We are still dealing with the Pandemic in 2021. I can’t believe it is March already. Marc and teens  are still working and learning online, and I am still adjusting, and becoming more familiar with German life. A lot has happened since I wrote back in May 2020.

I will definitely have to share about some past experiences and recount all the funny, sometimes annoying and culturally interesting stories. But first, let me tell you about my very first hospital stay in Germany!  

It was a scheduled procedure at least 4 to 5 months back so I did not think much of this when it was close to the appointment date.  After all I thought it was a simple outpatient procedure.   Technically, it is and in the US I went through it one year after Nicolas was born.  At that time I was sicker and doctors were trying to figure out my condition.  I received excellent care with no cultural issues, of course.  It went well and after the biopsy procedure was completed, I woke up from anesthesia and was sent home after few hours.  All Done!

WELL....in Germany this procedure required some overnight stays in a hospital!  When my doctor told me this two days before our procedure day, I was really shocked and not happy.  I was worried about staying so long during corona and also just being in a hospital!  But she was very firm about the overnight stay and also said something like, it could be at least two or more nights and we need to monitor you. I was definitely not a happy camper! 

I had to go to a registration office soon afterwards and they took all my information.  Then I waited 30 more minutes to see a nurse who took my vitals and gave me a corona test. In case I would be positive I would not have the procedure.  Then I waited to see the on call anesthesiologist who explained all the side effects, allergies and other medical issues.  His English was excellent but he was making me nervous with all the information about possible things that could go wrong after anesthesia and possibly needing an epidural....What?  I never had an epidural even for my two childbirths!  I was thinking to myself, he is very serious and scaring the crap out of me with his very direct, honest feedback!

Unfortunately Thursday came and Marc drove me to the local hospital in Erlangen.  I checked in early at 6:30 am and waited about 2 hours dressed in a simple hospital gown, waiting all alone in a room with two other beds.  They called this the Holding area.  The nurse came in and rolled me out to the surgical room.  She was trying her best to speak English and be helpful.

The anesthesiologist was the last person I remember talking to and she asked me if I was feeling cold.  Then I woke up probably about 3 to 4 hours later in another area where they checked my vitals and asked if I was ok. I was thinking, oh my doctor will be here soon, so I was eager to see what she would say.  But no, another doctor I never met before told me that I would now go to my room to recover and stay.  I asked if my doctor was going to see me but he said it would be tomorrow.  I was quite surprised.  I was also confused and not sure why my doctor never came to update me on how things went after the procedure.  Strange....

In the US, my doctor came to talk to me after the procedure was finished and then he let me go home.  He updated me on the findings and said he would send more info after the biopsy results in a day or two.  I will need to wait one week for the biopsy results here, which I find quite a long time to wait.

What a difference. I was thinking, hmmm is it because the US hospital stays are so expensive?  Or are they just being overly cautious here?  And I felt lost because there was not much communication or explanation on what was going on.  Even though German communication style is more direct here, I was just not getting many updates by any medical staff.

During my two nights in the hospital, I shared a room with two other patients, an older German woman and a younger Croatian woman.  None of them spoke English so I spoke with my limited German.  The German woman was on the other side of the Croatian woman so we never really talked.

She only complained about the fact that she was only served the salty soup for mealtime.  And she snored so much that I was just not able to sleep well.  Even with my ear plugs, I hardly got any sleep!  I was thinking that this is why I don't go to youth hostels anymore and way too old for this type of sleeping arrangement, especially when in recovery.

The Croatian woman was a nurse at another nearby hospital and she was a bit more friendly, responding to my basic questions.  She was there due to a neck surgery but from what I could make out, she said there was not enough room in the Neck Clinic so she had to have her surgery here in our clinic.  I found the hospital environment to be loud, hectic and disorganized. 

The on call doctor did her rounds the next morning.  When she approached me, my first question was when could I go home.  She looked at me sternly and said tomorrow.  And I pleaded with her and said how well I was feeling and that I would even sign a waiver to leave.  Then her face got more serious and she gave me a long hard stare.  Absolutely no, she said.  What else could I say? I wanted to argue with her and ask her why, and why is this necessary and why are you keeping me here so long?  But I just had no energy left and was honestly nervous to argue back.  The night before, Marc called the on call nurse and asked when I could go home and when the doctor would come so he could try to talk to her.  Corona times just made it more harder and it was really difficult without my husband advocating for me.  I felt homesick all over again, and felt trapped, well literally, since I was hooked up to the IV and other tubes.  

