About people who check into hospitals on Facebook?

[MintyChapstick]

Does anyone else think this is the most attention seeking thing ever? I see it a lot statuses saying things like 'ouch' and a tag to th A and E department of our local hospital? Cue lots of 'u OK Hun?' type messages, sometimes they respond, sometimes they don't. I've got one on my feed this morning, 'In admissions, nil by mouth' with a tag to the local hospital. Lots of comments asking what's wrong, no response but she's managed to share and like lots of other things since she's been admitted... Never mind though, she's got the attention she so desperately seems to crave

I know people are going to say that they can use Facebook as they please, but surely as well attention seeking sharing stuff like that will cause worry to family and friends who can see it and won't know what's wrong?

[Sparklingbrook]

I don't have FB so if anyone desperately wanted me to know they were hospitalised they would have to let me know the old fashioned way.

[AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected]

Boiledfart not everyone copes with death in the same way, when my parent was dying in hospital I needed company and distraction. There was a lot of time spend sitting in the canteen while nurses gave care etc, a lot of waiting, it was slow and painful

I respect that some people deal with it by being private, but It meant a lot to me to hear from my friends and aquaintances, not just the people who needed to know

We all grieve differently

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I do it, but then I hardly ever go out so it makes a change.
I have major health issues anyway and never vague book about it.
I'll be at the fracture clinic on Tuesday, FB will know about it.

[AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected]

I think the general rule of thumb on this issue should be....if someone has the time & energy to post random bollocks on FB about being in hospital, 99% of the time it will not be serious. Those in hospital for genuinely serious reasons will be far too ill and distressed to even think about FB.

That's not true

some people deal with minor and major illnesses privately
Other people deal with both differently

I don't think there's a correlation, because the ones who post the bumps and grazes also post their serious stuff. They post both

I know people who have been in with life threatening thing/things life threatening for their kids who have posted constant updates, and people who haven't. The ones who haven't weren't necessarily more serious, just different people with different needs

It's just different people with different ways of coping with things.

Not all life threatening hospital admissions = being unconscious and unable to move your thumb

[Dutchcourage]

Yep attention seeking

[MikeWasowski]

nuttymango if you think that's bad.... "Munchausen-by-proxy Sarah" posted a naked photo of her DS with nothing but a sock covering his penis! "supporting cocks in socks for testicular cancer" and portia and the other "deactivator" (sorry can't remember name) I too deactivated my FB account 3 years ago and don't miss it one bit!!

[AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected]

I was also on facebook within 24 hours of being resucitated. So pretty much as life'n'death as you get

I wasn't posting about my medical stuff as it happens at that time, but I needed the distraction, had a "neighbour" in the next bed with a very aggressive horrible family visiting, they were vile, nurses were aware but didn't do anything - I needed to blank it all out, and facebook is good for that.

[PageStillNotFound404]

Every time I read a FB thread in here I come away with the impression that most MNers don't actually like their friends very much. And they all think they use Facebook in a far superior way to everyone else on their friends list.

If you don't like what you see, don't use it. Last time I checked it was still optional.

[CotswoldStrife]

I do dislike adults posting a picture of an injury and a FB hospital check-in. Who wants to see an injured finger/face etc?!

If it's a poorly child then it's more acceptable.

I love FB, but have someone on there that has just booked something a year in advance and is doing a daily countdown. I can see that has the possibility to become an irritant in a week or so, partly because the poster has form for booking and then cancelling!

[goddessoftheharvest]

I think there's two different scenarios here

Person A does a really cryptic hospital check in post. Lots of "you ok hun". No further update. You see the person nipping into the post office a few days later- turns out they had a bit of a sore toe

Person B posts something like "I'm not very well at the minute, please keep me in your thoughts/prayers". This person usually has good reason to be worried and is looking for genuine support

I have patience for person B, not so much person A

Also, I hate seeing photos of ill and distressed children. It seems so unfair when they are at their most vulnerable. Someone I know has an entire fb album entitled "my princess in hospital". The child had tonsillitis

[AdultingIsNotWhatIExpected]

However, I feel that oversharing private information on FB in order to gain sympathy and concern from others (a lot of whom are not 'real' friends), is desperate, needy, and shallow.

