Putri Juneita Johari
DECEMBER is always such a special month for me because a few of my siblings and many relatives and friends celebrate their birthdays. It’s also the end of the year and the holiday mood just makes me feel festive.
It’s a very busy time of the year with so much to do. You have to wrap up your plans for the year at work and at home, set the calendar for next year, prepare for the coming school year and perhaps squeeze in a holiday with the family. And of course, there are the parties and gatherings…
However, when your loved one ends up in hospital, all plans are on hold or have to be rescheduled. Even if it’s nothing too serious, a hospital stay means your usual routines have to be re-organised. The necessity for treatment will always outweigh a celebration. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t celebrate the momentous occasion. It just has to be done differently.
When you plan to do that at the hospital, you must first and foremost get the consent and approval from the doctors, the hospital and the nursing staff. It would of course be more meaningful if the patient were up to it. Then you can scale the party and how you’d like it done.
While you want to bring cheer to the patient, you must remember that people are in the hospital for a reason – they’re unwell and need to get better. So while you bring in the cheer, do be mindful about not being a nuisance to other patients. Keep the noise down!
PARTY ON – HOSPITAL STYLE
There are so many ways that you can cheer up the patient. If your loved one is in for a long-ish hospital stay, you could volunteer to decorate the whole ward by roping your friends in and working with the hospital staff. It doesn’t have to be anything so elaborate that it gets in their way. You can celebrate with everyone in the ward. A few minutes out of their rooms to enjoy something cheerful can be uplifting.
When all’s done, remember to clear up the decorations, especially in your loved one’s room, when he gets discharged and checks out. Be the cleaning crew and don’t leave it for others to do it.
You may have small gatherings and bring gifts that won’t interfere with the on-going treatment.
Sending flowers isn’t always a good idea for people who’ve been admitted for respiratory problems like asthma because some flowers may have pollen or have been treated with certain chemicals that can trigger reactions.
Cakes, chocolates and cookies are always regarded as delicious treats for many. However, if you know the patient is diabetic or has dietary restrictions, it’s best not to bring such foods. You can always check with the patient or their family just to be sure. Anything you bring would certainly break the routine of eating hospital food, but again, check for any constraints.
In many instances, when you’re at a loss as to what to bring for your loved one or a friend in hospital, all you need to do is ask. They may be shy to ask or just don’t want to trouble you. But if they were comfortable enough about it, they’d tell you. Trying to second-guess what they’d appreciate can be rather iffy.
Gifts like books, magazines, blankets, shawls, socks and colouring books are very popular and useful. Just not too long ago, DVDs were the thing too. But with the Internet, music and movies are just a click away.
HOSPITAL STAY CAN BE FUN
A friend was bored to tears not being able to go online because the hospital’s Wi-Fi signal was weak. So I lent her my portable Wi-Fi device. How happy she was after that because she could catch up with all the movies she’d missed. Whiling those quiet hours away became a breeze. She said it was one of the best ways she could relax, and let the healing happen.
You might be able to introduce something new for the patient to pass the time while being hospitalised. Knitting and crochet have made a big comeback for people of all gender and age.
If you’re tech-savvy, you can help the patient do video calls with loved ones who are far away. It takes a bit of planning, but being able to chat face-to-face is an incredible thing.
Choose the time to do all this carefully. Mornings at the hospital are always the busiest time. If you’re there on hospital duty, you’d most likely be like a fly on the wall, watching the doctors and nursing staff, and the cleaning crew, do their thing.
There are those quiet moments in the afternoon or late evening when you can do some pampering like putting on moisturising facial masks for a bit of fun and relaxation. Being hospitalised is a serious thing, but it doesn’t have to get your spirits down.
Putri Juneita Johari volunteers for the Special Chidlren Society of Ampang. She can be reached at juneitajohari@yahoo.com.