A Playlist to Help You Through the Stages of Hospital Admission

Hospital admissions aren’t welcome at the best of times. When you’re chronically ill they take on a whole different meaning. We don’t go in and come out better — it can last a few days or months at a time of tests, surgeries, you name it. Not only is it exhausting physically, it takes a huge toll mentally. They’re the last place we want to be when we’re feeling so ill and we can go through a number of intense emotions. Last time I was admitted I was stuck in isolation in the same room for over a month. I couldn’t really concentrate on movies or books, but music was easygoing and at times the only thing that kept me going. So here is a playlist to help you through the different emotional stages of being admitted.

Stage 1: Accepting admission — You may have fought it for days, or you may have spontaneously ended up in the emergency room; whichever way, when you spend a lot of time in the hospital, it takes a lot to accept you need to be in there.

“Collide” by Howie Day

We all eventually give in and in the end know it’s for the best, but that doesn’t mean we don’t try to avoid it.

Stage 2: Getting bad news — Whether it’s blood culture results, tests or a flare up, hearing what is making you feel so crappy is never welcome news, so here’s a song to help you accept and move on.

“Last Hope” by Paramore

You know that moment? You just know that cultures are back showing sepsis again, or the flare up requires intervention? You just have to accept it and let it carry you along. That doesn’t mean you want to one single bit, and though tomorrow you’ll fight with all you have, right now you just need some time to cool off. The mantra of this song, the bridge specifically, goes a long way to helping you to get to that point.

Stage 3: A song to help you sleep

“Safe and Sound” by Taylor Swift and The Civil Wars

Sleeping in the hospital is about as easy as getting blood out of a stone — it’s bright, the patient in the bed next to you won’t stop screaming and nurses wake you up every hour. This song relaxes and soothes the noise away.

Stage 4: A song to spur you on to fight — whether that’s tackling physiotherapy or mentally carrying on when you just don’t have the energy.

“Unstoppable” by Sia

No matter how hard it is to smile after your fifth time vomiting, you are strong and powerful, so keep fighting!

Stage 5 – When you don’t feel like you can fight anymore, let alone feel like you want to — here’s a song to let you know it’s OK to struggle.

“No More Bad Days” by This Wild Life

Sometimes, you just need to cry, to grieve for the things you’re missing and how hard you have to fight. This song takes you through the emotion, picks you back up and reminds you, you can do this.

Stage 6: Song to celebrate finally going home

“It’s My Life” by Bon Jovi

That feeling you get when you hear the words “fit for discharge,” break out of those hospital bands and you are free! You beat this again and you rock.

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