Psych Ward Bingo Part Three

Cheeking meds	Quiet Room	6 Am Vitals	Apple juice	1:1
Hardboiled eggs	Pet therapy	Group	Uno	Rounds
Courtyard	Self-injury	Music Therapy	Doctor’s Meetings	Psychological Testing
Case studies	Christmas tree	Visiting Hours	Zombieland	Tuna fish sandwich
Code Red	Six Am Coffee	Pay Phones	Email	Body Maps

Courtyard- If you were not on suicide watch and you were Level 2 (clear to go outside), the staff would take us out to the courtyard once a day providing a) it wasn’t rainy or too cold b)  you had clothes you could wear outside as well as shoes (that is, not just scrubs). There were two courtyards and if we were lucky enough to have Michael on duty he would take us to the distant courtyard which had more room including a basketball hoop and a ball. I remember one time as the ice was melting a bunch of us played HORSE and i was the reigning champ. Its the small moments like this you really have to hold onto in the hospital. 

Self injury: Obviously the hospital does not want you hurting yourself while you are in the hospital (or once you get out). But it is possible to hurt yourself “inside” I once scratched my arms so heavily they bled. I was put on suicide watch. It was a last resort because i wasn't granted sharp objects (they didn't give me shaving privileges). One girl was smarter than me. She broke a spork in two and mutilated her arm with it. Another girl tried to hang herself with her own clothes.  That one didn't work too well and they took away her clothes (she had to wear paper scrubs.  They didn't make her go naked). There was one bulimic girl who confessed to me the day before her discharge she was still purging. I wasn't sure what to do. In the end I never told.  Sometimes I wish I had.

Music therapy: I only had music therapy once. I think this was when i was institutionalized for Christmas and they offered it as a holiday treat. Everyone got to select a song.  The therapist would play the song and we would discuss it. I selected “Dangerous” by Shinedown and people really seemed to respond to that song. I was pleased.  I had picked wisely. 

Doctors Meetings: At the terrible hospital i met with my nurse practitioner twice,  just enough for him to diagnose me incorrectly (I'm not on the schizophrenic spectrum). But at the good hospital i was given a very good doctor and he figured I was also bipolar one in addition to my anxiety disorders. How? He met with me at 6 am every morning. He was really dedicated to his patients and met with all of them at least once every day. He made each patient a priority, At first I really didn’t like getting up so early or the invasive questions. I felt it intrusive. Then I realized he was just asking what he needed to know. My doctor’s team was made up so my doctor, my social worker and one or two med students. When my doctor was off the unit (as he was when I started slamming my head against the wall) they were responsible for me until my doctor arrived on unit. 

Psychological Testing: Each stay was different  My second stay at the hospital I was presenting with very random symptoms so they ran a series of tests over me. Some were math problems. Some were spatial awareness tests. They gave me a 500 item questionnaire for me to fill out. Finally, I was the subject of a case study and had to undergo an MRI to make sure my brain wasn’t bleeding. They don’t always put that amount of effort into figuring out what is wrong with you (when I showed up the next time it was very obvious I was psychotic due to bipolar mania) but a good hospital will always hunt for the answers.