An Unexpected ER Visit
A few nights ago, I had to take a little trip to the emergency room. I was vomiting profusely and in a lot of pain. The good news is that it wasn’t anything life threatening; only gastritis (an irritation of the stomach lining).
While I was back home recovering, I fell asleep for most of the day since I had been in the emergency department all night. It is one of the hottest days of the year, so my window is open. I can see the sunshine but my room is quite cool since it is in the shade.
I didn’t have any of my electronic devices in bed with me. I planned to close my eyes for a moment then woke up four hours later.
One of the (albeit small) silver linings of a trip to the emergency room is that no one expects much of you the next day. I was just lying here, with my head propped up, listening to the birds warble through a hot summer day.
It was nice to lie in bed without any electronic devices. But when I got up to receive a video call from someone, I threw my iPad back on the bed with me.
I noticed the energy of that peaceful bed change. It felt like, contained within that small rectangle, a thousand bees were buzzing. Even though I had not opened social media, email, or the news. It was like I could sense that the bees were there- all that potential noise, tension, and urgency. And poof went my little oasis.
When the nurse asked me questions at the hospital, trying to narrow down my diagnosis, it went something like this:
Nurse: Any chance you can be pregnant?
Me: No.
Nurse: Do you smoke?
Me: No.
Nurse: Do you drink a lot of alcohol?
Me: No.
Nurse: Do you drink a lot of caffeine?
Me: No.
Nurse: Are you stressed right now?
Me: Umm… yes.
I live a pretty clean lifestyle- except for the stress. And yet, I am regularly having health issues. It is like a nicotine habit that I cannot kick. I know how to say no to cigarettes and alcohol, but stress? That ones harder. I don’t know how to live a low-stress life in the modern world. Maybe I do have a choice, but it doesn’t always feel like it.
Bird Worries vs. Human Worries
As I lay there, my mind wanders back to the birds. I wonder if they are stressed. It is a hot summer day and it is mating season. Is that what they worry about? Keeping cool and finding a mate? Avoiding predators like hawks or neighbourhood cats? What about finding the right nesting materials?
They have to fear being another animal’s dinner, and yet I am the one going to the hospital due to stress. I don’t want to minimize the stresses of the modern world, though. Many people have genuine reasons to be stressed- paying for your education, maintaining healthy habits, having a career, growing healthy relationships, staying informed, saving for retirement, global issues, etc. are all important matters that can fill a person’s mind and nervous system.
If you are in a toxic relationship, for example, that probably feels a lot like being a bird in the same room as a cat. You try to fly away but can never quite seem to leave and you can never relax. The cat is always there, one step behind.
But I can’t imagine a bird being treated for stress. They don’t dwell, or spiral, or lose sleep over what-ifs. They just keep going. There is no shame if they are rejected by a potential mate. No crippling anxiety over tomorrow’s food.
When I removed my iPad from my bed, I felt my shoulders relax more. In addition to the prescription for nausea and pain relief that the doctor gave me, perhaps I should add a prescription of chirping birds for myself.
Messy Bun Book Lover
(Originally posted on July 12, 2025)