Re: Hospital Curiosity

[Guest guest]

Bruce

the hospitals in this area vary

local suburban hospital, one of the newest that i have been to, has semi private rooms, the food service is excellent, menu, call when you want it, etc.

when i was in last June, i would call in my order and if my order reached the sodium max, they would tell me and help me change the order

tv hooked up to limited cable--i don't think there was a charge for tv or the telephone

parking garage is free

have been pleased with their ER and ICU -- Jerry was in their ICU 2 years ago

they even provided me with an oxygen tank, so i wouldn't have to use my portable

downtown hospital--Jeff--old building, semi private and private rooms, meals delivered in traditional way, don't remember much about tv stations, there was a charge for telephone, don't remember if there was a charge for tv

Jerry was there 2 years ago

when he was in their ER, it was a tiny room, spent the day there, uncomfortable for me, but they did provide me with lunch and dinner

however, downtown hospital is place to be for excellent medical care

parking garage needs validation sticker for patient reduced rate, still expensive

downtown hospital--Penn--don't know about patient rooms or food service, have always gone as outpatient

parking garage--just tell them that you are a patient and they give a reduced rate, I think it might be a little less expensive than garage at Jeff, but still costly

in fact, jerry is questioning cost of parking for when i have the transplant and he visits daily

discussed with transplant doc yesterday, who seemed to be "frustrated" with it regarding some of his patients' families, said he has even spoken with people in charge of garage about cost of parking

yesterday, jerry and i had doctor appointments at both downtown hospitals

it's sad that we can talk about the parking situations, garages, lots, etc

it's sad that we can discuss which cafeteria we should eat lunch at

Jeff has good steak sandwiches, I like the hamburgers at Penn

so we ate at Penn--they had steak sandwiches, we got them, i think the steak sandwiches at Jeff are better

most people discuss restaurants, we discuss hospital cafeterias, LOL

there is another downtown hospital that my ex goes to, i haven't been there, but they have a family suite, so that his wife could sleep there after procedures

then my children did a fundraiser and raised enough money for them to open a family suite in the ICU, so that families could sleep with patients when in ICU

they named it after Bruce: The Bruce Rosenberg Suite of Hope at Hahnemann

if's very important to have someone stay with patients who can no longer communicate verbally, when Bruce got his ventilator, he lost his ability to talk, (more complicated, but that's the simplest way to describe it)

he is completely mute, silent laugh, silent cough, etc

I still think it is the worst disease that i have ever seen

Pink Joyce IPF 3/06 Pennsylvania

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Subject: Hospital CuriosityTo: Breathe-Support Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2008, 11:31 AM

Just curious about hospitals in different areas as the newer hospitalshere only have private rooms. Do the hospitals in your areas still havesemi-private? Do any still have wards of four patients or so? I rememberthat from when I was young as well. I know the ones 25 miles from herestill have semi-private.What about food service? The hospitals I've been to here have all goneto menus and room service, where you order what you want when you wantit. I know thats a relatively new thing versus the no choice unedibletraditional hospital food.Television is another one. Again the Plano hospitals have large flatscreen tv's in every room at no charge. They have a channel selectionsomewhat similar to most hotels, not full cable, but not bad. This getsaround the traditional charge you had to pay extra and insurance didn'tcover for tv.What about internet? Obviously we know Peggy has

wireless. The newerones here have wireless. They tried internet through the tv too but seemto have given up on that. Some have just a computer station for patientsin the hall or something.Even things like chairs. The Baylor Heart Hospital in Plano, where I hadmy VATS, has a sofa in every room which makes into a bed for guests. Therooms are also huge so they can wheel any equipment into the room. Thathospital has no specific intensive care area as every room is intensivecare capable. They put the intensive care patients primarily on onefloor though. But their only patients are heart or lung patients so allconsidered pretty serious. Even Baylor's regular hospital here has verycomfortable large chair. I'm use to others with chairs that aremiserable and seemed so bad knowing that guests often would spend hoursin them.I know ultimately medical care is the most critical part but

patientcomfort needs to come in as well. So, was just curious about other areasand what you had experienced. I realize in my immediate area I'msurrounded by all newer hospitals and so fortunate in that regard.