Outed

I've been drinking too much the past week and this morning I felt like I was on the verge of a heart attack. So my grandfather gave me a ride to the hospital. In th Er they make u strip and check for weapons and drugs. I mentioned my jacket and backpack were out with my grampa, so the nurse went and got them and my grampa followed. So when the nurse got to my backpack I knew I was screwed( seven dry24/7's kinda screwed) so I had to say "sometimes I wet the bed and brought my own supplies" the nurse obviously gave no shits and simply said "ok". Not sure what my grampa thought we talked about different things until goodbyes were said and he left. Pretty embarrassing for me. Detoxing is a miserable process and I wanted my dipes for comfort and convenience (IVs make u pee a lot). Once I got a room my nurse asked me if I have any sleeping problems like sleep apnea, so I told her I brought my own diapers, to which I recieved another nonchalant "ok". Knew I would have to tell the nurses didn't think my grampa would be standing there yikes!

So, first of all, how are you? Is everything starting to equalize medically? Is everything going to be ok?

That's a really scary situation to have been in, and I am glad you had the wherewithal to realize you might need medical assistance and sought it out. I have known (unfortunately) a few who did not, and the consequences are dire.

I know what this is going to sound like (and I don't want it to at all so try not to take it as I'm being judgmentall), but if you drank so much over such a long period of time that you put yourself in the hospital I think the diapers are the least of your concerns. I know what it's like to be in a heavy drinking culture (14 years active duty) and how easy it is to have a few drinks with friends, then another group of friends, then another and before you know it the weekend or even the week is gone. Or to feel alone with tremendous amounts of stress where a beer or two to decompress after work turns into a sixer or two then a case. I also know the feeling of deep loss, that feeling of falling through a hole in the middle of a rough sea, and trying to escape with a glass or two. I'm not suggesting you have any sorts of problems with drinking at all, just that maybe this time was far too much?


As far as the diapers and your grandpa, I doubt he thought too much of it at the time. They were a medical style at least, and he probably thinks that you have a legitimate issue and are taking care of it. Your age suggests that there will probably be little concern over diapers, especially in this situation where your health is a far more pressing concern. I would really try not to dwell on it, especially as you recover your body and mind. That isn't to say that it might not come up later though, but now is not the time for that conversation.

It does seem like a strange procedure though; the searching. Granted, I have not been admitted to or visited too many E.R's but I have never had to go through that kind of rigamarole. I wonder if it was because of why you were there?

It's a VA hospital, no weapons of any kind on federal property, same as courthouses and post offices. A few years ago I was here for the same and had snuck in a sleeping pill in my sock. A nurse found it when she came in to do a checkup, they check everyone for rashes and other skin disorders she went right for my socks and there it was! This time when they asked about any skin problems I tempted to ask if diaper rash counts, lol.
I should be fine I'm feeling a lot better the past couple hours... probably the Valium :biggrin:

Crinklebuttt said:

It's a VA hospital, no weapons of any kind on federal property...

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Glad to hear you're doing better! I have not had the displeasure of seeking medical assistance at my local VA, it was hard enough for them to find me an ENT. Even though I live in a very well populated area, and the VA hospital its self is only 20 miles away, the nearest ENT they could find for me was about three hours north through the mountains and woods. I fucking despise the VA. I'm sorry you're there brother.

Someone should tell those guys in Oregon about the rules of bringing firearms on federal property, lol.

My Va is pretty big, lot of really nice nurses. Most of the docs are super forien and the ones that aren't are sort of assholes. There was a big former spec forces guy in the Er with me, he was wasted and fell down some stairs. He started yelling that he was leaving if he didn't see a doc soon. So this little worm comes over and he was pretty rude. I would have laughed if he punched him. When he came to look at me he's like yeah I'll have them draw some blood and urine sample. I said they did that already. He said no they didn't. I pointed to the needle port thing in my arm and said obviously they did and I peed to and they took it to the lab. All snooty he says"they can't do that lab work until I order it in the system!" he turned to leave and I gave him a"whatever dude" and laughed at him.

Yup, sounds like the VA to me. I can't stand them, it's absolutely horrible. Every time I set foot in the place, I know that I'm just about one bad attitude away from completely losing. I've never understood why everyone is so damn snooty and rude. And none of it matters by hospital or even telephone services. Oh man, just talking about them is making my blood pressure rise, lol!

I'm glad there your doing ok, and who cares about the diapers, you only get one shot to be here on this planet. A few years back I was also drinking all the time, I wasn't getting drunk but I was definitely have about a 6pack a day, (not depressed, mainly from being bored)
I started to have heart palpitations and upper chest pressure problems, Obviously I cut the alcohol out, but the chest pressure continued, I actually learned that it was caffeine from coffee that was hurting me, I would drink 6-7 cups a day then get home from work and switch to beer, repeat the process for months. Thankfully I was able to change my habits fast and o can say I no longer have these issues, I don't drink caffeine products and I have a limited alcohol intake due to being refocused on new goals that don't give me time to get bored. Good luck, and my branch of service says Semper Paratus.

Well us jarheads say Semper Fidelis, hoorah brothers and sisters.

That reminds me of the one navy corpsman in my unit would say "Semper squidelis" during roll call at formation lol.

Glad your getting better.

I stopped going to the VA years ago after getting a good civilian job with good insurance.

Embarrassing situation for sure. I wear almost all the time and I always have the thought of "what if I have an accident and I need to be taken to the ER", but I dont dwell on it that much as that would probably be the least of my problems. The HIPA laws are pretty strict in this country and I would just come straight with the nurse or doctor. "Yeah Im a Vet, I have serious emotional problems right now and I like to wear diapers to clam myself down, can you please keep it private". And that should do it. By law they cant tell anybody. You might even get your own room if you play your cards right.

My wife is a nurse... and trust me..... an adult in diapers is pretty low on the weird scale compared to some of the stuff she sees.

Stop drinking and focus more on your love of diapers. It will carry you through some hard times.

How about rehab?