Observations from the Home
Wednesday, November 26th, 2008I have had a couple of months to sit back and take a long look at the world around me. I was mostly disappointed with what I saw, but there were exceptions.
Daytime Television Is Worse Than You Think. Nothing has depressed me more than the fact that when I was bedridden, all the entertainment I had was daytime television. It mainly consists of programs like Jerry Springer, Maury Povich, local interest shows and lots of infomercials. Most of the commercials shown during these programs are targeted to the typical viewers this time of day, which apparently consist of high school drop outs, car accident victims, and men with small penises. Whats worse, usually they show the same three or four commercials over and over again during a one hour show, so there is no escape from the madness.
People In Wheelchairs Should Get More Respect. Right now, with one amputated limb and one broken limb, I am wheelchair-bound. This means such everyday tasks like going to the bathroom are now are virtually impossible for me to do by myself. When I go outside and try to propel my wheelchair down the sidewalk, I notice every little crack and uneven surface, and get tired out easily. I’ve always felt sorry for peole forced to use a wheelchair; now I have a genuine respect for what they have gone through and for what they have to deal with on a daily basis.
The Quality Of Your Hospital Care Is Based Upon Your Nurses. Doctors get all of the credit for making people well, but nurses should get most of the credit. For the most part. the nurses who have cared for me have been excellent. They’ve shown a genuine interest in my situation, treated me with kindness and respect, and have been there when I needed them. Chances are, if your nurses treat you badly, you’ll do everything you can to avoid that hospital in the future, and you should.
The TV Show How it’s Made Is Facinating. Sown on the Discovery Channel, this show takes you behind the scenes at factories to show you how all sorts of things are manufactured. They’ve detailed everything from toothpicks to buttons to plate glass to blue jeans. What usually interests me are the custom machines used to fashoin these items. Also, there is a lot of work which is done by hand on a lot of this stuff, and sometime it surprises me that a oarticular process is not automated. It isn;t everyone’s cup of tea, but I was hooked the first time I saw it.
Family Is The Most Important Thing In The World. Without a doubt, I owe my recovery to my family who have not forgotten me while I’ve been in the hospital. Their visits have let me stay in contact with the outside world, and I can’t tell you how important that is to me. Just as with people in wheelchairs, I have a new found appreciation of family and how important it is to my well-being.
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November 26th, 2008 at 10:20 am
From a Nurse; Thanks for noticing. The good ones try hard to make it the best experience it can be.
November 29th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
One of the things I have learned in all of my hospital stays…
No one can ever pay nurses enough for what they have to do every day. In my opinion they are wonderful.
And yes, I can personally attest that being in a wheelchair will change your outlook on things that we would otherwise take for granted.