I still don't get why needing attention/sympathy is so wrong
You don't get a medal at the end of your life for always having coped with things all by yourself with no well wishes or sympathy or attention.. unless of course that's how you prefer to deal with things, in which case fair enough

[OvariesForgotHerPassword]

I've checked in before but always said why I'm there. Onlying once or twice has it been in a self pitying way - suspected appendicitis and a horrendous kidney infection - most of the time it's taking the mick out of myself, I have easily dislocating joints and I'm clumsy so I'm forever checking in at x-ray with the self-mocking story of how it happened

YANBU about people who do mysterious check ins though. Usually accompanied by a picture of a cannula/selfie in an oxygen mask (not even kidding, who the fuck takes a selfie in an oxygen mask?)/similar with still no explanation.

Classic vaguebooking.

[Bambamrubblesmum]

Seems to me FB is a channel for people who think that they are some sort of minor celeb and everyone is dying to know what the are doing. The majority of people are doing very ordinary and mundane things whilst trying to dress it up as something amazing.

The hospital update is pure manipulation to cause drama. If you are ill in A&E you should be focusing on the immediate issue not using it as some way of creating drama. The majority of people with genuine illness/problems have more important things on their minds.

A bit pathetic and attention seeking really.

[WiddlinDiddlin]

Photos of gory wounds or spectacular bruises - I love 'em and so do most of my mates!

Any time one of us hurts ourselves the others will ask for photographic evidence and I have been around the 'net long enough to know that whilst its weird, its actually not that unusual!

[SharonfromEON]

I agree..if it is a vague crypic I tend to ignore...Anything more I support if I can...

I tend to ignore any cryptic post..The ones that annoy me most " Are you ok? " reply..I'll pm you...

[mylovegoesdown]

I came off FB about two years ago for numerous reasons including incidents related to this thread.

I still find out when someone I care about has had a baby/been bereaved/in hospital/on holiday/having a night out.

Lots of people say 'oh I hate FB but I need it to keep in touch with people worldwide or who I don't have any other way to keep in touch with'. There's email, Skype, texts or calls for anyone in the world.

But if you ONLY keep in touch via FB then you're not really friends are you?.

[SharonfromEON]

If you are ill in A&E you should be focusing on the immediate issue not using it as some way of creating drama. The majority of people with genuine illness/problems have more important things on their minds. last time I was in A&E I spent hours making loom bands with my DS to keep him distracted... I didn't post on FB but may of done if I thought it would pass time more quickly..

[Bambamrubblesmum]

That's different though widdlin. Everyone likes a gory photo!

It's the vague posts that are just out to cause drama that are crap.

Everytime I see this on FB or gratuitous updates on completely random boring shit dressed up to look interesting I can't help but think that person must be be leading a really boring life or are really craving attention and validation. Either way something is rotten in Denmark.

[Beautifulstorm]

Yanbu. It infuriates me! Vague attention seeking ones are rediculous. A status explaining someone has been in hospital etc is fine though

[Bambamrubblesmum]

sharon doing looming bands is something productive you were doing with your son to keep his mind off it. If you were sat there on your phone on FB effectively ignoring him that wouldn't have been too supportive. What you did sounds like a much better idea imho.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

I had a spectacular bruise last time I was in inpatient, no way was that going to waste, many photos were posted.

I was in A&E the other week, posted from there too, not sure how not posting would have got me seen quicker, I was waiting for xray for my fractured back, it's not like I ask the nurses/Dr's to wait whilst I vaguely post with a crying emote.

[IHaveBrilloHair]

Another time I posted from HDU, I could barely speak, yet I could type.
Typing on FB gives me contact and support, lying there and staring at the ceiling does not.