Lessons Learned in a Hospital Room

“When we’re tired, we’re physically and mentally weaker, more likely to be irritable, and we literally lack the energy to feel joy. Sleep matters even more in adversity because we need to marshal all our strength.”  – Option B, Sheryl Sandberg and Adam Grant

Have you ever spent the night in the hospital? I had never spent a night in the hospital until I had cancer in 2021. One of the things I didn’t realize when I went in the first time was that there is never a chance to rest in the hospital. I always assumed that the hospital would be a quiet place where those who were sick could rest and recover. And while I had very few visitors because of COVID, what I soon discovered was that the hospital is loud and constantly in motion.

Hospital personnel came through every hour of the day and, for sure, every four hours to check vitals and machines. And the machines never stopped beeping. It was crazy. Just about the time you were able to close your eyes and rest, the machine would beep incessantly, or the nurses would come through the door.

What I soon realized was that if I wanted to rest, I would need to find a way to get home. Quickly, the hospital became a prison for me, not a place of healing. I had to break free!!!

All of this came to a head about 5 days into my first stay when the primary oncologist came into the room late one night. As she sat down, we started to talk about my health. With her sitting across from Katie and me, I asked, “What do I need to do to get out of here? Tell me what I need to do so I can go home.”

She began to tick off the things that would need to improve for me to leave, and a simple plan was put in place. With that new plan, we began to do everything possible to leave. I started walking the halls at all times of the day and wandered everywhere just to get my strength back. Along with that, I stopped taking all the unnecessary pills (or so I thought). If I had to have it, I took it, but if there was any question about the medication's benefit, I simply left it.

Within a few days, I was ready to go home.

Lessons Learned

1)    There is no rest at the hospital, and we all need rest to heal.

2)    We all need a plan and a goal to break free. What’s yours?

3)    You need to take the initiative if you're going to heal. You don’t get better without taking intentional actions and steps.

As I look back on my time in that hospital room, I'm reminded that healing is rarely instantaneous. Whether you're recovering from an illness, navigating loss, rebuilding a relationship, or simply trying to move forward, don't underestimate the power of your next best choice. Each choice has the power to build resilience. It may seem small now, but over time, your choices can lead to extraordinary transformation. Choose your best!