Every time our family gets together there’s always a lot of conversation going on. More often than not, an interesting story or two will evolve out of that conversation. Recently, the topic of “semi-private hospital rooms” came into play. Semi-private is somewhat of an oxymoron as far as I’m concerned. There is nothing private about a “semi-private” room.
I sort of assumed that semi-private hospital rooms were a thing of the past, but apparently they are not. It’s been years since I’ve visited anyone who was a patient in a semi-private room, but I still remember those visits well enough to know that, given a choice, I’d never want to share a hospital room with anyone!
First of all, if you’re sick enough to be in a hospital, you’re feeling pretty low. If I’m feeling low, I certainly don’t want to be around strangers! You not only have to deal with a strange roommate, you have to deal with their visitors when they come. Let’s not forget how you can hear every word that’s being said in the room, as well. That pulled curtain offers very little privacy! So much for confidential conversations–even with the doctor! There’s nothing like listening to the patient on the other side of the curtain discussing their condition with their doctor.
Next comes the matter of the television. What if the two of you don’t like the same type of programming? Imagine being stuck in bed all day, watching or listening to shows you can’t stand! I’d absolutely die if I got a roommate who only watched “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo” or old reruns of “The Jerry Springer Show”!
Last, but not least, it the subject of the bathroom. Heaven forbid if your roommate is required to use a bed pan! I certainly do not like the thought of sharing a bathroom with strangers either! Think “public restrooms”… Which brings me to the true story which came into the conversation the other day.
Two ladies were stuck sharing a semi-private room–and I use the term “ladies” loosely here. Apparently, they were less than thrilled with each other for roommates, and lacked any discretion at all. An argument began when one of them opened her bottle of perfume. The other lady said the perfume was a “knock-off” of an original, which made the perfume owner mad. Words flew and the argument escalated. The lady with the perfume actually went into the bathroom (located on the other lady’s side of the room), left the door open, and proceeded to–as we like to say in the south– “take a crap”. Then she asked the other lady, “How do you like that perfume?” Oh my word! You can imagine how that went over! In the end, hospital security had to be called!
Now I know for sure, I’ll definitely be requesting a private room for any future hospital stays! What about you?
Reflections...by Kathy 
Oh MY! That is really a funny story as well as creapy. I’ve been in a “semi-private” room and luckly have had the best roomates.
I have, in the past shared a room in the hospital. I remember when I had the children, I was in a semi private room. And before my son was born I had sinus surgery, the lady in the other bed gave me some wonderful advise about life as a new Mom and making time for myself as well as time for me and my husband without the baby.
There have been times when I was thankful for a private room. I don’t think I would want to share now since I enjoy silence so much. I couldn’t tolerate someone who had the TV going all the time or had lots of visitors who were noisy. I think I want some books on tape to listen to so I could tune it out.
Yes the bears are on my kitchen table right now. I think I got them at Hobby Lobby several years ago.
Mama Bear
The last time I was in the hospital (when I had my gall bladder removed 17 years ago), I had a private room … I didn’t request it but I certainly appreciated it. As I get older, I find myself getting more and more private … I don’t think I’d appreciate sharing a hospital room at all.
🙂
Okay so here’s my “semi-private room” story (in a nutshell). When I had my son, we were able to have a private room in which Yohn could stay the night with me and our new babe. But with my daughter a bunch of other women all decided to have their babies on the same day (21 of us in a 24 hour period!) and so rooms were hard to come by and since my babe was born towards the end of the day, we didn’t score a private room.
My roommate was from another country and didn’t have as many “manners”. She spoke loudly and cried often. i felt bad for her as her husband was not all that nice. Her baby was born with six fingers and that upset her to no end. She constantly went on about it. With a semi-private room Yohn could not stay the night and I was devasted. I’m kind of a clinger, especially when I don’t feel well. I had a hard time falling asleep and then to make matters worse the woman “next door” kept making a hacking sound on and off all night. I guess she had a mucous problem or something.
Anyway, the next day Yohn and Elisha, who happened to be 18 months old came to visit Bethany and I in the hospital. The lady started hacking and my husband looked at me with those eyes that just said I am so sorry. The woman then used the bathroom, which was on my side of the bed, and continued her hacking while taking care of her business.
When she came out of the bathroom my son started laughing and began making a hacking sound too while giggling those uncontrollable little boy giggles. We had such a hard time not laughing with him since the woman seemed a little bothered by it. I felt bad even though I laughed quietly once she was back on her side of the room.
Oh and both of us had our own tv and the speakers are on either side of your bed, so you really can’t hear the other person’s tv unless yours is turned off, and even then it’s really hard to hear.