I seem to be rather angry these days.

For various reasons, my dad is now in the Cardiac Care Unit of Nassau Medical Center, the ugliest hospital I have ever had the misfortune to visit. This monstrosity is the worst example of 1960s architecture—huge and ramshackle, like a suburban high school but with curious summer-camp touches. Not only is it ugly, but it’s obvious that there are forces working diligently to make it smell terrible and be as unwelcoming, cold, and grim as it can possibly be. Because it’s a hospital! Where people are sick! So why would anyone want to make them happy?

My dad is stuck in a corridor, basically. The Cardiac Care Unit is a corridor. A dank corridor with no windows and unsmiling attendants who only interact with him when they have to perform unpleasant procedures. And even then they’re not nice about it. Oh! And there are teaching doctors who approach him with their gaggles of med students so they can treat my dad like a circus monkey while they, say, use the temporary pacemaker to lower his heart rate to almost nothing and then turn it waaay up and watch him twitch. I asked my dad why everyone seemed to be so unfriendly and he said, “It’s because most people here are going to die soon*. They don’t want to get attached.”

Does this not boggle the mind?

Dear dying person,

You say you're going to die soon! So why should we be nice to you? Won’t you take our feelings into consideration? How about thinking about someone besides yourself for a change, jerk?

Since these might be your last days on earth, we thought we’d put you in a dimly lit hallway without a single window or any indication that the sun even exists anymore.** We’ll serve only the most unappetizing of food, too! Mmm, unsalted meat sludge. Eat it and shut up. Also, you’ll never get a television. Or a telephone. Even after you ask several times for both these items. And while we’re at it, we won’t give your loved ones any number or human being to contact when they have questions. So that when we wheel you in for surgery, no one will know! And then while you recover you’ll be alone! Listen: our hospital is the best and doesn’t at all deserve to be destroyed. So shut your trap.

Love,

Nassau Medical Center.

Next up: idiot people who sneer at “Park Slope Mommies” on their idiot blogs. Ha, ha! Because all mothers are stupid! Stupid mothers! It’s a good thing the rest of us were created asexually so that we can be disgusted by the disgusting women who have progeny! Ick, ick, ick!

* Not my dad--he’s just fine, I’m happy to say. He will soon be out of this hellhole.

**When I was there yesterday, another patient called out to me, “Please, what is it like outside? Is the sun shining?” I’m not making this up.

Comments

[Jenny]

Gah! That is horrific! I'm so sorry your dad has to be subjected to those kinds of conditions.

[ben]

You must submit this to dateline or 20-20 for an expose on the conditions of hospitals such as these.

[Lin]

I hope he mends quickly and is out of that dump asap. Hospitals are pretty unhealthy places for anyone. But to mess with a patient's head through indifference and spitefulness...that's just inexcusable. That's why the elderly fear hospital visits...they've known too many friends and family members who have checked in and not made it out.

[divinemissk]

ugh. god how awful! it is so sad but true about the not wanting to get attached because people are going to die soon. ugh. so glad your dad is getting out of there.

ps. i love park slope and i think moms are awesome.

[liz]

Move him ASAP to NYU Medical Center which is bright, airy and the doctors are pleasant.

[missbanshee]

That makes the bile rise...Thank Jeebus he'll be out of there soon, but those poor poor other people...I work in a psych ward, and it is so depressing...Why do they make hospitals like this? How is anyone going to WANT to get any better? I'm so sorry your family is going through this.

[Paul]

Maybe if people didnt choose to be sick, we wouldnt have these problems, okay! Jeeze. It just makes me want to puke! Pukey puke puke.

I think this hospital should just add to the fact that all of long island sucks, even its hospitals. Game and point!

Me: 425, Long Island: 37

[kat]

That is so so sad. Give me the address and I'll show up with some paint cans to at least make the job cheerier.

[Sam]

ugh, that place really is a ramshackle dive. hope he can get out of there soon!

[Jack's Raging Mommy]

At least your dad is well, and you will not have to deal with it much longer. Hospitals are never pleasant, at best they are merely tolerable and then only if new babies are involved.

[Em]

That's fucked up. The healthcare system makes me want to punch something.

[Beth]

That breaks my heart. I'm glad your dad will be out of there soon. Have you talked to any hospital administrators about your observations?

[Lassa]

Sorry your dad has to be there. Glad he'll be out soon!

PS-Thanks for always making me laugh!

[miel]

that last thing--about the sun--almost made me cry.

[Kim]

That's so horrible. Your dad's lucky to have such a caring and responsible daughter. You should link to whomsoever is sniping Park Slope Mommies so we can deluge them with fuck you comments. Park Slope is known far and wide for having the coolest mommies.

[SuzanH]

There are few things more frustrating than the indifference of medical staff.

I hope things go well (or at least quickly) for your family.

[Hanna]

Goddammit! That makes so mad! Did these people miss the hospice movement of the last 30 years? Hello!?

I'm glad your Dad will be out soon. You're lucky to have each other!

[Torrie]

Whenever my father, who has had five surgeries in the past two years is in the hospital, he says to the doctors "get me out of here as soon as possible. Hospitals are for sick people"It's amazing how it's been proven how important nutrition is to health, and yet hospitals have the worst food.When's the last time you saw a fresh fruit or vegetable in the hospital?

Hospitals suck. Too bad my husband's a doctor.

[clickmom]

So happy to hear your Dad will be leaving soon. I had to be hospitalized with pneumonia last winter and it was a scary scary experience. Wouldn't want to do it again ever.

[clickmom]

So happy to hear your Dad will be leaving soon. I had to be hospitalized with pneumonia last winter and it was a scary scary experience. Wouldn't want to do it again ever.

[Melissa]

So sad to hear this. There's no excuse for a dank corridor and someone asking about the sunlight. I hope that your Dad is out and about as soon as possible.

[DM]

This is horrible. I hope your father is out of there soon. I can't believe that people are being treated that way. I think it would be a good idea to tell someone about this, maybe 20/20 would do an expose.

[Lisa V]

I am sorry to hear about your dad and the snake pit he is stuck in.What is up with this country? Mothers are simultaneously exalted (the hardest job ever, the most important person in your life, yada yada yada) but then we are sneered at when we actually want to discuss our lives. What are we supposed to be silent martyrs whose lives are too boring to write about?

PS I wrote about potty training today- sneer away assholes.

[Busy Mom]

I hope your dad is feeling better and is outta there quickly!

[Jomama]

That really breaks my heart. I just cannot wrap my naive head around how such ugliness is possible. I am very happy to know that your dad is doing good and will be out of that hellhole soon. You should not have to out up with such BS.