To ask for your most awful hospital ward companion stories?

[stripeyronnie]

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.

I was staying overnight in hospital as a parent with my 6 year old (on a children’s ward) post operation. There was a Dad staying with his son in the opposite bed. I was trying to sleep on a pull out bed. The man wandered into our curtained area at one point during the night to ask where to get a drink(!) He then fell asleep- next to his son (also on a pull out bed) and snored SO LOUDLY for the next six hours. Lots of people complained- the nurses couldn’t wake him and nobody else got any sleep. 😱

When DD1 was born, a girl I had been at school with and who was now my neighbour was brought in a couple of days after me. In the dark ages back then (1991), you were kept in a week. On day 4, I had a bout of baby blues, and the staff took DD away, gave me a box of tissues and advised me to have a good wallow. The non-soundproof curtains were drawn and my neighbour proceeded to talk about me to the other girl in the ward. At one point, she said 'Oh, I don't have any tissues'. To which I replied, 'I've got some if you want'. The silence was deafening for a moment and then she came to get one with the sickest smile on her face that I have ever seen. I don't think she ever forgave me for showing her up. Her DH used to arrive about 10pm, because he had arranged his paternity leave for the following week and couldn't be arsed to change it. She used to go down to meet him and leave her baby alone on the ward.

Another time, I was in after an operation. I had been moved nearer the door and was in a ward with just 2 other ladies, both elderly. One of them was lovely and the other was a miserable old bitch. She found it difficult to sleep (I wake if the dog farts, so I know the feeling) and used to ring for the nurses and demand a cup of tea in a very loud voice. The lovely staff would try to keep her quiet so we could sleep, but that was a forlorn hope. I also ended up by the loo, so was woken by this female every hour, after the innumerable cups of bloody tea. I persuaded the doctor to let me go home a day early so I could get some sleep!

When I gave birth to my daughter she had to go into the SCBU as she was poorly and I got put on the post-natal ward. The amount of people who twitched my curtain, looked through it and then STOOD NEXT TO THE CURTAIN (which is obviously not sound proof 🙄) discussing where my baby is, why don’t I have my baby, had the baby died!!! FFS!!!

One of the other parents in a children's ward was a total arsehole. He was so rude to his poor girlfriend, a few of the nurses even commented about it (we had a bed right next to the nurses station) and was aggressive to all the staff. One nurse got so upset she refused to deal with them, and swapped over with another nurse from A&E for the rest of her shift. On the Dr's round he complained the sound of other children crying was annoying him, how nurses checking on my DS each hour wasnt fair as they weren't being checked on that often. One night he complained about the lights being on whilst one little girl was having a terrible seizure and the room was full of doctors.

On Labour ward with 3hour old DD.
Due to a huge boom in babies born that month, Maternity was completely full. I was informed we'd have to remain in a side ward until a bed became available. Was put into a bay of 4.

Following hours of screaming (which wasn't the problem - I understood) a Father was brought to my bay by a midwife, with his newborn. Said to me his DW had needed forceps during delivery & haemorrhaged, so was in theatre.
The baby was crying so hard, and he didn't once pick him up for a cuddle.
Midwife came back and said to Father, "he'll have a little headache from the delivery, try giving him a bit of a cuddle". The Prick said, "No I'll wait for my wife"
The midwife ignored him, and placed baby in his arms, and he settled. Soon as she left, he put the poor baby down & he started screaming again.
The midwife then came back, said she'd take the baby for a feed since the postnatal bag was with his DW.

The fucking prick then sat watching me breastfed DD, while making comments of "you don't even look like you've just given birth" (I did) and "You'll bounce right back into shape" (I didn't!), and said his own DW was a right mess - you'll see when she gets here.
I felt vulnerable and on complete edge, ended up going home 6hrs after she was born, before his DW was even back.
Poor woman.

The prenatal ward where I had to wait while being induced was rough as. The women who were in for monitoring (all between 10 and 24w pregnant) went to the pub across the road in their nighties.

When they got back I was bouncing on the birthing ball and one came over to me. She said “There was a girl in last week bouncing on that thing. I told her to fucking stop it or I’d fucking make her.” Now I was on day 3 of slow labour and in no mood so my response was “Did you? If you’d said that to me I’d tell you to fuck off.” She just gave me a weak smile and went back to bed. Nasty bullies, exactly what you need when at your most vulnerable.

Why do some people think hospital is an f'ing social club?
I have been in today for day surgery. Told no visitors but the other woman in my room had 2 blokes visiting and talking loudly all afternoon while I was trying to rest after surgery. Not great when I was in gown from theatre and struggling to cover self up when going to loo. Although mooning at them expressed my feelings quite well :)

I persuaded the doctor to let me go home a day early so I could get some sleep!

