Do you have a “hospital fantasy”?

by Katrina on December 6, 2010

Inspired by Ami’s letter last week and the many comments that followed, I put together this quick poll.* I’m curious to see how many other moms and dads would feel lucky to get, say…bunion surgery, or maybe a minor concussion, if it meant a break from their daily obligations.

Please share this with your friends. The more responses the better!

*This is the first time I’ve used Polldaddy to create a poll, and I’m not sure how it displays the results. If it doesn’t automatically show what people write in for the “Other” response, then I’ll post those comments separately after the poll has been up for a few days.

{ 26 comments… read them below or add one }

etienne

I think I would answer this differently if I had not had a ‘minor’ surgery (although it felt major to me) and was in the hospital for less that an 8 hours. ‘minor surgery’ = outpatient surgery = no relaxing hospital recovery time. Instead you have to recover in the chaos of your regular, stressful life, thus adding more stress by not being able to do anything. I understand the sentiment of this poll, but with the way that the health care system works today, you have to have something pretty major happen to warrant an actual hospital stay. So, even though I will admit that I am dreading the upcoming 2 weeks of winter break (which means 2 weeks of 2 boys wrestling non stop while I try to work from home) it’s not THAT bad.

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Katrina

Ugh. Yes, the reality of the health care system may spoil the fantasy. But luckily, our fantasies don’t have to have to be logical.

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gershurd

I don’t fantasize about a hospital stay. But, I openly admit that a three-night (or was it four?) hospital stay when my daughter was just five weeks old felt like the next best thing to a spa retreat…

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Kim

I had the stomach flu last week and was thrilled to spend the day in bed reading a book! (Don’t tell my husband)

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m

No hospital stay. I fantasize about leaving my husband and son without notice for an my two-week unannounced vacation – so that they can “figure it out” on their own time and terms – and so I can get my much needed intensive meditative alone time. Instead, I read.

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ShyMom

I hate hospitals so much that I most definitely don’t fantasize about hospitalization (especially now with all the multi-drug resistant bacteria out there). However, last winter I came down with pneumonia. As as awful and scary as that was (being so weak and not being able to get out of bed at all for three days), I really savored the time I finally had to read some books and listen to the radio in peace.

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holly

For my birthday last week a friend took me a spa for the day. It was completely amazing. Now I can’t stop fantasizing about going for a week-end. The times I have been in the hospital they have woken me up every two hours to check blood pressure…etc. Somehow that seems too much like home.

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Jen

I’m way too logical even in my own daydreams and I know that even a short hospital stay would be costly and I’d come home to bills, debt and a pile of laundry. Instead I have a “sick day” fantasy where I get one whole day to just be at home by myself with nothing to do and I can watch Lifetime movies and take a long shower by myself. Maybe a pile of magazines to read? I never get to take a sick day for myself unless I’m really really sick. Sick days are saved up for when my son is sick and since I started a new job recently I usually have to just work from home since I don’t have enough sick days. I just want one sick day for myself.

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Stephanie

I was a teacher for years, and one reason that I never got a flu vaccine was that I figured if I got sick it was my body’s way of telling me I HAD to take a break!

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Terri

I do have a “migraine” fantasy where I sometimes wish I would get a migraine so then I could take my meds which knock me out for a day or so! I should also add that I have a flexible schedule and an exceptionally helpful and supportive husband who truly sees himself as a partner in all aspects of our household even though he himself has a demanding job. I can only imagine how difficult it is for some of you whose situation is more stressful. Hang in there and thanks so much for the blog!

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Katrina

@Terri Same here. Very supportive husband, but when he’s working 50 and 60+ hour weeks, there’s not much leftover.

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Elisa

So funny…and sad. I admit, that my hospital stay when I had my two kids felt like a vacation with people visiting, bringing me dinner and holding the baby. But I can’t imagine — knock on wood — going to the hospital and leaving my husband alone with work and two kids. I don’t know how he’d do it on his own without having family members fly in to help him take care of the kids. It would actually be more stress on us.

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sonya

It isn’t that bad, but my recent trips to the dentist and annual exams were nice and quiet đŸ˜€

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Pauline

I was in the hospital only twice in my life – once for the birth of my son and once for the birth of my daughter (knock on wood that I may continue to say that for a good long time!) and both times I couldn’t get out fast enough. In my experience a hospital is the least restful place on the planet. Between the constant in and out of nurses, doctors, technicians, visitors, janitors, etc and, in the case of the night after my daughter was born, the intermittent false fire alarms all night between 11pm and 5am I was ready to shoot my way out by the time I was released. The hospital is the LAST place I would fantasize about. What I fantasize about is an entire weekend by myself in my own home (after its been professionally cleaned)!

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holly

Now that sounds like heaven!

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Veronica G

I definately don’t wish for a hospital stay. But I often fantasize about a “sick” day for myself.

