The other side

Having recently been ensconced in hospital as an inpatient for seven days, I have been “released” with a new perspective on life as a patient. The clinical care I received was second to none, and I am interminably grateful to all of the healthcare professionals involved. But as the days passed, I began to understand why patients can become so upset, disillusioned, and even aggressive during their hospital stay.

Lying in a hospital bed gives you time to think, and think, and think. You think about what’s wrong with you; you think about what’s not wrong with you; you worry about the tests you have to have and the treatment you may face. The highlight and focus of your day becomes the doctor’s ward round. It is the few minutes out of each 24 hour period that you feel are productive: when you manage to find out what the plan