I signed out against medical advice due to lack of sleep. I wonder how many people leave like this because they're not getting any rest in hospital? Or pain relief (that was the other issue). I kept buzzing and getting fobbed off, so I rang my husband to come get me, took my canula out (you can learn how to do this on YouTube) and left (had had no sleep, either, due to noise from other patients and visitors), the toilet was filthy or constantly in use by visitors so I didn't want to use it for more than a wee. My GP prescribed better pain meds and I could rest at home. For people who say, 'Oh, it's risky!' they weren't doing any checks on us, anyhow. The post care was a joke. I recovered better at home.

Some of these stories 😯! Hope you and baby are okay!
When I was in an induction bay there was this women who brought a photographer a bloody PHOTOGRAPHER! She was so ignorant of other people and very stuck up. The conversations she was having omg! Her partner was sprawled out on the bed having a nap! The rule is only 2 people allowed she had 3 🤨 which automatically ticked me off. Partners had to go home if you weren't in labour at night and her partner basically questioned this! I was having contractions very mild but she was on the bastard birthing ball at 3am and it was so loud on the floor I wanted to pop the fucker. She wasn't in any labour but was just piss arsing around on it like it was a toy!

Fast forward a couple of days I got put on a ward with pregnant ladies. The ward was freaky as shit. Don't know why I got bunged on this ward! All these ladies were early pregnancy with complications and one they were trying to stop labour. The women opposite wouldn't stfu on her phone at like 1am. the MW's all checked their baby's heart beat a lot but never mine. Which I questioned! Then the women next to me kept pulling on my curtain! She said she thought it was her. Acceptable the first time but not the tenets time! Glad I only stayed in that ward for 16 hours!

Thank goodness we have single rooms here! 😱

Why do some people think hospital is an f'ing social club?

Why is it allowed to be? No one does a thing about all this. I walked right out with my h carrying my bag. Fuck staying in there! You couldn't get any sleep and there wasn't anything much in the way of 'care'. Plus it was filthy.

Woman in the next bed getting vexed at her newborn and swearing at him for crying. It was horrible...actual "for fucks sake, little twat..." etc. I reported her to the nurses as I was worried for the LO.
I also vaguely remember shortly after having DS a woman in the opposite bed gave birth with the filthiest feet and legs you couldn't even imagine. She was covered in mud, possibly a refugee...it distressed me that they hadn't washed the poor woman down. When her family visited the children didn't have shoes...I was a hormonal mess and it distressed me so much to see how in need she was. Heartbreaking.

I stayed overnight with my teen DS on the children's ward after he had taken an overdose.

We had a private room however had to share tv remote with the room Nextdoor.

Nextdoor was a dad staying in with a toddler. Every time we borrowed the remote he came to get it back after literally 30 seconds. I spent until 2am going backwards and forwards, I borrowed the remote (DS was very anxious and couldn't sleep), found a channel he wanted to watch and every single time this horrible man wearing just his boxers would walk straight into our room to take it back, once while I was trying to change into pyjamas.

He and the room he was in absolutely stunk. No excuse Cos there were showers for parents.

Ah, so so many....

Iv spent alot of time in hospital...

Most recent one has to be the family of the woman opposite was all with her. Visiting tome suppose to of been till 7pm... Grown up daughters, partners, siblings etc, where all there, about 8 or 9 of them.... Eating smelly take away, listening to the tv with no headphones, showing each other loud videos on their mobiles, this went on and on. At 10pm i spoke to the nurse and said it was out of order. She just said "I know"
The lady next to me asked what time they was going as it was late and she wanted to sleep... They was rude to her, they left after 11pm... And for the next 3 days, every time one of them come in, they would say things loudly about "the rude woman" which was hilarious really

When I was in for some gynae surgery I had the loudest consultant ever. People in the next ward knew in great detail what was going on. He had a very, very loud conversation with me about the issues I'd been having and how difficult sex had been and how wrecked my periods were.

He had a similarly loud conversation with a woman in the curtained bed opposite me. Hers contained conversation about gynae issues, piles and incontinence. It also contained her discussing her worries about anaesthetic because she had been raped previously and was frightened of being knocked out or woozy.

Nothing was private in that ward. When the curtains were opened the Mum of one of my DD's school friends gave me the most awkward smile. I was so upset for her. I mean I was annoyed that someone I knew had heard details, but she was very worried until we spoke that other people may find out about her rape. It's awful.

q

@SistersOfPercy morphine is great. My mum loves to tell me about when I had it for a double arm break and shoulder dislocation.

