First Summer Admit

Jake and I are becoming quite the ICS snobs.

You see, we learned something important last admission--not every ICS room is created equal.

ICS is divided into four pods--A, B, C, and D--in the shape of an X. The charge nurse's desk sits in the center of the X and each pod has it's own nurses' desks and patient rooms. Each room has a bed, a lot of equipment, a TV cabinet, a mobile table/desk, a couple chairs (one of which makes a supposed bed at night), and a bathroom. They're efficient but a little cramped, especially when an IV pole has to be maneuvered to the bathroom in the middle of the night.

Until last admit, we'd only been on B and C pods and had seen no difference except the orientation of the beds. But last time we were assigned an A pod room and our eyes were opened. For starters, the rooms are considerably bigger--big enough to not have to shove all the furniture against the walls when you want to walk to the bathroom. (And speaking of bathrooms, it was at least twice the size of the ones we'd seen before.)

Today, I found out that even A pod rooms can be subdivided and this time we have hit the jackpot, at least as far as I'm concerned. Instead of a chair that pulls out at night, I have an actual couch. A whole couch! And the back flips down to widen at night so I might actually be able to turn over without having to sit up first.

This might be a first--a night in the hospital with actual sleep involved.

Or not--after all, there's still chemo and fluids and vitals checks and beeping IV stands . . .

But at least I'll be more comfortable while I'm not sleeping.