Feb 23, 2010
Bossy’s Favorite Things
Hospital rooms.
Bossy knows she’s going to stand nearly alone on this one — leg surgery pun not intended — but Bossy just loves hospitals in general. Bossy’s dad is a cardiologist — and growing up, Bossy often accompanied him to work, where she would kibitz with the elderly patients in the waiting room, ride the elevator to the Labor & Delivery floor so she could listen for screams, and frequent the hospital cafeteria where she’d pile her plate high with carbs such as turkey tetrazzini, mashed potatoes, and macaroni and cheese. Yes, all at once.
Hanging around a hospital, for Bossy, was akin to stocking the shelves of the Corner Store your parents ran.
Bossy likes the hustle and bustle of the nurses and the chatter of the overhead paging system and even, yes, the sterile smell. A hospital is like its own city, a microcosm, and it’s one of the few situations where Bossy surrenders control. Bossy has experienced some sadness in the hospital, but it is far outweighed by the miracles she’s seen at work there.
But anyway. Bossy was in the hospital yesterday for her vascular surgery, and after she passed time in the recovery room, Bossy was pushed into a hospital room while the stubborn general anesthetic wore off, and Bossy fell in and out of sleep for hours while watching nothing in particular on the wall-mounted TV.
It felt like a spa. Which maybe doesn’t say much about Bossy’s everyday life.
Oh Bossy…I GET it! When I had my c-sections I felt like I checked into Nemacolin. No one was calling my name, nice people brought me food and took care of me, I got to watch whatever I wanted on TV, go on the internet uninterrupted and not to mention they brought me pain killers that made me feel soooo happy! I don’t want more babies, but I’d check in for the “spa services” again at the hospital ANY day! (I guess this doesn’t say much about MY life either, does it?!!)
BOSSY!!! What have they done to you?
–>I hope you’re feeling better soon.
HAHAHAHA !! erm… well… yes it IS a bit like a vacation. Your only responsibility is to lay there and heal. They just built a new hospital in my neck of the woods and the print ad for it likens it to a grand hotel. Can’t help but wonder how the price tag of the $10 dollar aspirin will go up BUT it looks like a swell place to recoup from anything.
I am skeptic…as in I am looking very sideways at this post…
Apparently my hospital sucks…its the only place in the world they would come into your room and wake you up to take a sleeping pill. Oy.
I am glad you enjoyed your experience and am wishing you a tres speedy recovery!
I grew up in the shadow of Mayo and St. Mary’s Hospital. I was in awe of the nuns who sailed about in full habits with no visible means of acceleration, and became a physician myself. My first baby went to med school with me (hidden in a front pack) and now is in medical school herself. Hospitals are comfy, nurturing places where I always feel at home.
My mom had vascular surgery several years ago, and it was highly unpleasant for her. I hope they’ve improved their techniques since then.
Get well soon!
Kibitz is one of the categories on my blog!!!! Because I have opinions!!!!
I like hospitals too, and my dad was a pediatrician. I’m sure there’s a correlation.
Best part of hospitalization? Urinary catheter! Don’t even have to get up to pee. What a vacation!
OH Bossy I hope you feel better soon! Watch lots of Olympics in the meantime and keep us updated.
Bossy I feel the same way about hospitals, and have been in and out of them myself quite a bit over the last few years, for good and bad reasons. I just like that there are a whole bunch of people working to make others feel better.
And that you are taking photos of yourself coming out of anesthesia cracks me up to no end.
I can never spell that word. Anasthesia? Anesteshia? whatever. You’re drugged, you don’t care…
I was just in the ER and aside from itching like mad and a swollen tongue and throat closure I enjoyed it. –) No more shellfish anything for me! Ever! However, I love that I can “overhear” all sorts of things, there are NO barking dogs and I can’t see the dust bunnies that I should be vacuuming. Too bad I couldn’t stay overnight. The weird thing is i HATE HATE HATE when the family or anyone else comes with me. I feel so “sick” when that happens. I like to go by myself, stay by myself and bring myself home. as I said.. weird.
But even though you like them, Oh Bossy, I’m so sorry that you’re in disrepair! It doesn’t look very comfortable and I’m hoping that you’re up and out of there supersonically fast!
Having one paramedic dad and one x-ray tech mom, I also feel akin to hospitals. Hate needles though. ::shudder::
And Iike Know It All, I also look back on my c-section hospital time with fond memories.
