Hospitals are so boring lets lighten the mood

Have you ever been admitted to a hospital?

  • Yes

    Votes: 46 100.0%
  • No

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    46
Exciting news! One (of the three) of my friends admitted was discharged today after 22 agonizing days. Hopefully they can stay out they have been having a rough year and only been staying out for a week or two at a time.
Now if only the other two could break out too!
 
Don't count on wifi being in any hospital over here - it's quite rare that they have it. My last hospital didn't have patient wifi but I was able to tap into university wifi (it was a university hospital) that was supposed to be available for the lecture hall one building over because of educational roaming (I work for another university). That did help a bit with the no TV but since it was hit and miss to actually get wifi in the room, I couldn't really count on it.

Good luck to all of you! My sister was in isolation for quite some time - it sucks!
 
I've had 50 surgeries from birth to 31 years of age (I'm 34 now soon to be 35) because of my disability I was born with. So, I've had lots of hospital experience. My last hospital stay was when I had my first hip replacement surgery on my left hip. It was my second hip replacement surgery in 12 years as I had my right hip done in 2000. Yes I'm very young to be having two hip replacements. But, in my case. Both times they were much needed. My last hospital stay lasted only 4 days. But, my mom brought her lap top computer, so that she could do her work. When she was not busy with it. I used it to get on Facebook as well as checking my e-mail. She took it back to the hotel where she was staying while I was in the hospital, at night. But, in the morning. She would always bring it back. I also had my iPhone to use when my mom would take her computer back with her.

I also got to watch movies in the hospital too. One thing that was new to me that time compared to the last time I was in the same hospital for my first hip surgery. The TV had a selection of movies that the patient could watch, for free. They had a lot of Disney movies on there which I had a ball watching. In addition to my favorite TV programs.
 
My last hospital stay was when I had my first hip replacement surgery on my left hip. It was my second hip replacement surgery in 12 years as I had my right hip done in 2000. Yes I'm very young to be having two hip replacements. But, in my case. Both times they were much needed.

I had my first hip replacement 2.5 years ago, at age 29. Definitely very young for a hip replacement, but I'm SO GLAD I had it done when I did. Yeah, I could have waited longer, as the pain really wasn't that bad (I wasn't even taking medication constantly) but when I asked my doctor if there was an advantage to waiting a year or two, and he said "not really" (as I'd likley have to have a revision at some point either way) I decided to go for it. Why be in pain and limping and not doing what I want to do for another year or two and THEN have the recovery, when I could have the recovery then and skip the extra year or two in between? That's pretty much how I looked at it. If anyone wants to read my story, I'd be more than happy to share. The extremely short version is I had medical issues almost from birth, and major hip surgery at age nine. When I was nine, I distinctly remember making imaginary "constellations" from the dots on the ceiling, both at the hospital and at home. My last stay, I was only in there one night, and my day was mostly filled with trying to sleep, trying to walk, and physical therapy. So there wasn't a lot of time to get super bored. I remember being very annoyed that there was no "TV Guide" channel or menu, so it was hit or miss with the TV. lol
 
I am currently inpatient right now.....14th admission this year. I've been here for 24 days so far and I'm probably going to be here for another 4-5 weeks. Over the past 2 1/2 years, I've spent about 9 months or so total as an inpatient.

I am usually doing sometime of school work whether it was as an undergrad or online classes (like I am now).
I also wander the hospital visiting other units. We have 12 units on 6 floors and I've been a patient on 9 of the units so there are always nurses, CPs, etc to visit somewhere in the hospital
I also have coloring books for relaxation
I'm lucky because my hospital has free movies and there are usually about 15-20 movies available to watch. Unfortunately the movie section doesn't change very often so for us "frequent flyers" it's not that exciting
I also bring puzzles with me as well as games (cards, rummikub, Yahtzee, scrabble, etc)
I also always have my iPad and the WiFi at our hospital is very very good.
I also usually have a few books with me. Mostly "junk books" and easy reads because I'm always on Morphine and Benadryl so I need to save all my available brain power for my classes
Skype is very very important. I usually set up a skype date with a friend a few times a week. Sometimes I skype with someone everyday. It helps me stay connected with my friends especially since I rarely get to see them since we don't live near each other.
I'm also just very very lucky that I know basically all the nurses and CPs because they really help me keep at least a little sanity. Without them hospital stays would be so much worse than they are.
 
I am currently inpatient right now.....14th admission this year. I've been here for 24 days so far and I'm probably going to be here for another 4-5 weeks. Over the past 2 1/2 years, I've spent about 9 months or so total as an inpatient.

I am usually doing sometime of school work whether it was as an undergrad or online classes (like I am now).
I also wander the hospital visiting other units. We have 12 units on 6 floors and I've been a patient on 9 of the units so there are always nurses, CPs, etc to visit somewhere in the hospital
I also have coloring books for relaxation
I'm lucky because my hospital has free movies and there are usually about 15-20 movies available to watch. Unfortunately the movie section doesn't change very often so for us "frequent flyers" it's not that exciting
I also bring puzzles with me as well as games (cards, rummikub, Yahtzee, scrabble, etc)
I also always have my iPad and the WiFi at our hospital is very very good.
I also usually have a few books with me. Mostly "junk books" and easy reads because I'm always on Morphine and Benadryl so I need to save all my available brain power for my classes
Skype is very very important. I usually set up a skype date with a friend a few times a week. Sometimes I skype with someone everyday. It helps me stay connected with my friends especially since I rarely get to see them since we don't live near each other.
I'm also just very very lucky that I know basically all the nurses and CPs because they really help me keep at least a little sanity. Without them hospital stays would be so much worse than they are.

