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Original poster

To ask for your most awful hospital ward companion stories?

222 replies

stripeyronnie · 18/08/2019 14:30

Currently on a postnatal ward. Only been here an hour. So far someone has eaten reheated curry which I can still smell. Next doors toddler is watching peppa feckin pig on loudspeaker and a different toddler is opening my curtain whilst playing with a fire engine with siren on. Luckily baby is used to being at home with similarly annoying siblings (we've been readmitted) so is sleeping through it all. DH has been dispatched home for earplugs and other things to keep me sane.

OP posts:
Hoppinggreen · 18/08/2019 17:12

Maybe orange

Prawnofthepatriarchy · 18/08/2019 17:15

I read this thread out of curiosity, as I have only ever encountered delightful people in hospital.

I was in last year for a week with two lovely women, one next and one opposite. I was by the window. One was elderly and frail but charming and very cultured. The hospital tried to discharge her without any care package - just turf her out, although her kitchen was out of action - so myself and the other woman got together all the info she needed thanks to Google and we also protested on her behalf.

The clerk (not ward staff) tried to tell us it was none of our business. But she was floored when the elderly lady told her she positively welcomed our interference. Gave us something to focus on and we got her sorted.

I was in with breathing difficulties. I am a hopelessly addicted smoker and found it very hard. I had a vape which I wasn't allowed to use on the ward. The others, both non smokers, said that was ridiculous and they kept watch while I vaped under the covers.

We were a little trio of rebels. And I will never forget them.

Bliponthescreen · 18/08/2019 17:22

This was over 20 years ago.
I was about 35 weeks pregnant, baby had stopped growing and had suspected heart problems, so I had been admitted to hospital to ‘be kept an eye on’.
I was chatting to one of the ladies on my ward and she was telling me how sadly, her previous baby was stillborn. She then began to show me photos of her dead baby. Given my situation, I found that very upsetting.
Of course I was sorry that she’d lost her baby, but that ward was not the place to be showing those photos.
Fortunately, my story had a happy ending and my 4lb+ baby was born healthy.

weegiemum · 18/08/2019 17:24

When I was in having loads of investigations for what is now my disability, I spent 2 days in a 2 bed room on award with Nellie. Nellie was in having investigations about why her diabetes was so uncontrollable, they were doing loads of blood tests, and were waiting for there to be a space for an MRI scan.

Early on day 2 she offered me some Irn Bru (Scottish soft drink if you've never heard of it!). She had a locker full of cans of full sugar Irn Bru and her family were bringing it in for her.

I didn't like to snitch, but she was having really expensive, time consuming investigations (I was also waiting for an MRI and it was the final test that confirmed my diagnosis). So later that day when she was with the physiotherapists I pointed out the stash to the nurse. Sister also came for a look. I was moved to a different 4 bed room immediately and never knew the outcome. But they had certainly found the cause of her uncontrolled diabetes!

AnneLovesGilbert · 18/08/2019 17:25

When I had my appendix out my neighbour on the ward was having her lower leg amputated because of diabetes and kept shouting for someone to take her out for a smoke. They were run ragged and kept saying they’d take her when they had a sec so eventually she just sparked up in her bed. That was about ten years ago.

CoffeenWalnut · 18/08/2019 17:29

My story is awfully tame compared ot most of you: when I had appendicitis I was in a bed next to a woman who had had an obstructed bowel. She was visited by her husband and toddler.... and after they had gone home another bloke arrived with a big bouquet of red roses... which they asked me to put on my locker so her husband wouldn't suspect anything....

