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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Did I see a ghost? Or am I going mad?

327 replies

SnotRags · 02/02/2022 09:45

This happened on Monday. It’s been playing on my mind since.

I work in a largely unused community hospital. Some days, I’m the only person working there other than reception and a security guard. I run a clinic and my room is down the end of a corridor - remember there is nobody else in the entire building, all other rooms unused. Just mine at the end with its little light on.

So anyway, I don’t believe in ghosts, never have. However this corridor is bloody spooky sometimes and on a number of occasions I’ve thought I’ve seen someone walking around a corner only for there to be nobody there. I’ve heard the sound of a Zimmer frame walking towards my room, gone out to greet my patient and nobody is there. My cupboard door in my room has had a random rattling handle on a few occasion. A pair of scissors weirdly left my trolley and ended up on the floor (I didn’t see how, just heard the clatter on the floor and saw them lying there). Now, not saying those incidents are ghosts but it was unnerving so I asked security if we could put the waiting room TV on a music channel or something just to make the corridor less silent.

Anyway, on Monday I asked reception where I could find something I needed. She said “that sort of stuff is upstairs”. I asked how I got up there (didn’t even know there was a second floor!) and she said “you can’t, it’s locked”. So I asked security to let me up. He laughed and said “you going up there on your own? Because I’m not coming with you!” … long story short he unlocked the door to the stairs, I went up - was sorting through the stuff I needed and saw a nurse walk past the room I was in (not a shadow or Victorian dressed character, just an actual nurse). Thought nothing of it. Went back downstairs and as security was locking the door again I said “you know there is a nurse up there? Does she have a key for this door?” He said “nobody is up there” and locked the door. I said “I literally saw her! You can’t just lock her in!” He maintained nobody was up there and we walked back to reception where he told receptionist I’d seen “Julie”. Lots of dramatic faces and gasps, they tell me Julie is a ghost - had an aneurysm at work and died years ago.

As I said I don’t believe in ghosts but I can’t stop thinking about it! I definitely saw someone, they even described her and it was the same person I saw. Only thing I can think of is it’s an in joke and there is a nurse who works up there?? (But no patients go up there so what is she doing exactly?)

YABU - it’s clearly an in joke and the nurse works up there, the others say she’s a ghost to freak people out
YANBU - it’s a ghost, why would a uniformed nurse be working on an unused floor on her own?

It sounds ridiculous even to me as I’m writing this but I just can’t stop going over it in my head.

OP posts:
TatianaBis · 02/02/2022 13:56

Nah you’re not going mad, it’s just a ghost.

stripeyflowers · 02/02/2022 14:01

OP - perhaps she will take a shine to you and decide to follow you home . . .

REP22 · 02/02/2022 14:01

@1TheCircle

We had a small unit like this near us. Was an old cottage hospital. Open for one thing, skeleton staff as I had to take a family member there. Eventually got turned into housing. Was a lovely old building, before NHs used to be a working Mill.
Skeleton staff... Grin Grin

sorry.

rambleonplease · 02/02/2022 14:03

Well I am a pretty down to earth person but I totally believe ghosts exist, from my own experience as a kid. 100% you saw a ghost. Cool!!

Gonnagetgoing · 02/02/2022 14:03

When I was a child DGM used to tell me about a cafe in Brixton that had had a direct hit by a doodlebug in WW2. Everyone inside was killed or most. She saw it as she worked in the same street.

A few years back it was snowing (first snow for years in London) and I was travelling back via Brixton and in this street - to a hairdresser in North Clapham - the area was quieter than usual and I walked rather than get a bus. I looked across to the area where the cafe had been (next to Brixton Town Hall) and it seemed deathly quiet, eerie. Like time stood still and couldn't hear the usual bus/car noises. Far less due to deep snow. Compared to e.g. the other side of the road it felt so blank and quiet. Not given it much thought until now but I think certain areas with deep sadness, death can retain this
feeling years on.

I also had similar when I started working in Barbican area. Didn't know the area at all but when I walked around Smithfield Market area after work but especially at lunchtimes it felt very ethereal and 'blank' almost angelic/god like - and silent. This was after the meat traders had ended work for the day. I had no idea of the history e.g. burnings until I saw the William Wallace plaque.

