A few months ago I went to the hospital to visit my cousin who was warded for appendicitis. My aunty said that the doctors had to remove the offending appendix, otherwise his life might be endangered. The day after the operation, I followed my aunt to the hospital.
Visiting hours were from 4.30 p.m. to 6.30 p.m. We arrived at the hospital at 4.20 p.m. Already there were many visitors waiting for the guards to let them in We stood at the back of the crowd and waited.
At precisely 4.30 p.m. the guards opened the collapsible gate. The crowd rushed in. Many of them held tiffin carriers in their hands. I supposed that they were bringing food for their loved ones who were warded in the hospital. My aunty only carried a tin of glucose for the doctor had said that my cousin was not allowed to have any solid food.
We did not join in the initial rush but waited until there were fewer people before making our way through the gate. We walked to the lifts and had to wait at least five minutes before ve could enter one of them.
The lift was full of people. Fortunately, we did not have to stay in it for long for it was very uncomfortable. The lift stopped many times before it reached the seventh floor. We stepped out of the lift on the seventh floor.
Hospitals have a peculiar smell of antiseptic. It was no different here. I followed my aunty into the ward marked 70. It was an award for male patients. All the beds seemed to be taken up and there were visitors around most of the beds. My aunty led me to my cousin’s bed.
My cousin Jimmy looked pale – and tired after his operation but we were glad to see each other. We talked for a while and that seemed to cheer him up. He was a tough fifteen-year-old and I was sure he would be on his feet soon. A young nurse who came by commented that he was a cheeky little fellow. I believed her for he indeed was as she described. Anyway, it was good to know that he was well on the road to recovery. My aunt must be very relieved to see Jimmy getting better. She seemed to have extra wrinkles on her face. Jimmy’s illness must have worried her to death.
I walked around the ward while my aunty stayed with Jimmy. There were a few nurses busy attending to the patients. A couple of doctors were also present.
The walk around the ward showed me how sick people could get. None of the patients looked happy. There were looks of consternation in the faces of both patients and visitors. I really cannot blame them. Nobody likes to be hospitalized.
We spent two hours in the hospital. Then we bade jimmy goodbye and promised to be back the next day.
As we left the hospital I was so glad that I was healthy, Staying in a hospital is definitely not fun.