yakalskovich: (Green man)
Maru ([personal profile] yakalskovich) wrote2011-10-28 02:34 pm
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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. [livejournal.com profile] 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...

ceitfianna: (happy face Tumnus)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 01:20 pm (UTC)(link)
This is a beautiful place and it's wonderful to see where you've been these past few weeks. I'm glad you're home and doing better.
ceitfianna: (paper butterfly)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 01:40 pm (UTC)(link)
Aww, I'm glad Mephisto is forgiving you for going away.

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.
ceitfianna: (Hatter is bemused)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 01:58 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not familiar with SAP. Is that a particular program or a language?

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.
ceitfianna: (map and key)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 02:05 pm (UTC)(link)
*nods* Module things are always horrible. When I was trying to pick an electronic library system for my internship, all the expensive ones were in modules.

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?
ceitfianna: (Inception-look sideways)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 02:48 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm not sure I understand your last sentence. You could apply without it or you couldn't?
ceitfianna: (peaceful Demeter)

[personal profile] ceitfianna 2011-10-28 02:52 pm (UTC)(link)
Yes, thank you, sorry, it's morning for me so I'm not at my best.

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?

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 02:33 pm (UTC)(link)
I actually have fallen in love with one hospital (well, a type of architecture really). And it isn't at all morbid, as one might be tempted to think.

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).

[livejournal.com profile] worcesterasylum

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:01 pm (UTC)(link)
I actually started this fic on the very depressing topic of eugenics and rejection of the "mentally feeble" on Ellis Island. Yeah, I do things like that. :(

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.

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:06 pm (UTC)(link)
Did you see Red Dragon where he made it into a house?

A museum?

ANYTHING!!!

Let's show some appreciation for architectural brilliance.

I don't have a camera!! It went with my daughter to Ireland. :((

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:24 pm (UTC)(link)
You're kidding???? The flashbacks to his childhood? The WHEELCHAIR that he rolls the burning guy down the road in? The grounds??

I think it was even filmed in a kirkbride.

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Oh! I forgot about that one. I have been here too long. *headdesk*

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:41 pm (UTC)(link)
Do the Gymnasium students still go to school half-day on Saturday?

I have strong feelings about that!

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:46 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad, because it was a real blow to an already bruised Jewish population.

Sorry, I get a bit sensitive about the insensitivity of others!

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:50 pm (UTC)(link)
Then things have changed and I am pleased.

Of course all of my German experiences come mostly from my father.

[identity profile] brickling.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 10:07 pm (UTC)(link)
I had school every other Saturday for my whole school career. I bet with the new turbo Abitur they now have school every Saturday.

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:07 pm (UTC)(link)
Icon WIN!!!

Hey, I am briefly borrowing one of your icons to make a point. I shall give it right back. :D

[identity profile] idylchild.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 03:23 pm (UTC)(link)
We're discussing needless sex in fics. And I borrowed that one for that purpose.

Will give it right back!!! :)

[identity profile] marchenland.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 02:47 pm (UTC)(link)
I'm glad you're doing better!!

[identity profile] kippurbird.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 06:37 pm (UTC)(link)
I like the story about the old woman.

The grounds are a lovely spot and look very restful... even with the car.

Is the dog path part of the hospital?

[identity profile] bigfluffball.livejournal.com 2011-10-28 07:03 pm (UTC)(link)
Ooh pretty, yay for being home!

Car simulator?! My patients don't even get their bed tv paid for.