http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/ Another question from the Wandering Wonderer en-us Tue, 16 Mar 2010 02:03:57 GMT CakePHP http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/daily-observations/ Life is like a great big piece of candy --- An all day sucker. Sat, May 5th 2007, 06:37 GMT http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/yackety-yack/ The Wandering Wonderer is back from a short vacation with a question:Have you ever gone somewhere and met up with "ME" ?Me is the person who has something to say about everything. They have a reply for everyone, and they have to be the center of attention. Of course they are always right. They have the amazing ability to take a conversation that really has nothing to do with them, and is perfectly happy that way, and turn the conversation around so it somehow involves "ME". And of course the crowd is perfectly willing to let "ME" become the center of the conversation because that is always the way it is, so that must be the way it is supposed to be.If you want to have a good chuckle to yourself, watch sometime for a room full of people with 3-4 "MEs" in it. A warning though. You may get just a little dizzy trying to keep up with just what the topic of conversation REALLY is. Fri, May 4th 2007, 09:11 GMT http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/why-do-we-dislike-hospitals/ Hospitals. Places of healing inhabited by two groups of people. Those who need healing, and those who are there to help them. Seems fairly simple. So, why is it that people hate going into the hospital. People are nice to you there. People you haven't seen in years come to visit and bring pretty plants. Some make strained conversation for a few minutes and then not so gracefully excuse themselves. Others come for the duration. People that you usually avoid have you right where they want you - trapped. No avoiding them.So, what is it that really makes people NOT want to go to the hospital. There are the usual things - you gotta be sick to go there - people wake you at 6 in the morning to stick needles into you - the food is terrible (I don't think so. I rather enjoy some of it) - those damn gowns that open in the back and expose your butt - (my personal favorite) IV's - the long waits after you push the call button (like the nurse has absolutely nothing else to do) - cold rooms in the summer - hot rooms in the winter - don't get to choose your roommate - ad nauseum.But what is it about hospitals that we really hate?Let's start with why you are there. Duh! You're sick. And how friendly and happy are you when you are that sick? So, we start with a bad mood, and not feeling well.The room. You have two choices (actually you don't have a choice). You can look out the window at the parking lot, or you can look out the door at the hallway. Not exactly a beautiful sunset on the ocean.The bed. It's hard and it's uncomfortable, and it's covered with plastic, as are the pillows. People pay good money to sweat this much in a sauna.The roommate. Absolutely no choice here. Sometimes you get very lucky and get someone who is willing to talk. Sometimes you don't. Sometimes you get the moaning screamer or the one in a really bad mood. Not their fault. They're sick, too. Hard to remember at 2 in the morning.The IV pole. Your closest friend and your shadow. It goes wherever you go. And when one of those bags runs out of fluid, you can lie there and listen to it beep until someone comes and turns off the beep.The visitors. They seem to come in packs, and they are loud. Some turn out to be very nice people. Some are even rather amusing to listen to.The lack of control. As far as I'm concerned, this is the biggie. You're stuck in a room you don't want to be in. You're surrounded by people you don't know. You have very little say over your own life (and sometimes over your own body). People you don't know come in and invade your personal space. They poke and prod you. They stick needles in you. They ask embarassing questions (when did you last throw up). There is no privacy. Even if you don't have a roommate, someone can come walking into the room at any second. And just like you can hear everything the staff and visitors have to say to your roommate, so your roommate can hear everything they have to say to you. Privacy? No such thing.Personal Space? No such thing.Dignity? Damn little.Now that I have amused a few people and alienated a few more, let me explain something.I'm not a totally insensitive lout. I know the reality of being in a hospital. I know the necessity of all the things that can drive a patient to the brink of nastiness.I understand the phlebotomists come at 6 in the morning because they need to get the patient bloodwork done before the rest of the world descends on them.Long waits after pushing the call button are aggrivating but necessary. There are other people who also need someone to assist them.The uncomfortable bed and pillows are covered in plastic because they must be able to be sanitized between each visitor.And the floor staff. God bless em every one. They are human beings and each and every one of them brings a personality with them. As does every single patient. Sometimes the personalities don't quite mesh, but God bless em, they keep coming back to check on us to make sure we are OK. And if we're not OK, they do their best to help make us OK, or at least make us as comfortable as they can. It's amazing what a simple glass of ice water can do for a bad temper. Mon, Apr 23rd 2007, 15:37 GMT http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/views-from-a-hospital-bed/ As I sat on the edge of my hospital bed this afternoon, waiting for the doctor to come in with those magic words, "you can go home today," I just kind of let my mind wander from thought to thought.I watched the moms with their kids walking up and down the sidewalk. Just enjoying the beautiful day we had. And to think, I didn't call the doctor Monday because the weather was so rotten. People came in and out of my room with remarks on how beautiful it was outside. "Sure," I thought, "and I'm stuck in a hospital bed."Later in the day I got to go home. Others didn't. Like my roommate who was 100+ years old. I hope one day soon she will go home. Some had their doubts.As I'm being wheeled out the door, two visitors congratulated me on being able to go home and enjoy the rest of this beautiful day. "Yep," I said, "I'm gonna blow this popsycle stand." They had a good laugh, and said they'd have to remember that one. I gave credit where credit was due and told them I got it from someone I used to work with.I got home and my 4 legged roommate was thrilled to see me again after 4 days. Why didn't I tell her I wasn't gonna come back the same day when I left home? "Sorry. I didn't know." I'm forgiven. All it takes is the sound of my voice calling her name, and the sound of water being put in her water dish. Our 4 legged friends are so forgiving. Slights are forgotten with just a scratch behing the ears. Major transgressions forgiven with just a pat on the head and a smile in our voices. Too bad humans don't forgive as easily.Well, it is indeed a gorgeous day that God has made outside. I hope we have many more to look forward to. Sat, Apr 21st 2007, 14:01 GMT http://blogs.fingerlakes1.com/lost-in-the-stars/snow-no-more/ After spending 3 nights without any sleep, I am sitting here staring at the fat, wet globs of snow on the outside of my window. At least I hope it's wet snow and not (shiverrrrrr) ice..I have an overwhelming urge to buzz down to the little store and see if they have any Cherry Garcia in yet. The car doesn't look too bad (looks like the snow slid off by itself), but I'm still not sure if I want to go out there.I'm gonna have to send my prescription refills in by carrier pigeon and just hope their wings don't ice up.It's strange how different the snow looks in April as opposed to how it looked in November and December and January and February and March.Well, so far those are my observations for this snowy, Monday, April 16. Mon, Apr 16th 2007, 07:52 GMT