I was eventually discharged two days later! Hallelujah!  I am grateful to be home and just so glad to be sleeping in my own room, and relieved that Marc does not snore as much!  I still need to wait for the biopsy results but another doctor who discharged me said it was a pretty uneventful procedure so he thinks it will be fine. 

A few things I did not enjoy about my experience: 

1.  The lack of communication and timely updates by the staff, primarily the doctors.  The nurses of course tried to help me and some were friendly than others. But they were stressed too and understaffed.  I was really frustrated that I could not see my doctor who performed the biopsy.  Where was she?  This was just very different from the hospital procedures in the States.  Patient care is much more emphasized and valued in American hospitals.  I was a medical interpreter in the Wisconsin hospitals for Korean language patients and I remember how approachable and communicative the doctors were with their patients.  It is a world of difference and I am still trying to understand why.  Some German friends who are nurses or doctors told me that they are overworked and stressed, and there are just too many patients to treat.  I do know there is a shortage of nurses in Germany so the government is recruiting foreign nurses and trying to attract them to work here. 

2.  The lack of privacy in hospital rooms was challenging.  I know that many other countries have shared rooms in hospitals but I never experienced this as a patient in the States.  I had good insurance and never needed to stay longer than one night in a hospital.  The patients I interpreted for also never stayed in shared rooms.  The healthcare costs are expensive in the US, we all know that, but I have to say the patient care services and focus on individual privacy and comfort are important.

3.  Treatment of nurses.  The last night I was there, when the two nurses came to do their evening rounds, I witnessed something really unpleasant.  The head nurse barged in and started scolding these  nurses in our room.  I did not understand what they were exactly saying but it was something about how they made something wet and there was water spilled everywhere.  It was tough to listen and see this type of treatment.  I know the two nurses were not ethnic German.  They had dark hair and darker complexion and one nurse told me she was from Romania. I hope the blond hair nurse was scolding them for what they really did wrong!  I just could not help notice this unprofessional and rude behavior which should have been handled in their office, no in our room.

4.  The Food!  This was probably a minor issue since hospital food is not gourmet food...but still, this cold slice of brown bread with strange looking cold cut meats was my breakfast and dinner!  I checked vegetarian on the  menu form, but even then I just somehow ended up with cold cuts and bread....not very appetizing.  To be fair I did have one warm lunch which was some type of fish smothered in salty creamy yellow sauce, which I did not like, and overcooked carrots and boiled potatoes. Marc loves his Abend Brot but not for every dinner, and his plate has smoked fish, veggies, cheese, olives and more!  OMG!  There were hardly any fruit or fresh veggies and like the German lady said, all was very salty! Again, US hospitals are expensive but some places do offer organic, healthier and fresh food from time to time!

5.  Private versus Shared rooms.  I was told after the fact from family and friends in Germany that we could have purchased private insurance or pay extra to get a private room.  If I had known and was more prepared, sure I would have done that!  And definitely will plan better next time! Even Marc had no idea since he never stayed in a German hospital before. 

 Overall, I was surprised that the public insurance that most Germans have here does not pay for extra things like, individual rooms, extra tests, some extra procedures, medicines, and more.  I had to pay for some extra ultrasound tests at my gynecologist appointment because she said my insurance did not cover it.  My German oral surgeon told me that healthcare here is becoming more expensive and privatized and the insurance system is becoming more like the one in America. This is unfortunate and surprising....

After this experience, I am grateful to be home with my family.  I felt isolated in the hospital especially during this pandemic. I thought of all the sick corona patients who had to spend lonely and scary nights in a hospital all over the world.  No one wants to be sick and stay in a hospital anywhere.  My stay was short, and I was able to communicate in basic German and mostly in English.  And yes, I was definitely complaining and feeling sorry for myself...However, the culture shock and cultural differences I encountered was not easy at times and threw me off guard.  For sure, this was a good learning experience and I am more experienced and knowledgeable now.  I hope other newcomers and foreigners will learn from my hospital experience here and prepare in advance if possible!

Thanks for reading and please stay healthy!  

Saehee