Verv · 02/02/2022 14:05

I dont really think youre going to get any definitive answers here, largely because people either believe, or they dont, and both sides are absolutely fixed in their perspectives.

Personally, I think yes, you probably did see a "ghost".
Im not sure what ghosts are, though, whether they're like paranormal hauntings by people who have left the mortal coil, or strange multiverse type time-loop things that imprints the past onto the present at times.

I'm not naturally woo and my default tends to be scepticism, but Ive seen too much weird to write it off now I think.

Greenrubber · 02/02/2022 14:06

Sounds very spooky
I would have to investigate further

CloneAViralMess · 02/02/2022 14:15

Place marking!

How cool OP!

stripeyflowers · 02/02/2022 14:19

Some of you may enjoy this. Kevin Town from NY who had a strange experience recovering from surgery in hospital.

Mummapenguin20 · 02/02/2022 14:25

Id google lol

CustardySergeant · 02/02/2022 14:29

@Mummapenguin20

Id google lol
Confused
anungratefulwretch · 02/02/2022 14:29

Oooh thank you for the link to Uncanny! That's my afternoon sorted Grin

OP fwiw, I don't 'believe' in ghosts but I do love a good ghost story. There's probably a rational explanation for what you saw, but I don't think you're mad.

Everdreamer1990 · 02/02/2022 14:31

I'm not sure I believe in ghosts myself but I'd like to believe. I don't think whatever you saw, you'll see tomorrow though.

thegreylady · 02/02/2022 14:36

I have also seen a ghost. It was just once and about 40 years ago now. I have told the story before on here.

Mydogisagentleman · 02/02/2022 14:45

I can’t get poor old Julie out of my head.
Condemned to a life in the same place

Mydogisagentleman · 02/02/2022 14:45

Actually, an existence in the same place

Valkyrie40 · 02/02/2022 14:50

I would be looking into the history of the hospital to try and find out if this "Julie" who died of an aneurism at work actually existed?

I'd never tell people they are imagining things though - I've never seen a ghost myself and am very sceptical however I think it's very arrogant to presume we know everything that goes on in the world.

FAQs · 02/02/2022 14:50

@SnotRags you need to watch Haunted Hospitals or Haunted Netflix series before going back tomorrow, apparently gives them more power to appear, you might have more luck with your phone recording me Julie. Grin

FAQs · 02/02/2022 14:59

Also @SnotRags what time are you going into work tomorrow, if you are doing live updates I might need to move my work diary around. 👻

gailsmissingchin · 02/02/2022 15:00

@SnotRags you've (perhaps) given your location away with a bit of dialect... are from or in a town that could be obtusely related to Lyles Golden Syrup? #Marple

Fl0w3ry · 02/02/2022 15:05

I’ve seen a few ghosts in my lifetime where there is no way for them to be anything other than a ghost because of their location and the circumstances. 2 out of 3 of them were solid and looked like a normal person but seemed unaware of me.
In your experience it could be either a ghost or a real nurse. Were the lights already on when you went up to the empty upstairs? Are there any photos of ‘Julie’ that you could look at? Did she seem aware of you in the room? I find it really fascinating.

Version4needsabitofwork · 02/02/2022 15:08

I don't belive in ghosts either but I've had a very similar experience in in the same place you mentioned @Gonnagetgoing. I was on a jolly old ghost walk with friends one halloween, happy as a clam and pissing myself at the silly stories (it was lead by a friend of mine, not a serious ghost hunter, just a history buff) and I suddenly felt the strangest feeling. Can't really describe it, but sterile, silent, dead and cold. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up and I felt a very strange energy reading the William Wallace plaque. Really weird.

Opus17 · 02/02/2022 15:12

It could be left over energy. Sometimes I wonder if our energy still lingers after were gone even though we're not consciously there anymore. If that makes sense

Shiteshow100 · 02/02/2022 15:15

Try asking nurses or other medical staff this question. Guaranteed most who have worked in a home or hospital have encountered spooky goings on. I know I have, you get used to it and even the biggest unbeliever's will change their minds rather quickly after a few night shifts 😂😂

OvertheRainbow2U · 02/02/2022 15:33

SP!