Like alot of other moms, I too reserve my sick days to care for my children when they are sick. Then I use my vacation days to take my dad to his doctor’s appointments, volunteer at my daughter’s preschool, take my son for his check up, take my car to get serviced, call the plumber, spring cleaning, winter cleaning, etc., etc.

I love all aspects of being a mom. It’s balancing being a wife, mother, employee that is really taking it’s toll on me.

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Amy B.

When I was pregnant with my second child, I had a bad bout of kidney stones and got to spend three days in the hospital. It was wonderful. My fabulous OB even made sure I got to stay an extra night because he could tell the break was doing me good. I got to read and watch TV, all while enjoying a little morphine drip. The only bad thing was having to haul the IV pole with me to the bathroom. So yes, every once in a while, I do wish for another big stone.

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Bee Jay

After some internal deliberation, I decided my “1920s convalescent home for rich consumptives and recovering hysterics” fantasy counted as a “yes.” A little grander than a hospital, but I think it counts.

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solipsister

When Martha Stewart went to jail, I had prison fantasies. Minimum-security. A little yard time, plenty of reading, interesting people. And I know there’s yoga. The food would be the only downside. But then I could have friends sneak me in good cheese and duck breast and things.

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Katrina

I think that’s the best one I’ve heard yet!

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am

I dont have a hospital fantasy – i have a peace and quiet fantasy; after all it depends on what you’re in the hospital for. I had an accident a couple of years ago and thats when I discovered everyone can function without me – and I’ve scaled back and continue to do so since then.

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Holly Gonzalez

Wow. I cannot imagine ANYONE fantasizing about a hospital stay as a “vacation.” Take it from a Registered Nurse of 13 years, a Hospital is the LAST place you want to find yourself at. Besides the possible exposure to a nosocomial(hospital obtained) infection, let’s face it Hospitals are where sick people and untreatable “superbugs” hang out. The general atmosphere is NOT one of rest and recuperation. The beeping IV’s, call lights, roomates, smells, vital sign checks, early morning Dr visits, come on, a Hospital stay being a Vacation from your life is a far stretch even for a fantasy…..I’m just sayin… If one is actually hoping for an even minor illness as an escape from life, a vacation is LONG overdue. Treat yourself! Get an overnight stay at the local Super 8!

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Pam

OMGosh–I thought I was nuts for this! Good to see I’m not the only one! My girlfriend had gallbladder surgery a few years ago. She took a week off of work and had to rest for a week. When I visited her-I couldn’t help but think about how nice it would be to just relax for a full week and not feel guilty about it (after all–she was following doctor’s orders-lol). I certainly don’t wish for anything serious. I think that for me–the beauty of it is that it would be guilt-free. If I take a break now–I feel guilty because I keep thinking of all of the things I need to get done!

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Deborah

I totally agree with other commenters that the hospital *in reality* is one of the least restful places I’ve ever spent the night. But, I still fantasize about a fantasy hospital where they care for your every need and rest is abundant. This is because I sort of had that when I was in 3rd trimester with my second child and needed to go to the hospital twice a week for a 1-2 hour non-stress test. We were in the process of moving out of an apartment and into a fixer-upper house, and life was so busy and stressful. But, for several glorious hours each week, I lay on a hospital bed and watched TV while nurses brought me juice and crackers. It was AWESOME. Neither my husband nor I thought I really needed those tests (the OB was being abundantly cautious), and my husband hinted that I could skip them, but no – doctor’s orders, gotta go!

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E.

Yes, when I broke my leg in a bicycle accident it was WONDERFUL to be in a Swiss hospital for 12 days. I was away from my two children and my job and my housekeeping and no relatives in the country, but so many friends visiting, nurses washing my hair and rubbing my back and all I had to focus on was my med combination and getting well etc., etc. The pain was bad now and then but emotionally I NEEDED it. When I got appendicitis I went back to the same hospital for another lovely 36 hours. Finally I had the plate in my leg removed and 3 days was again helpful, but my children were older, my husband a better father and maybe life was better. Nothing was like the first time, weaning my 2-year-old due to sending my children back to the U.S. so I could have SURGERY and hours and hours to remember who I was. I hardly thought of my children for 5 days. It took me all 12 days to miss them. We told ourselves I could not afford massage or spa treatments. But when you dream of getting hurt just so you can emotionally recoup, you need to rethink your life.

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Mo

My son had a very scary hopsitalization last year because he was having difficulty breathing ( reactive airway disease). The beginning was horrible as I was terrified but once I knew in my gut that he was OK , there was a peace that I rarely get in my everyday life. It was all just focusing on him and his comfort and me and my comfort. Nothing else. No errands to run, except to the cafeteria or gift shop, no people asking me to do things, no multitasking, no worrying about work because my son was clearly more important. I never want to go through that again but I do think I have something to learn from the experience.

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