My mom was a nurse, so I love hospitals AND doctors’ offices. And when a doc’s office doesn’t treat people right, I have SOMETHING to SAY about it!
Hope you’re better soon and have to stay another night!
Nope.
Uhhh…
Nope.
I hate the smell of hospitals…..somewhere between meds, urine and death. Yuck!
My gastroenterolgist shares a whole gastro unit facility with a pack of fellow gastroenterologists. It was a strangely festive experience having a colonscopy there, Won’t mind another down the road.
I hear you too, Bossy. My dad’s a doctor too. I’ve only ever been in the hospital to have babies, but it sure did feel like club med with people bringing me lovely trays of food and changing my sheets for me and just coming to check on me, especially when I yelled and pressed buttons. At home, I yell all the time and no one ever comes.
Well, I’m glad you’re . . . happy? If you have to be in the hospital, at least you kind of enjoy part of the experience.
Me? No. I just spent more than enough time there when my son was born (too bad you weren’t there, Bossy–I screamed good; no drugs) and never want to see the place again.
I thought I was the only person in the world who refers to her hospital stay as ’spa like’! In January ‘09 I had the pleasure of spending an entire SEVEN DAYS in a beautiful private room in the Heart wing of our local hospital. It was amazing to have new people to chat with, meals delivered, and be able to read, read, read book after book for seven whole days. Since I had a viral infection in my lungs, I wasn’t really “sick” or in pain (just couldn’t breathe…haha). While there, all my work stress melted away…I wish I could just check myself in again for an R & R! Crazy…I know…
You are one of kind! Now if that room as a great view and a king size bed plus a remote to lock the door?- I’m with you.
BOSSY has a great attitude. BOSSY also very likely has no sense of smell.
Although . . . I had really good food at the hospital during my baby-deliveringnesses and have considering asking if they do take-out.
Hang in there, Bossy! Oh, and your pedicure in the other picture looks fabulous!
I have to say, I am always amazed that Bossy appears to carry her camera absolutely everywhere!
Feel better soon!
i, on the other hand, do NOT like hospitals…..i went in and out of consciousness just reading this post.
I’m feelin’ ya, Bossy. I, too, surrender control and try to enjoy the ride in the hospital. Tomorrow I get to have surgery on my booty (see post 101 in twt) and I’m hoping for some kick-ass anesthesia (pun intended) and lots of painkillers to-go. Hope you feel better soon!
Is that Bossy’s son on the TV?
Feel better.
aaawwww. bossy. I’m sorry.
janet #9 I am so with you! after knee replacements you don’t want to have to get up! never knew anyone else who felt the same way.
I felt the same way about my hospital stays after having my second and third kids. Total spa days. People bring you stuff. No one makes you do anything.
I hope you’re feeling better soon though.
Dr.: one more round of pain meds for our friend over here, please, she deserves ‘em. Bossy, you’re right: hospitals are fascinating places. One whiff and my knees buckle, but they’re definitely fascinating microcosms. Heal fast, my friend!
Dang, I got it wrong all this time! The only way I ever experienced hospitals is as these horrible places that make your baby cry in pain, where you can’t get any sleep due to monitors beeping, and where you have to walk away fast if you want to get anything that would qualify as “food”.
Sorry, but after what I’ve seen my child go through I’m feeling a lot of gratitude mixed with the strong urge to run.
But I’m glad you were well taken care of. Sending good healing thoughts!
You look THAT good post-surgery?! I give up.
At least I’m not alone. I adore hospitals even though and because they have been the setting for much activity in my life. Mostly, though, shit gets done there and you get (or at least I do) the feeling that the nurses and the doctors and the respitory therapists and the ladies who clarify which flavor jello your dying dad would like—that these humans are IN THE MOMENT and have their priorities straight and after all is said and done THOSE ARE MY KIND OF PEOPLE. Thanks Bossy once again for getting me all riled up about some subject that no one else has put words on in just the right way.
I’m grateful for the miracles they keep doing in the hospital, but … there’s a particular shade of green that makes me jumpy.
Drug-rep here. Love hospitals! I feel safe and serene – and love being surrounded by really really smart people.
You do look amazing post-op! It must be a reflection of your inner beauty – because anyone that can compare hospital to Spa – well – is just a beautiful person!! LOL.
LOL, ugh.