Maru (
yakalskovich) wrote2011-10-28 02:34 pm
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
Entry tags:
Picture post from the hospital
Normally, hospitals are considered nasty places, and people will not post pictures from them when they have been there.
But I was in a handsome, well-constructed and well-cared for hospital built in the early eighties, and I actually liked the place and was glad I was there and nowhere else. In fact, when I was taken somewhere else, all I thought of was to get away from there.
So, here are pictures from my non!holiday type absence.

In the entrance area, not far from the café where patients and visitors could chat in a civilised manner, the last roses of summer were blooming beside ample rose-hips.

In the physiotherapy garden, when I turned the corner while I was exploring last weekend, there suddenly was a surprise!BMW. I have no idea what it was doing there, much less how it got there, but for some reason, there was a bright copper brand new BMW.
essayel guessed that they might be simulating a driving experience in there, in retraining stroke patients and the like for their life -- but really, wouldn't they have a simulator for that? That car remained a mystery to me.

The wing where my ward was.

From the ICU window, when I could see out at all, that was part of what I saw -- the new turf-covered roofs of the annex in the second basement, the drystone wall, and the dog path. ICU was an existential experience. People working there were the best of the best of the best, and I admire them intensely for the job they did for me and everybody else. Perhaps one day, I can properly write about it; about the morning when I was woken by a young nurse introducing herself as Tamara, which made me laugh out loud even though I was still in a very bad way, and then I had to invent a reason why that was so funny; or about the ancient lady who asked the night nurse Sarah whether she had come to fetch her to heaven -- she does look a tad angelic, and the old woman was an enormous character who actually convinced the same angelic nurse in another night to fetch her a bottle of beer so she could sleep -- oh, that ancient lady was happy and grateful for the beer! No, one day I will write about all that, but now, let the picture suffice.

Pleasant plants and art by the staff cafeteria. Not just the patients, the staff as well have short ways and pleasant places to stay in that hospital. I would totally love to work there if I could think of a way to convince them they need a database tamer...
But I was in a handsome, well-constructed and well-cared for hospital built in the early eighties, and I actually liked the place and was glad I was there and nowhere else. In fact, when I was taken somewhere else, all I thought of was to get away from there.
So, here are pictures from my non!holiday type absence.

In the entrance area, not far from the café where patients and visitors could chat in a civilised manner, the last roses of summer were blooming beside ample rose-hips.

In the physiotherapy garden, when I turned the corner while I was exploring last weekend, there suddenly was a surprise!BMW. I have no idea what it was doing there, much less how it got there, but for some reason, there was a bright copper brand new BMW.
![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)

The wing where my ward was.

From the ICU window, when I could see out at all, that was part of what I saw -- the new turf-covered roofs of the annex in the second basement, the drystone wall, and the dog path. ICU was an existential experience. People working there were the best of the best of the best, and I admire them intensely for the job they did for me and everybody else. Perhaps one day, I can properly write about it; about the morning when I was woken by a young nurse introducing herself as Tamara, which made me laugh out loud even though I was still in a very bad way, and then I had to invent a reason why that was so funny; or about the ancient lady who asked the night nurse Sarah whether she had come to fetch her to heaven -- she does look a tad angelic, and the old woman was an enormous character who actually convinced the same angelic nurse in another night to fetch her a bottle of beer so she could sleep -- oh, that ancient lady was happy and grateful for the beer! No, one day I will write about all that, but now, let the picture suffice.

