Things that made me happy in the hospital

Being in the hospital was one of the hardest times of my life. There’s really not much joy in there, and there’s not much you can do while bedridden and drugged. I found that the littlest things made me happiest. I am not trying to scare you, but I do wish that I was a little more prepared about what it was going to actually be like. Of course, the experience is different for everyone, everyone has different levels of pain tolerance and strength levels going into the surgery.

• Stuffed animals

Although I am 16 and like to think of myself as mature, nothing really brought me as much comfort as a stuffed animal. My hospital gave me a Squish Mellow the first day I was there and I haven’t slept a night without it since. Hugging it brought me so much comfort. I also brought my favorite stuffed animals from when I was a child to make my room feel like home.

• Decorating my room

On the note of making my room feel like home, I found that a few decorations turned my cold hospital room into somewhat of a cozy space. My surgery was less than two weeks before Christmas so my mom took time to hang up fairy lights and garlands. Looking at the decor really brightened my mood and reminded me of what the rest of the world was feeling.

• Bright nail polish

I love to paint my nails. There’s something so satisfying about colorful fingernails. The day before my surgery I painted my nails in the shade express to impress by essie. I received so many compliments from the nurses and it brought me a little bit of joy every time I looked at my IV crowded hands

• Doordash

The first night I was fed hospital-made chicken noodle soup. Let me tell you, I wouldn’t have had that soup if it wasn’t all I could eat. The next night I got a Chipotle bowl and acai bowls from Jamba Juice for my breakfasts. My appetite wasn’t very strong, but I knew how important it was to eat, so it might as well be my favorite foods.

To be frank, there won’t be very many fun experiences in the hospital, so the most important thing is to bring them yourself! Talk to your friends, watch movies, eat whatever you want. I am not guaranteeing a better experience if you paint your nails, I’m just saying find a few things that you love that don’t use up any energy, and maybe your days will be a little happier.