The Saddest Thing In The World

So as you know, I work in a hospital environment. Everyday I pass the Emergency Department, and usually try to divert my eyes away from the actual waiting room, as I never know what I might see. I have a weak stomach, and I am not ashamed to admit it.

This specific hospital is known for being busy. There is one hallway on the ground floor that extends about a kilometre long. When you are at one end, you can't see the end of the other. It's THAT far. This hallway is insanely busy with doctors, administration, patients and guests.

The saddest thing in the world to me, is to see a patient sitting in a hospital bed, in the middle of this corridor.

Usually this is a temporary placement, but this is how I see it:

a. being in a hospital bed puts you in a vulnerable position as it is
b. you're usually in a gown, with no bra or underwear
c. I'm assuming that if you're in a bed, you don't feel well, or you REALLY, REALLY don't feel well

So here are these people, in a bed, parked in the middle of this hallway, where 100 people pass by them in about a 10 minute period. There is usually gawking, and curiosity involved with all that walk by. I don't know about you, but when I feel crappy, I just want to be alone. Having 3000 people look at me when I feel like ka-ka is the worst nightmare possible.

When this person is elderly, I have to almost choke back the tears, looking at the sadness in their eyes. Sometimes these people are in the fetal position, toward the wall, trying to retain a fraction of their dignity.

These people are not usually there long - perhaps the porters are on their way to transport them to another floor or department...who knows.

I still think it's such a sad thing to see.