I have never known a hospital that allows its patients to freely float between the units. If you are that sick that you have to be in the hospital, you shouldn't be roaming around; even if you're not contagious, others are, and you can catch/spread what they have. In addition, if you're on morphine and benadryl, it's probably unsafe for you---what if you pass out???
 
I have never known a hospital that allows its patients to freely float between the units. If you are that sick that you have to be in the hospital, you shouldn't be roaming around; even if you're not contagious, others are, and you can catch/spread what they have. In addition, if you're on morphine and benadryl, it's probably unsafe for you---what if you pass out???

Seriously??? You have no idea why I am here. Every hospital I've been in let's patients roam the hospital (go to the cafeteria, plaza, gift shop, etc). Yes I'm on morphine and Benadryl...my doctors and nurses have deemed me safe to walk around the hospital as long as someone is with me. The meds don't really affect me and I'm a very low dose of morphine. And I catch more illnesses being home and going to the grocery store, mall, school, etc. but I guess you know more about what is best for me and the hospital rules than my doctors and nurses do. Bravo to you. Now I remember why I stopped posting here.

And just as an FYI....I have been here so long for potassium issues and hypoglycemia and multiple procedures. You obviously are one of the people who thinks that you only go to the hospital when you can't get out of bed. As long as my blood sugar is above 100 when we leave the floor and my BP is over 90, I am not confined to my room. And I've been here so much that the nurses and doctors know they can trust me that if I am lightheaded, nasueas, unstable for any other reason, that I will tell them and will stay on this unit.

But I guess maybe I should just never leave my room. Let me know how well you would do with not leaving your room for 5 weeks.
 


I'm getting a little too familiar with hospitals lately. My dad just spent eight days in the hospital due to fluctuating blood pressure that was causing him to get lightheaded and fall. They adjusted his meds and put in a pace maker and things began to stabilize. After spending eight days in bed, he needed to go to a rehab facility to regain his strength before going home. He's been having PT everyday and learning how to move more slowly to keep his balance. He's been there for almost two weeks. I've been visiting nearly everyday. He loves to read and is just getting interested in his books again. My mom brings his magazines when they come in the mail. He keeps his TV off or watches sports without sound since the rooms are small and it bothers his roommate. He should be out in the next week or so.

Then it will be my sister's turn.. Her doctor found a suspicious area during a routine colonoscopy. A biopsy showed that it's malignant. The good news is that it hasn't spread to anywhere else in her body. She has a good chance of being totally cured with surgery. She has a consultation with a surgeon on Friday morning. I'm going with her to listen and help her ask questions. The surgery should be in the next few weeks. I'll be visiting her as much as I can. When it rains, it pours
 
I have never known a hospital that allows its patients to freely float between the units.


I know of 2 hospital where you can go between unites as long as you meed some requirements

and then one hospital where there are unites inside unites and you can go form one to another ( like the pediatric ICU is inside the pediatric unite and you can go from the ICU to the regular unite
 
DD's had 39 surgeries and has been hospitalized at least 50x for other reasons so I learned real quick to keep a fun bag in my car at all times. Some of the things we keep on hand are hand held yahtzee, ds games, laptop, kindle , DVDs, puzzle books, small manicure set with nail stickers and mini polishes, coloring books/pencils, magazines,corny joke books and those ooze tubes just because they are soothing to watch when you just want to sit and space out.

DIsfan07 - Don't worry about what others think about your roaming .DD has been in 6 major hospitals and a few small ones, all of them have allowed roaming from unit to unit ( except the burn and cancer units) and anywhere throughout the hospital or the grounds as long as DD is doing well enough to get up and move around safely and neither of us are contagious. In the last 23 years I can't think of one time that DD or I have gotten sick from being in the hospital.
 
I can speak as someone who works in a hospital in a management position.
Different hospitals have different rules regarding patients moving around the hospital.
It depends on the patient's condition first of all - how stable they are, what devices they have, their care needs, whether it would interfere with their therapy and what precautions they are on. Some don't allow anyone with invasive devices (like IVs) off the unit.
With that met (and approval of the Doctor and nurses caring for the patient), most will allow patients to public areas of the hospital. That includes hallways, lobbies, certain lounges, cafeteria. Outdoors is usually not an issue as long as the patient is cleared to leave their room.

There are areas that are consistently off limits to anyone other than patients on those units/their families/visitors:
ICU - because of the type and instability of patients, how busy it is, invasive procedures and out of respect for the very ill patients and their families.

Emergency - same reasons as ICU

Nursery/Maternity - because of security and infant abduction concerns.