Apparently I was very sweet and just kept asking her if I was Ok and if she was OK. Until suddenly I told her to tell those fucking hippos in the corner to stop laughing because it wasn't my fault I was born orange.

I was 11 and it's the only time she hasn't told me off for swearing 😂

Two years ago on a ward recovering after an emergency laparoscopy.

A woman opposite me had had her leg amputated from the knee down following diabetes complications, she'd sit on her bed and make anyone that walked on to the ward say hello to "stumpy".

The lady at the end of the ward, closest to the window had obviously given herself the title of ward matriarch and she was vile. She'd walk to the toilet to empty her catheter whilst swinging the bag and farting as she walked. Would constantly burp and fart.

Her partner was a porter in another hospital at the trust and she'd come to some agreement that he could visit her outside of visiting hours because he worked through normal hours. He'd rock up at 11pm and they'd talk for hours, often accompanied kebab/KFC/McDonald's.

On the day of my surgery, she was telling me she'd been in for so long, the nurses were letting her out so she could go for a carvery. In the morning it turned out she was on the surgeons list. She told them to piss off, she wasn't having surgery that day because her son was taking her out for carvery - they'd have to do it another day. More shocking is they actually left her to it!

Thankfully after DS I was put in a private room, I think the midwives took pity on my horrendous labour. I'm absolutely dreading this time around, due in 8 weeks and really don't want to end up on a postnatal ward. They sound horrendous.

After having babies is the only time I remember being on a ward. The first time it was crazy busy. I think there were at least 10 beds in the room & they were all occupied. It was just too noisy to sleep properly. Even at night it seemed like there were at least 2 babies crying at any one time & women pressing buzzers over the tiniest thing. One woman's buzzer was going off for ages before someone came & then she announced she'd forgotten why she'd pressed it in the first place. I self-discharged when they suggested I should stay in a second night. The lovely doctor told me she'd have done the same thing!

With DC2 I was initially put in a room with just one other woman, much to my relief after my previous experience. We were told when the end of visiting time was & my DH left. Her OH stayed & they chatted loudly. Eventually someone came in to tell us it was time for lights out at 9.30 & shooed him out. Just as I was getting settled in bed someone came bustling in & told us we had 5 minutes to pack our stuff & she'd be back to move us. No explanation, no sympathy, just "right, you've got 5 minutes" as if we were naughty children!

It turns out they needed the room for someone else so we were moved to a bigger room with 4 beds but only one other lady. Other lady only had limited English & was struggling with establishing feeding. I felt really bad for her but it was really quite annoying for them to be giving her a lesson in how to use the hospital's electric pump at 3am. I was still awake at 3am because my original roommate snored. Loudly. It was around 5am when she stopped snoring & woke up to deal with her baby who'd been fussing for at least half an hour. Shortly before she woke up the baby did a very loud, squelchy poo. When she did wake up she immediately started making orgasm moaning noises at her baby & ask it what was wrong. Loudly. I was too exhausted & cross to trust myself to suggest she should check the baby's nappy.

Other lady's OH arrived at the start of visiting time & was English but obviously spoke the same language as his partner so was able to translate what the staff were saying. He was v controlling though & I did wonder whether he rather liked having a partner who couldn't speak the language properly. Horrible man & her whole demeanor changed as soon as he arrived.

After barely sleeping for more than half an hour, I realised that nobody had been round the entire night to do any obs. The whole reason I was being kept in overnight was so they could do obs. The only person to even check on me at all was the doctor who arrived saying "you can probably go home now..." It was just "procedure" because of the time of day my baby had come out. If it'd been an hour or so earlier I'd have been discharged the same day!

DC3 was a home birth. Oh how I loved climbing into my own bed after being in labour all day long! I remember being in bed, listening to nothing but my baby & my DH breathing & being so incredibly grateful I wasn't on a ward & stood a good chance of actually getting some sleep.

