So there are many stigmas, stereo types and misconceptions about what it’s like to stay in hospital for a decent amount of time. Lemme break it down for you.
The Food: So the one thing that you kind of got right by the stereotyping, is that the food isn’t great. But I have found that it changes from hospital to hospital. And very recently there has been an improvement in the food at my local hospital. But the good thing is there is never any shortage of toast and you can always get some snacks if you ask the nurses nicely.
The reasoning for patients being there: One thing I discovered through me being one of them, is that for every 4 people I met who were in for a physical reason, there would be someone in for a mental condition. I found this quite surprising. This is just from personal experience.
The beds: Despite what you may think, the beds aren’t the most uncomfortable thing. If anything, it’s the covers that are annoying. You only get two paper thin covers. You have the option to move up and down at the head and the leg end which is great for getting a good position for my back.
The play room: In the children’s ward there is a room filled with amazing and cool distractions for kids. And even some for people closer to my age (16) because a lot of the stuff is usually just for the really young ones. There is an air hockey table and a play station and portable DVD players. So a bit more entertainment than you may think.
School: There is a school room and qualified teachers who are there for all official school days. School can start a lot later and there are a lot more creative activities like painting and cooking and you only have to do work if you can. But it does mean the whole ‘I’m in hospital so don’t have to go to school thing’ is a myth.
The bathrooms: So the bathrooms leave much to be desired. The showers are tiny and the heat is on the same leaver as the pressure, so if you want it hot, it’s also got to be almost peeling your skin off. And the lights are obviously motion sensor controlled. So if you spend more than, what feels like 5 seconds in the bathroom, the judging lights will turn off and you have to awkwardly wave your arms whilst on the toilet to turn the light back on. Not the best. And as a side note: the towels are a quarter of the size of a proper towel so my awkwardly trying to hold the towel while the nurses fixed the cannula was not the best of the situation. For that story check out my blog on having a cannulas.
This is a picture I like to call 'Et phone home... from Bristol Children's Hospital'.