JemSynergy · 18/08/2019 17:31

When I gave birth to my first baby. I had the most horrendous time in hospital after an emergence csection. I had to stay in for 10 days due to my baby having jaundice. Due to not producing any milk and not being told why...I ended up collapsing when I went to ask a nurse for some formula. I was dehydrated and hadn't eaten anything properly for days as I had a very long labour and due to the food trolley not coming into the ward (and as I couldn't get out of the very high bed due to excruciating pain) I was unable to get any food or water. During visiting hours I remember my husband coming in with food, water and a Dominos pizza and it felt like the best thing I had ever eaten! I remember also going for a shower and being so worried I was going to get an infection in my scar as the the ward bathroom was absolutely filthy, blood everywhere.

cleofatra · 18/08/2019 17:47

I've only been in for a baby but have visited wards many many times, especially recently.
I have to say, the worst is my actual MIL. She is in her 80's and sits by the bedside commenting loudly on all of the patients in the ward. It's dreadfully embarrassing.
For my own experience as an inpatient, I had the usual crowd of people visiting one lady across the way but the worst, I'm sorry to say, were the staff. I was near the Nurse's bay and they sat bitching about the patients and were quite rude. I had one literally throw pads at me from the seat at the nurses' station. I won't go on as I know that these don't represent all hard-working Nurses ...but my lot were bad that week.

cleofatra · 18/08/2019 17:49

@JemSynergy I also had no food for the week I was in! Apparently, there was a dining room but I had no shoes so couldn't get there. Then I was on transfusions and had to measure my urinary output and write it in the notes every hour.

RelaisBlu · 18/08/2019 17:50

JemSynergy the state of the ward bathroom was the reason I got myself discharged 8 hours after my 3rd DD was born!

Theweasleytwins · 18/08/2019 17:52

I was in the postnatal ward after a C-section with my twins, could barely stand and quite drained

There was a lovely African lady (told us where she was from, very friendly) in the same room, absolutely lovely in the day, at night snored like a train

Jamiefraserskilt · 18/08/2019 17:54

After my second was born, I was in a room of four. Two had babies in scbu and one Indian lady had a stillborn boy. None of her family or the father came to see her as she had lost a long awaited son and had been ostracised. This wasnt the first child she had lost. She spoke little English but had a keen interest in my son, standing next to the doctor as she inspected him for mobility and defects, Checked his nappy....every single time. It was strange until i learned why. The nurses used to let her sit in the nursery room with the babies whilst we rested or showered and assured us she was harmless, just very sad. I asked the nurse why she wasn't in the gynae ward instead if being with anti natal mums. They said it was policy but they disagreed with it. The only visitor she had was social services as they had thrown her out of her home for being a bad wife.
I will never forget her. She had the clothes she stood in and that was it. Poor lady.

cleofatra · 18/08/2019 17:58

I must admit, I was the ward snorer.
I tried so hard not to sleep all week.

TheBouquets · 18/08/2019 18:04

@SimonJT I feel so sorry for all you went through in the hospital but honestly, your account of it made me laugh till I choked!
I hope you are well now

EmpressJewel · 18/08/2019 18:05

A woman also in the antenatal ward was grilling the Ward Host about whether the apples served with lunch would be red or green, as she didn't like green apples.

I was really annoyed at having to listen to her questioning the food choices in such details.

TheFairyCaravan · 18/08/2019 18:07

Another time I was in hospital after having my pelvis fused so wasn't allowed out of bed. The two ladies opposite had had hip replacements and were having a squabbling match competition on who was doing best at physio. One would walk half the ward so the other would have to go further. The next day it was the stairs. It was ridiculous and was like being at home with my kids. It was such an old hospital we didn't have wi fi or a tv to drown them out.

Want2727 · 18/08/2019 18:12

I had just had major surgery and the old lady opposite kept asking me to do stuff
For her which I couldn’t as I could not get out of bed. When her daughter came she pointed at me and said “that stuck up cow won’t help and just lies there” I then got threatened by the daughter.

