Ward Life: Making life a little easier…

Today’s blog is a little different to past blogs. It’s been a really quiet day on the ward.  Things don’t get back to swing properly till tomorrow when consultant psychiatrists are back, so I figured I’d do the best of the calm before the storm.

Here’s 6 things that make life a little easier here for me on the ward …

 My Blue Blanket 

My blue blanket has been with me since day one of this whole experience. It was also a blanket I used on my King Size bed before coming in to hospital. Don’t be fooled by her gentle blue. This blanket is indestructible and can sort pretty much anything out!

 The Daffodil that keeps on growing  …

There are some people in our lives, no matter how hard things are for them, the carry on going and growing. You’re looking at the equivalent in a daffodil. It’s stood tall through pouring raining – it’s head modestly bent, whilst daffodils all around it die. It’s beautiful.

 Caps, Beanies and Hats

Don’t ask me where  or when the obsession started, but it did! I have hats, bobble beanies, skull caps, snap-backs and Buffs. I have hundreds back home. However, I thought a modest few could make hospital life more bearable.

 E-Cig

Now , here we have it. I’m no longer a smoker. I am a Vaper – currently enjoying the delights of a Watermelon E-cig juice. I really haven’t looked back after Smoking my last cig a week ago. I enjoy the sensation of vaporizing much more. Also, no more strong tar taste and smelly fingers! I sometimes lie in bed, listening to some smooth jazz,  vaping whilst imagining that I’m in a small Parisian Cafe drinking coffee, having a moment. There you have it! (Too much information, I know!)

 Piano

Those who know me know I love to play. Being able to play piano on the ward helps me a lot. It’s a great way to deal with/regulate emotions that I’d struggle perhaps in verbalising with staff / friends. This beaut. is my friend. Great on good days, extraordinarily good on bad days! I enjoy playing and composing. A huge thanks to the ward manager for moving it from Gwalchmai ward where it was rarely used. I believe Piano’s have souls, having one and doing nothing with it I regard as musical cruelty- it needs to sing, like we humans need to breathe.

 Laptop and Smooth Piano Jazz

I’d be lost without my laptop – I use it to write and create whilst in here. I also enjoy hourly long-sessions of listening to smooth piano Jazz on my laptop. I love all kind of genres in music, but adore smooth jazz and the blues. Good smooth Jazz can transform my bedroom walls into those low light Parisian cafe interior walls in Paris.