Missing Home and Your Friends
Bring along some photos of friends and family. Put these up around you to cheer you up when you’re feeling a bit homesick. It’s great to have a favourite toy to cuddle up to at night.
Ask your friends to write or send pictures to you to keep you up with all that’s going on.
Feeling Lonely
Being away from home, your family and friends, can be a bit lonely at times while you are in hospital. If you are feeling lonely chat to the nurses and let them know how you are feeling. They could introduce you to other patients your age on the ward that you can chat to or play games with.
There are also lots of ways to keep in touch with friends from home – by phone, Skype, social media and much more. Check the visiting times for the ward with your nurse and let friends and family know when they can come in to see you.
Bit Bored?
Don’t worry about being bored in hospital as there are lots of things to do – See our Things To Do section for information about what’s going on that you can be involved in.
Remember to bringbooks and games from home to play with your visitors when they come to visit you. You could visit the hospital school on Puffin ward or catch up on your own school work.
If you have forgotten your favourite things at home visit our playroom and speak to the play specialist – you can borrow games, puzzles etc and bring them back to your room if you prefer.
Worried About Talking To The Nurses/Doctors?
All of our staff are specially trained in caring for you and are happy to answer any questions you or your parent/carer may have. There is no need to be nervous or afraid talking to the nurse or doctor.
If you don’t understand what they are saying let them know, as they can explain it in a different way. They can draw you a picture or show you information online.
Ask your parent or carer to keep a list of questions that you or they want to ask next time the doctor/nurse comes round. You could also ask the play specialist to show you what will happen when you have a test or picture scan.
Worried About Having Tests/An Operation?
If you are worried about having tests, an operation, or afraid of needles or feeling pain, let the nurse/doctor or other healthcare person know – Don’t be worried lots of children are just like you – even adults!!
Our staff knows that you might be worried and they are great at helping you to understand what will happen during your treatment in easy language.
The play specialist is also great at thinking of lots of fun things to do to help take your mind off things.
If you’re worried about having to take medicine, have a chat with your nurse. They will be able to explain to you why you have to take it and if you can eat or drink with your medicine. If you are allowed, they may also be able to get you a glass of your favourite drink to take the taste away.