Stories - experiences around people living with disability
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EDUCATION STORIES
JAKE'S HOSPITAL DIARY
August 5
Tomorrow I'm going to Auckland with Mum to go into hospital. I'm going to Starship which is new for me because I've always been to Greenlane before. I've heard they've got a McDonald's at Starship.
August 6
I’m at Starship. It's pretty cool here. There's more to do than there usually is at hospital. I wish my brother was here but he stayed at home with Dad and my sister. I'm going to have my operation tomorrow. It shouldn't be too bad.
August 7
Boring. Someone came in with some sort of emergency so I didn't get to have my operation. This morning I was all wired up so I couldn't move round. They put these little round sticky things with electrodes attached to them on my chest and then they put wires onto the electrodes and attached them to a machine which measures what's going on in my heart. When I want to go to the toilet I have to unhook myself, go, come back and hook myself back up again.
August 8
Still waiting for the operation. At least this isn't a big operation. Last time I had a big operation I was seven and I had to have a whole lot of drains coming out of my body. The drains were stuck on with tapes and the tapes used to stick to my skin and my skin starting breaking down with all the stuff they were putting on it, so it really, really hurt when they took them off. We were up in Auckland for 9 weeks that time, and Mum and Dad took turns in coming up from Christchurch and being with me.
Still waiting. (Still bored!) But I got a card from my class at school, so that was cool. I wonder what they're doing right now.
August 9
Well, I had the operation yesterday. The only bit I don't like is when they put the mask on you for the anesthetic to put you to sleep because it smells real bad. When I was little I used to try to push them away because of that smell but I'm a bit more used to it now. I feel a bit whacked today but not too bad. I felt well enough to go to the Playroom today. I didn't feel like doing much, but it was a good place to go to get away from my bed and just chill.
August 10
Bored, Bored, Fun, Bored, Ouch, Bored, Fun. Bored. That's what life is like in hospital most of the time. I've spent a lot of time in hospitals during my life. I like having Mum here. But I'm looking forward to going home. I should be able to get back to school pretty soon and I'm glad about that. I like just relaxing at home but after a few days I want to get moving and get out with my friends.
August 11
Home tomorrow! Can’t wait!