Oncology/cancer care/transplant - because the patients are very immune compromised and vulnerable to infection.

Burn/wound care - patients are very vulnerable to infection.

Lounges for ER, ICU and Surgery are usually only open to family/ friends of patients in those areas.

Pediatrics - because the patients are minors and child abduction concerns (pediatric patients may be able to freely roam their unit, except for other patient rooms).

Some units, like Mental Health and Chemical Dependency encourage patients to be out of their rooms, mingling on the unit. But, patients on those units may not be able to leave the unit without an escort and patients from other units are usually not allowed because of privacy.

Rehab units usually also encourage patients to be out of their rooms, mingling.

Many hospitals don't allow patients to roam on other patient units (hallways might be OK on the same floor) out of concerns for patient privacy. Going to other units to visit staff the patient knows is possibly OK for a short, infrequent visit, but longer visits or frequent visits are discouraged because that can interfere with the staff being able to do their jobs.
Patients visiting another patient in their room is not usually allowed, but might be in special circumstances (family member, close friend).

So, anyway, the point of this post is that if you are a patient, it's best to expect you may not be able to leave your unit or possibly even your room.
 
The hospital i attend regularly puts high risk patients at certain levels of precautions. The highest precaution requiring visitors to wear special equipment and facial masks.
I am always under a contact precaution which just means that nurses and staff must gown up and wear face masks when they enter the room for any occasion. They cannot touch me or come in close contact without have their skin or uniforms covered. I have a compromised immune system of my own and it is easy for infections to be passed from room to room. I am however allowed to leave my room and wander as I see fit, though i must always wear a mask. It is still at my own risk, but sometimes it's healthier to risk a couple germs than it is to stay locked in a room for a few weeks.
I'm even allowed day passes to leave the hospital.
 
Ah Disney Doll you are reminding me of the good old days. At this point in my life, 48 years old, I have aged out of the pediatric environment. Sadly. I HATE going into the hospital and the last two times I have had IV's I start them at home. The most I will stay if I have to go is 4 or 5. I do much better at home. Are you on the new Orkambi? I started about 4 months ago and really haven't seen much other than high BP.
 
Ah Disney Doll you are reminding me of the good old days. At this point in my life, 48 years old, I have aged out of the pediatric environment. Sadly. I HATE going into the hospital and the last two times I have had IV's I start them at home. The most I will stay if I have to go is 4 or 5. I do much better at home. Are you on the new Orkambi? I started about 4 months ago and really haven't seen much other than high BP.
I wish i was in a pediatric hospital still :P I go to the U of M in Ann Arbor. Yeah I started Orkambi in August :)
 
I'm moving this to the disABILITIES Community Boad since it is not about WDW trip planning,
 
My mom is on week 2 of 3 weeks for heart surgery and starting dialysis. She crochets so I have taken her yarn, she also has a couple wors searches and coloring books. She also almost always has a book of some kind she takes with her.
 
I was hospitalized for 2-3 about 6 years ago with an infection that required IV antibiotics. I was not the least bit sick. My room was fabulous. It was almost like a resting vacation. I used my laptop to entertain myself.

Three years ago I was hospitalized with e coli sepsis. I was in a medically induced coma on life support (expected to die) for almost a week. But fortunately I remember none of this. When I finally got to a regular room I had c- diff and was not allowed to leave the room. Visitors had to gown up. But I again had my laptop. Several people brought me food as the hospital food was beyond revolting.

Both of these were in Baptist Hospital in New Orleans - the hospital where they tried to claim that people were killed during Katrina. My care was fabulous - but the hospital was sold and is now part of the Ochsner Hospital System which is great.
 
When I was in the hospital for my last hip replacement surgery back in March 2012. The TV had a video feature where I was able to choose what movie I wanted to watch. Some were family movies which I love (and some of them were Disney ones) over comedy ones. My mom also let me use her laptop when she wasn't using it, so that I could check my Facebook, and e-mail. I was only in there for four days before I was released. But, the first time I had my hip replacement surgery. I was in the hospital for three weeks. One week for recovery from the surgery, and then two weeks at a rehabilitation unit at another hospital. I was so glad to go home after that.
 
I recently fractured my tibia right at the top by the knee. They couldn't do surgery because of the location and the fact that my knee is already bone to bone with arthritis. I spent 3 nights in the hospital and then transferred to a skilled nursing facility for rehab because I live alone. The week before I was due to go home I was readmitted to the hospital with multiple blood clots in both lungs. I spent 8 nights in post intensive care before returning to the skilled nursing facility. Luckily it only postponed my going home by about a week. I've been home about 2 1/2 weeks.
I would have been lost without my iphone in the hospital and laptop in the skilled nursing. I was on complete bed rest the first 3 nights in the hospital. When I got to the nursing facility I was allowed to be in a wheelchair or the bed. Since I was/am no weight bearing on my leg there was no walking the halls. They did have activities there but they were either when I was in therapy or right after when I was too tired. I had puzzle books and an adult coloring book but I couldn't focus too long due to pain meds. I watched a lot of tv. Now that I'm home I can move around a little more but am still confined to a chair most of the day as I am still only toe touch weight bearing.
 

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