living out of hospital can be all kinds of hard, for so many reasons. but there are always ways to make it easier.
For several months we were in hospital for weekly chemo, starting each Monday and staying for a few days at a time. Every Sunday afternoon I’d start to get emotionally wobbly as I contemplated returning. “I hate hospital!” I’d think, feeling sick about what was coming.
Aside from the distressing things that were happening to my son, hospital was hard for me because I’m very introverted when stressed, and highly sensitive to the look and feel of environments. The fluro lights made me sad. People bursting into our room with a lunch tray at a time when my toddler had finally succumbed to his midday nap made me angry. The toilet paper was harsh. There were no great smells, or pretty art, or any genuine privacy - our room felt like a thoroughfare.
The more I thought about it, the more I realised that there were aspects of this situation that I absolutely could control. This section is all about helping you to make hospital days (to the extent that you can) as good as they can be.
resources
Identifying and removing the friction points of staying in hospital
Staying in hospital can be sensorily overwhelming for many people.
Here’s a list of prompts to make you think about what exactly is causing friction for you, and if/how you can change it.
managing WHO AND HOW PEOPLE COME INTO YOUR hospital room
Not everyone who turns up at your door needs to come in. Here are some ways to set, express and hold whatever boundaries you need to put in place on this front.
managing visitors
Managing visitors can be harder than it might initially sound. Some people stay too long, or don’t get the hint that it might be a good idea to leave if something urgent/requiring privacy happens to your child while they’re there. Often you don’t know where you’ll be (at hospital or at home) more than 24 hours in advance, and often things need to be cancelled at the last minute because your child is suddenly not well enough.
This resource helps you to get clear about what you might want to communicate upfront to people who want to visit, which will help you all to get what you need.
It also shows you how to implement a simple online booking system for visits, so people can easily see if and when you’re up for having visitors, book themselves in to come, and also allows you to cancel the visit really simply if the day isn’t proceeding as planned.
SHAPING THE ROUTINE OF HOSPITAL DAYS
Sometimes you end up admitted to hospital for a very long time; other times, you just have a small child that needs constant engagement. Whatever it is, a day in hospital can feel like it’s dragging on for a million years.
Implementing a bit of a routine might help you keep your sanity.
Here are some ideas about things you could do each day, and a way to create a routine that feels good to you.