Things to do in the hospital.

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CowTown

New member
Aside from reading books, is there anything people have found or discovered to make hospital stays a little less sucky?

I was hoping we could add to a list of things to try and give others ideas of what to bring to make your stay a little more enjoyable. And if books are the way to go, then what books did you love while in lock down?



Things to do to help pass the time:

1. One time a friend of mine actually surprised me and rolled in a TV stand with a dvd player and a bunch of movies to pass the time for me. It was great, but a little bulky if anyone was going to try this.

2. I always bring my laptop, and when my husband comes to visit he makes a stop at blockbuster beforehand. We watch movies all night and day together, and rade the vending machines.

3. Laptop - dial up, and that in itself passes a lot of time since it's so slow! <img src="">

4. I've always thought it would be a perfect time to paint or something, but I have never to this day been inspired in there to do anything creative. Has anyone else?

5. Take a lot of naps to speed the time.



ooooh-aaahhhh, loads of fun.

Any new and different ideas to share? I'd love to hear.
 
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Seana30

New member
This may sound silly seeing I am 33 years old and Courtney is 13, but when she goes into the hospital we buy lots of coloring books, markers, and crayons.

We both will sit there and color for hours. It can be quite theraputic, and passes the time pretty quickly.

Seana
 
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anonymous

New member
Crossword puzzles. Very addicting! When DS was in the NICU we'd get the newspaper every morning and when we were done reading it, I'd start of the crossword puzzles -- there were two in each paper. When I got stuck I'd start on the 2nd puzzle while my husband or MIL worked on the one I'd begun. Liza
 
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Lilith

New member
I pack heavy when I go into the hospital. Lots and lots of books! But I also bring:

1) My iPod

2) My portable DVD player and lots of DVD's

3) My drawing pad

4) Since I don't have a laptop, I bring a notepad to jot down short stories and the like

5) My b/f keeps me highly entertained. And he brings me actual food XD
 
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anonymous

New member
Here are a few. I'm getting ready for my son to go in for a visit soon so will be checking back to see what comes up.

learn to play the bagpipes or accordian or harmonica - that oughta get you some visitors.

use the nebulizer to blow soap bubbles (untested idea; please post results)

re-decorate your room for obscure holidays <a target=_blank class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/
">http://www.holidayinsights.com/moreholidays/
</a>
order carry out the staff will envy

become an expert at that paddle-ball thing (little red ball tied w/elastic to a paddle)
 
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bgchastain

New member
At my center they have TV's, DVD players, and VCR's in everyone room already, and in the lobby they have a movie library. I usually catch up on my movies and lots of reading- anything I can get my hands on, by the time I come out of there I know what every celebrity in Hollywood is thinkng!!
Coloring does sound like a good idea though, I'll have to remeber that.
Oh, and phone cards are a blessing from God!
 
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spicyone18

New member
anon reminded me of one time, when I was younger and was into the Bop magazines and what not with the foldouts of young actors/actresses. We would pin up all the foldout on my walls and cieling. One time around christmas we had a fake tree and chrismas lights strung on the walls.
 
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thelizardqueen

New member
I brought my bf's PSP (playstation portable), and brought a lot of movies and games with me. I also watch TV, read, I do some writing, and I wander around the whole hospital. Our hospital also has a bookstore, so I browse around there as well.
 
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anonymous

New member
When I was younger I would take walks around the hospital. Now, I am too scared to go out of my room because I do not want to catch any germs!! I also wipe down the bed, tables, phones, lightswitches etc. with clorox wipes when I go in. I know I am a freak!!! Otherwise, I read and watch tv, cards. The highlight is when my husband comes or my parents and they visit and bring FOOD!!!! I usually can not STAND the hospital and I stay in for a couple days and then go home on IV's.


Jennifer 34 years old with CF and CFRD
 
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anonymous

New member
Xanex! I would always be wanting to break out and go eat real food, or go to the movies, I didnt care where I was as long as I was not in the hospital. Now I take 1 mg of Xanex every 8 hrs when I'm in and I just mellow out and sleep lots more. I read and get real food brought to me, but I love this drug. You have to be carefull because it is addictive, but I generly dont take it when I'm out. Only if I'm stressed about going in.

Colin 23m w/cf
 
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Jane

Digital opinion leader
When my kids are both in together, we have competitions building stuff (sculptures, actions figures, vehicles, robots etc) out of all the cool medical junk (clean of course) we find in our room held together with medical tape. If we get a good nurse, we can score some really interesting things from the supply room. We hang them up when we're done so everyone can comment.
 
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S

New member
yeah, drugs for me, too. i usually get a couple vicodin when going to get my picc in and just keep requesting it afterwards. other stuff i request is ativan to relax me during the day and ambien at night. so i just basically sleep and chill most of my hospital stay...
 
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HairGirl

New member
I'm amazed that so many of you can read while in the hospital!!! I usually have a headache and am too tired to read, mostly from not moving or doing anything! I love to do word searches and the coloring idea is great too, I do those both while watching TV, my hospital has TV/VCR/DVD player in the room so that's great.
 
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CowTown

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>anonymous</b></i>

Xanex! I would always be wanting to break out and go eat real food, or go to the movies, I didnt care where I was as long as I was not in the hospital. Now I take 1 mg of Xanex every 8 hrs when I'm in and I just mellow out and sleep lots more. I read and get real food brought to me, but I love this drug. You have to be carefull because it is addictive, but I generly dont take it when I'm out. Only if I'm stressed about going in.

Colin 23m w/cf</end quote></div>



Colin and S., how do you go about getting those relaxing meds? Who do you ask, how do you do that? I know that would help me a ton but don't know how to go about it.

Thanks for feedback.
 
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charlielima

New member
My older sister used to do a lot of reading, cross-stitching, paint by numbers, cards, word searches, number finds, other games when people would come visit, decorate her room with pictures of all her friends. When she was younger we used to get the Nintendo from the hospital floor.

My younger sister does some of the same things my older sister did, but she probably sleeps more and talks on the phone more. And of course we would bring them good food because the hospital food sucks.
 
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coltsfan715

New member
The things I do in the "big house" vary.

For solo activity:
I usually always pack a few coloring books - ones for crayons and ones to color with markers.

I have in recent years taken a portable DVD player with my favorite movies.

Crosswords and Sudoku puzzle books are great time wasters.

A good book or 2 or 3 don't hurt either.

I have in the past but not so much recently taken a CD player with some CDs mainly to help me sleep at night - to drown out the hospital noises.

I have a bad habit of talking to everyone that enters my room for way to long - I crave the human interaction when I am in the hospital so I end up chatting away with everyone too.

One thing too is to take a nap - you're in the hospital you can't do anything, you ar sick obviously so why not take a nap. It is easy to rest and not feel guilty when you are in the hospital - it's not like you are taking time away from errands or chores.

For company:

Card games are always fun.
There are a ton of fun card games you can get at say Kmart or Walmart -like spite and malice, split, and many other we have gotten that I can not think of at the moment.


Lindsey
Lindsey
 
C

CowTown

New member
<div class="FTQUOTE"><begin quote><i>Originally posted by: <b>coltsfan715</b></i>

Crosswords and Sudoku puzzle books are great time wasters.

Lindsey</end quote></div>



A few people have mentioned Sudoku puzzles. What are those?

Sounds like I'm lucky, I actually like my hospital's food. Weird I know.
 
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