Dear fellow hospital families,
I realize that since time moves more slowly inside a hospital that it is tempting to assume that the laws of thermodynamics are similarly warped. Unfortunately, that is not the case. When you turn the thermostat in the waiting room up to 90 degrees it does not warm the room faster. It only ensures that the temperature in the room is precisely 90 degrees at 3 a.m. when I'm ready for a nap.
And here are a few words of wisdom for the facilities staff at UCSF. After empirical research, the following elements do not in fact combine to make for a restful parent sleeping room:
- Proximity to the hospital loading dock (a distance of greater than 20 feet is strongly recommended)
- Lights that won't turn off
- Door that cannot be unlocked, necessitating that it be left open all night
- Idiots chattering on their cell phones in the hallway outside the door (which remains open - refer to #3)
- Mattresses dating from the Eisenhower administration
- Roommates who spend hours rummaging through paper bags, sleeping in paper bags or possibly rubbing themselves all over with said bags
- Daily conferences scheduled in the same room at 7 a.m.
5 comments:
Well, it's at least great to see that severe lack of sleep and untold amounts of stress have not taken away from your sense of humor! I guess you need to hold onto whatever little bit of self you have left before the hospital experience beats it out of you.
Oh dear, you bring back memories.
We had:
1) Developing coughs and colds and they put us in a room with another baby post-surgery. I told them a few times and they said that our only alternative was to be classified RESPIRATORY PRECAUTIONS and go into quarantine. Um, isnt' there a middle ground? So, I had to smother my coughs all night and day.
2) Rounds at 6am????
3) Nurses on night rounds laughing and joking loudly outside. I ended up shutting the door with a glare.
4) A door that squeaked and stuck shut.
5) A crib that made such a loud metal grating noise that Wren woke when we put the side up. This was replaced after 24 hours.
Still, I did like the cafetaria food. I really really liked it. I am not sure if it was hormones and sleep deprivation but I would love to go back to that cafetaria for lunch sometime :)
That family sleeping room is a joke for sure. I remember trucks unloading and gunning their engines at 2am. And I was always afraid of someone coming into my "area" in the middle of the night - never slept a wink there. I am not looking forward to all of those annoyances next week - even for one night! Hopefully you are all gone by then. If not I'll be sure to not rummage through my shopping bags or talk loud on my cell phone in the middle of the night - I'll just yell a shout out to you instead:)
Still sending good thoughts Riley's way.
Dina
I remember the last time you were there and what a euphamism the "sleep room" is. I wonder if we could organize some serious complaining (Mission Bay Campus anyone ?) since it is such an old bldg. Hmmm.
Joce
.....we feel your pain!!! As Jayne said, it's good that you can still muster up a sense of humor in the midst of this difficult situation. Here's to getting back home for all of you VERY soon.
take care.......
Gwynne, Patrick, Cassidy, and Finn
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