Hospital Thoughts

Hospitals are interesting places to people watch and get inspired for writing. This hopefully catches some of the experience. In a way I wished I'd taken my iPad and written there but I enjoyed reading my book.

Day 36 of 100

Hospital Thoughts

Hospital smell
Grotty food like school dinners
Too many people in a small space
And some kind of cleaner.

Paramedics and transport techs
Nurses, doctors and other staff
Add in patients, visitors and family
A constant swarm of people

Wheelchairs wheel all over the place
Powerchairs glide silently
Stretchers trundle and squeak
And crutches add an extra rhythm to footsteps

An alcohol wipe gets rid of bacteria
The smell probably scares them away
"sharp scratch now"
The drug stings and burns its way in

More blood than expected drips down my leg
Cotton wool and pressure does the trick
Too many plasters to count
And gloves that rip.

Drips beep
Lifts announce "floor one"
Patients cry
Others laugh

Phones ring
And nurses scurry
Hospital life is all
Hurry hurry hurry

Deep voiced explanations
Technical words
I pause
Then ask for clarification.

A one off visit
Outpatients.
But fear grips
What if multiple visits are needed by this crip?

The news isn't so bad
The doctor seems very happy
Says its good to meet me
And that they'll leave me be

A firm handshake
A smile - and thanks
Drop down a floor
Wheel out the door.

Don't look back
Going home at last
It's been a long day
Very glad to get away

Hospital life never stops
With its highs and lows
Noise, trauma and bright lights.
Full of success and nasty shocks

But from my thoughts it is gone
(although the memory lives on)
It'll be months before I'm back there
In amongst others receiving needed care.


♥ Emma