My DH complained to the nurses and I was moved
Another time I complained about neighbours tv being on a full blast at 2am and was told it was her “right”to listen to the Tv Hmm
My op wa cancelled once because the women opposite came and out her chair right next to my bad and stared at me all night.
I asked the nurses to do so something but was told she had dementure and they could not do anything. Felt every sorry for the lady but after a night of no sleep as she kept moving her chair closer I had a seizure and my surgery was cancelled Hmm
I have always said I would have to being dying and unconicous to go into a hospital again

LittleTopic · 18/08/2019 18:13

Postnatal ward. Ended up in EMCS and then went into shock due to excessive blood loss so was feeling pretty poorly.

The woman next to me spent a long time talking very loudly about how c sections are for “lazy cows” and “give you a licence to be dramatic.”

DD struggled to latch and I asked several midwives to help get her to feed. She would exclaim to her DP “babe! Look how easily the baby is feeding!” Every time she breastfed.

Told her baby to “shut up already” when he cried at 3am and then tutted loudly when any other babies on the ward cried.

transformandriseup · 18/08/2019 18:24

The lady in the next bed to me was lovely to talk to but her DP was horrible. He didn’t care that she has been terrible pain due to complications. He spoke to her like it was her fault he was having to take care of their other child while she was still in hospital and then complained that he had spent a fortune on parking coming to visit her. He also spoke to the midwives like dirt, they advised him he would need to do most of the heavy lifting while his partner recovered and he wasn’t happy because he had to make two trips to the car instead of one. He snatched up the bags and stormed out.

RantyAnty · 18/08/2019 18:26

Only time on a ward: general

One woman with gangrene feet must have had the entire town in her room at some point.

I had put my hearing aids in but took them out after one woman had set up a chair like the head of the ward and varied between snarky comments about everyone and singing. So thankfully I couldn't hear much of what went on.

When finally ready to leave, I was ready to walk out with the nurse the snarky woman was glaring at me saying how up myself for not talking. I just said, I'm deaf. Bye.

Serin · 18/08/2019 18:28

I was once on IV antibiotics for an infection and felt awful.
There was a lovely quiet elderly nun in the bed next to mine. At least she was quiet until the rest of the convent turned up with 2 priests and a guitar.........Grin

NotSoThinLizzy · 18/08/2019 18:35

I have to admit I am the the horrible snorer when in hosp 😂 I'm surprised no one has tried to smother me yet.

Sleepyhead19 · 18/08/2019 18:36

When I had my daughter, I was in for two days. The woman in the bed opposite snored so loudly that drs and midwives came to check on her and make sure it actually was snoring! She slept through her baby crying and had to be woken up. That was the only time myself or anyone else in the room, could get some sleep! I still have never heard anything else like it! She was also a very loud person who didn’t stop talking, on the phone or in person!

yousoundllikeyourefromlondon · 18/08/2019 18:42

Just has my DS and was moved to a transitional ward. There were only 4 of us on the ward plus a midwife and a nurse.

One of the babies needed to be tube fed and mum was trained to do this as she was due to go home within the next week but still required tube feeding at home.

She was fed 2 hourly and over half the times it was feeding time she would go off the ward for a smoke.

The baby's dad came every day but I didn't see him once interact with the baby, instead he made mum sit on the chair and he got on the bed and watched shit films all day, on loud with no headphones.

He left a right mess on the table and around the bed and the cleaner came and took all his rubbish away and he kicked off at all the staff saying she shouldn't be touching his stuff. Security removed him and he was only allowed restricted visiting hours then!

IsobelRae23 · 18/08/2019 18:43

Mine wasn’t my companions.

I was in the ward with 3 ladies in their 70’s, 80’s and 90’s- I was 28. I had such an enjoyable time talking to them. However some of the nurses behaviour towards them was very poor.

So I asked to speak to the nurse in charge, and told her what had happened. All three thanked me, and said they would not have had the courage to speak up.

Naughtily I popped in the day after I was discharged to see how things had been, and happily the previous behaviour the nurses had displayed had stopped. So obviously they had been spoken to, and taken it on board, and ceased what they were doing.