If you have ever been in the hospital, what was the worst part?

I don’t have any personal life or death stories at the hospital, but I can say that the consistently worst part for me is the potential exposure to all of the crap that floats and breeds in there.

Especially if you’re getting operated on. There’s a million strands of gnarly staph bacteria that it near impossible to treat. That, and the effect of hospital aesthetics on moral.

Glad to hear you’re okay. Fortunately, besides all those awful things, there’s some really smart people there helping you.

The worst part for me has been the pain, and it is really hard for them to give me painkillers because my veins like to hide when they sense needles coming near them.

But I work in Yale New Haven Hospital, and I do play therapy with ages 0–21. Basically the worst part for them (if not in serious condition) is the boredom. Fortunately we have a well-stocked playroom with many many resources and always have clowns, artists, and other youth entertainers to keep them occupied for the daylight hours, but many many hospitals cannot afford to offer these wonderful services, and sitting/laying in a bed all day (especially if bed-ridden from sickness) can really wear on you.

I had to go to the er last November because of a kidney stone scare, which luckly turned out to be nothing serious. The three hour wait for a MRI, a prescription and a “take this and come back if it gets worse” was definately annoying but the worst part by far was the battle to get my insurance company to pay. If you have free medical, consider yourself lucky.

Well I know what province you live in an technically it wasn’t free (don’t forget the monthly premiums we pay here in Texas-North).

Anyway, I had a bacterial infection and subsequently got dangerously dehydrated in Phnom Penh, Cambodia some years ago. I went to a small hospital where I was diagnosed by two nurses. Now, some might think the story turns into some savage south asian threesome but they would be so very mistaken.

Without getting graphic, I’ll just say I had a decisively thorough examination. In fact I believe I served as something of an anatomical lesson since these women were young enough to be students and they certainly took their sweet time. The conclusion: I didn’t die.

Memorable? Yes.
Enjoyable? Hell no.

The worst part is waiting to get discharged. On the near death issue I had one. I had an allergic reaction to morphine while in the hospital and my heart stopped. I had an out of body experience and was able to recall what I saw and heard during the time I was supposedly dead. I was revived luckly so all turned out great! I did not see the light I just was able to view myself from above. I recall the events right up to being shocked.

@artemisdevine: wow, I’m glad you’re okay :)

I’ve had two recent visits, both were me caring for others in my family-my dad had contracted GBS (neurological infection which gave him temporary paralysis-scary stuff), and my youngest son who last yr. burned himself a scalding noodle soup in the kitchen. Thankfully both are fine now-

IMO the scary part is this weird sense of isolation you experience in recovery-the indeterminate sense of waiting, uncertainty, amplified by the different rhythms of time set by nurses coming in and out of the room all hours-I didn’t find it relaxing.

Also that weird Lysol and betadine smell -I’ve always had an aversion to it-creeps me out.

Lastly-needles.

THE BILL. If you do not have insurance, and you had an extended stay or life saving operation, as soon as you get out of the hospital, you might as well head right for a bankruptcy lawyer. Especially if you own a home. I’m not sure if doctors still take a hippocratic oath, but I’m dam sure that hospital administrators do not. You will also notice the serious lack of help and staff that these institutions are faced with. In a nutshell DONT GET SICK.

i was in the hospital this past summer when i had a baby and the worst part was not going out for a few days. i couldn’t wait to get out and breathe some air. i must say the staff at the hospital were all very nice and accomodating. it was just being stuck indoors for days that was tough.

The waiting.

They only give you a tiny little cotton blanket and you get cold.

By the way, not being able to pay for a huge hospital/doctors bill is the number one reason people file for bankruptcy in the USA.