Hospital Policy

"Only those who attempt the absurd will achieve the impossible." ~ M. C. Escher

My second eldest sister, K, who is three years older than me has just been diagnosed with the genetic heart condition that my dad had. My dad always said that, it being genetic, probably 50% of us (my siblings and I) had it. 

Yesterday my sister got a defibrillator/pacemaker put in. I went to visit her in the hospital last night and she said, "L, I have to tell you some good news, or at least news I think you'll like." I was wondering what good news could she possibly have to tell me after having her chest opened up and an electrical box put inside her? But before I could say anything she told me, "Before I went in for surgery they made me take a urine test." Hmm... I'm thinking, my sister is telling me about peeing, how interesting. 

K. must have seen the confused look on my face because she immediately said, "They made me take the urine test to be sure I wasn't pregnant!" My sister continued, "I told them my husband had a vasectomy." But, she told me, they just answered her back with, "It's hospital policy to have all woman 55 years of age and younger take a pregnancy test before surgery." 

Holy cow, I thought, if it's standard hospital policy for them to make woman 55 and younger take pregnancy test before procedures, there's a reason! And that reason is most likely that someone 55 years old was probably in that hospital having a procedure done, and neither she nor the hospital knew she was pregnant! 

And, if it's a common hospital policy in one of my town's hospitals, I can't imagine it not being the policy of many hospitals. When something becomes standard hospital policy it's got to mean it happens a lot more than we know!