I like hospitals

I was in the Hospital for Tropical Diseases unit yesterday getting some tests done to see if my headaches, fever and lethergy post-Thailand are anything serious. The doctor didn't seem to think it was of major concern (no emergency antibiotic drips or 24/7 monitoring, let us know if it gets worse) but they took some blood and...well...let's see what comes back.

Anyway, back to my story.

I’ve always liked hospitals.

I was never sure why I felt comfortable in there. I couldn’t put my finger on it until recently when I realised that it’s not the men (or women) in uniform, the rhythmic blipping of machines, the pungent antiseptic smell that takes me back to some childhood memory, the food (?!).

No, it’s that in hospitals, there is a realness. An emotional realness where the facades have to be dropped. When people are naked in their vulnerability, fear, pain, humility in the face of loss, struggle and hope. Where there’s not the strength to pretend anymore.

Oh to be able to live in that state of openness and realness in our daily lives without having to go through the struggle of ill health, loss and even death.

So, today, I want to make a tribute to hospitals.

To the intensely ‘human-ness’ of hospitals.