DH reminded me.
Last year, I had suspected appendicitis, DH was so concerned at the state of me that he rang 111. They sent a GP to our house, who was so concerned that it was going to burst that he rang ahead to surgical ward and refused to let DH drive me so called an ambulance.
After waiting for an ambulance, and trying to get someone to sit with the DCs (it was gone 10pm so couldn't), I end up in a+e so they can give me a cannula. The first lot were lovely.
Then an orderly comes and wheels me out so I thought I was off to the surgeon. Instead, I was dumped in Majors bit of a+e. At which point my blanket is removed so I'm sitting in a cubicle with no curtain, by a door, with no blanket. Was freezing! Nurse stamps over about me being "trouble" and I best not "try and act like that now she was there" . I tried to say I thought she mixed me up (name board behind wasn't mine) but she told me they'd had enough of my lip all night. She then whacks a blood pressure cuff on and heart monitors and moved my bed so it was bolt upright- the pain was indescribable. Another young nurse gave me some painkillers (or I assume they were) and said she would grab the ward consultant. He then walks past giving me the biggest stink eye I've seen.
After 3 hours, cuff still on inflating and deflating (my arm was purple bruised in the end), and with no one coming over, I got dressed, puked through pain in the loo, and dragged myself home in taxi.
DH said I had best call the ward as he was worried the police would turn up as a patient was missing. I called to be told I was currently with the surgeon- no I said I've been home for two hours! They'd not even noticed, even though the alarms starred the second I took them off.
My gp reported it as gross negligence and I made a complaint, which they fobbed off. Luckily appendix didn't burst and diagnosed with rumbling appendicitis so at some point will need to come out but am I hell going through that again.

I was a bad room mate with my second baby.
I had PTSD from my first terrible labour and subsequent postnatal stay.
So when my son was born, I was put in a shared room. I woke up that night to a lovely fellow mum opening my curtain to check I was ok. I was having a screaming nightmare and woke her :(

No real nightmares here post natal other than what you would expect from a ward environment - noise and smells.

I had an tough time on a ward waiting for surgery for an ectopic pregnancy. It was a surgical admissions ward so a mix of every age and speciality. The hospital was rammed and I would normally have been on the proper surgical unit which is brand new and consists of single en suite rooms. I waited hours for surgery listening to the goings on behind those soundproof curtains.

Next time I was in for planned surgery I was in one if the single rooms in the new building. It was awesome. They even let my 5 month old stay with me.

Generally feel hospitals are fit for purpose any more. Single rooms are the ideal. Funnily enough though my FIL hates the single rooms hed rather be on a ward with other people and having a bit of company. Theres something to be said for that I guess especially on care of the elderly when people might be lonely

After just giving birth to my daughter all I wanted to do was sleep. The young girl in the bed opposite had copious visitors who brought in KFC for them all. None off them ate with their mouths shut, it stank out the bay and her poor baby hardly got changed or fed and so was crying constantly. Through the night the midwives had to wake the mum up and encourage her to attend to her child. Was so happy when I was discharged!

With my first, other than the botched labour resulting in the midwife getting fired my time on postnatal was rubbish.
I had a private room due to the labour incidents. Where do I start? Lol
Well she was yellow so i asked a midwife about it and she said "it's just the light through the curtains". Eventually I convinced a different midwife to do a blood test. On the little chart graph thing her results showed her as half way between needing light therapy and needing a blood transfusion.
A midwife came to take her to the nursery to set her up with the light thing. I was worried about her so went to check. My baby was in the nursery alone, in nothing but a nappy, next to an open window (at night so cold) and no light thing treating her jaundice. I found the midwife eating lunch in the midwife office, she then told me she didn't know how to set up the light thing.

Baby wouldn't latch so they put me on a electric pump, I was very tired and they told me to keep it on till they returned to check on me. I was playing on a game thing my SIL lent me so no sense of time. Next time a midwife checked on me was 3 hours later.
Shift changes were a nightmare as no messages were ever passed on.

2nd night in postnatal I still hadn't slept more than the occasional 20 minutes here and there (since I woke in labour at midnightish then laboured for 26 hours, expect the 1 hour pethiden nap).
I spoke to a lovely midwife who said that because I'd expressed so much milk that I would be able to sleep and they would take her to the nursery and feed her the expressed milk.
1 hour later was the shift change and I suddenly woken by a midwife who'd wheeled my baby back in my room and woke me to feed her. I tried to explain that I'd expressed for her, she wasnt latching and was jaundice. The midwife again told me I had to feed her. I started crying as was exhausted so the midwife then said aloud as she wrote on my notes "refusing to feed baby". I then had to sit there and try to get her to latch while she screamed in my arms. Midwife then left the room and when a different midwife came she was nicer and went to get the expressed milk.
I finally got to go to sleep but then I woke ul half hour later because I leaked alot of milk and the bed was soaking. I was shivering and went to ask a midwife for dry bedding, she said she'd bring some in shortly, I went and asked 2 more times before giving up and just laying there crying and shivering.

Lots more happened there and in the end when I finally got to go home I ended up back in hospital with severe sleep deprivation. Went to sleep at my parents house while DD went with DP to sleep at his parents house (with expressed milk). I had to wake to pump but got so much more sleep.
I exclusively pumped for DD for 5 months :)

My baby was in the nursery alone, in nothing but a nappy, next to an open window (at night so cold) and no light thing treating her jaundice. I found the midwife eating lunch in the midwife office

Why was she having lunch at night?