Pleasant plants and art by the staff cafeteria. Not just the patients, the staff as well have short ways and pleasant places to stay in that hospital. I would totally love to work there if I could think of a way to convince them they need a database tamer...
no subject
no subject
And yes, that was a very good and very beautiful hospital. If I ever need anything done again, I am going there.-
no subject
It looks like Sameth and Teja are at a good fade point and I love that your nurse was named Tamara. Your mermaid Tamara has come up briefly in a date OOM that William and Thalia are having and which we will finish someday.
I say they probably do need a database wrangler or know someone who does so it's worth asking. When I took my database course a lot of our projects came from local medical places or science places in the area. There's a major medical complex attached to the University and then you get all the offshoots.
no subject
Which they have. I would love to work there, because it is a beautiful place, in easy cycling distance, and I'd love to part of it and give something back.
Also, I agree on the fade. My mother is coming to see me tonight and stays until Sunday, but on Sunday evening I might post in my mermaid Tamara being cold in the lake, connecting the Tamara thing with your DE today.-
no subject
Ooh, it'd be lovely to have Tamara around. I'd be sure to send her a William as she's so good at making him feel confused.
no subject
In the second hospital, I was given an examination for the second time that I'd already done in the first one, two days before; the results weren't in the SAP system yet, and I said something about 'Shitty SAP', upon which the doctor said, 'Oh, you know SAP's first name?' There are rumours about medium sized companies that went broke after introducing SAP and changing all their processes to fit the software, instead of the other way around. It's that kind of a huge mega-kludge.
no subject
It's one of those things that I'm sure made sense at one point but now is a good way for companies to have powerful monopolies and bleed little places dry.
Do you think you would have a hard time learning it?
no subject
But if I want to be an IT person in that lovely place, I don't need to apply without it.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Are there online courses or something that you could take to learn it or does SAP charge an arm and a leg when they teach it?
no subject
I'll investigate. I don't think SAP keeps a monopoly for courses.
no subject
Have you heard of the kirkbride hospitals from the 19th c? Dr. Thomas Kirkbride believed that architecture served a pivotal role in the healing of troubles minds (I couldn't agree more. Have you seen the monstrosties built in the 70s???)
http://www.kirkbridebuildings.com/
One of them is the site for my new fic, Worcester State Hospital. As I interview psychiatrists and survivors all over the country and they ask me why I am chose this one when it is so hard to research, I say, "Are you kidding?!??!? I took one look at the building and fell madly in love!"
I even have a new comm to serve as a respository for all my photos (so that I don't drive everyone crazy bogging down the other comms with pics).
no subject
Bogenhausen hospital doesn't have a mental ward; that is attached to the other one, Schwabing, where I was for the last two nights. One of the mental nurses I used to know used to work there, actually.
no subject
I chose WSH because it was close to Clark University where Freud and Jung lectured in 1909 on Freud's only trip to the US. The two men visited WSH.
Then I saw the building... <3
Can you believe those bastards tore it down? *points to icon*
Honestly people have no taste. *shaking head in disgust*
On a cheerier note, it is COLD here (this is a BIG DEAL in Texas :D) and the kittens are so excited, they take off galloping down the hall, through the cat door and into the pile of leaves on the patio if I so much as glance in their general direction.
no subject
What would you do with an old state hospital/insane asylum, though? Convert into a combination of offices for geeks and condos for rich goths?
no subject
A museum?
ANYTHING!!!
Let's show some appreciation for architectural brilliance.
I don't have a camera!! It went with my daughter to Ireland. :((
no subject
no subject
I think it was even filmed in a kirkbride.
no subject
no subject
no subject
Germany still has church holidays, and Bavaria especially is very Catholic.
no subject
no subject
I have strong feelings about that!
no subject
no subject
Sorry, I get a bit sensitive about the insensitivity of others!
no subject
We are, after all, de facto a multicultural people now. You can be a Turkish woman living in Germany for decades and never speak a word of German -- as the lady did who shared my hospital room in the second week at Bogenhausen.
no subject
Of course all of my German experiences come mostly from my father.
no subject
no subject
no subject
no subject
Hey, I am briefly borrowing one of your icons to make a point. I shall give it right back. :D
no subject
**curious**
no subject
Will give it right back!!! :)
no subject
no subject
no subject
And my cats, who are now both talking to me again.
no subject
The grounds are a lovely spot and look very restful... even with the car.
Is the dog path part of the hospital?
no subject
no subject
Car simulator?! My patients don't even get their bed tv paid for.
no subject