Unfortunately last week or so I’ve been unwell which lead to me staying in Hospital for a few days. However once I started to get more energy and felt better I started to take note on what was going on around me. One thing I noticed I do is wonder how ill others are and how long they have been here. I questioned in all areas of the hospital but this started on my second ward mainly. I was placed in a small room with just four other ladies, whom where elderly the lady next to me had been in hospital 7 weeks and the others looking on a month. I was the only patient in my room, (E-Bay) under 50 and had mobility. I was grateful but then led me to feel like I also had to help the other ladies. My first night in the lady opposite me had almost chocked herself with her oxygen tubes so I had to help get a nurse. The morning following I was woken up with calls of help, the lady next to me couldn’t reach her call button and I had to help call for the nurses, however I had never needed my call button before and I had pressed the emergency button so the alarm went off and within enough time for me to jump back in bed there were four nurses rushing in to help. My mistake as she only had a nosebleed so I got told politely not to press that button but they all laughed. At least I tried to help. The next night my curtains around my bed were pulled a crossed and I was watching a film. I could here slight moaning but that was normal in the ward. However next thing I know all the night staff come rushing in and then the smell of blood and urine took over, wasn’t a pleasant but I felt bad as I didn’t pull my curtains and check. There was a lady called Mary from the D-Bay who at first freaked me out she would just walk to the door and stare at me. I could the staff tell her to go back to bed and she wasn’t aloud to wonder into the male wards. She became less scary after this in fact I warmed to her. She would wonder in at least 5 times a day.
Here my list of things I noticed;
1: It’s extremely hard to walk around with your drip trolley, that doesn’t want to simply go forward. Lifting over bumps and doggy carpet. Then when back on the ward you almost look like your slow dancing with it as you unwind yourself and all your wires.
2: The bodily noises, beeps and flashing lights, most defiantly get louder in the night
3: All visitors you have will want to see how they can play with your bed remote and see how fast they can make your head touch your toes.
4: In hospital pjs and slippers never have to match and when walking round in your pjs you automatically have priority over the corridors. People will move out your way as if they will catch what ever you have.
5: Catheter’s are far more painful when in your working, texting hand.
6: No matter how many times your swirl your hospital food around the plate it wont taste any better.
7: When wheeled around in your bed or wheelchair everyone will smile and stare. leaving you with a feeling of …. should I wave back.
8: People walks are so different from age, pain, drips, tiredness.
9: There was a lady diagonally from me who said "ohh dear" 28 times in 2mins
10: its impossible to wash your hair with one hand when you have such long hair