ah..."chez bin" as i like to call it...the good thing about the hospital where i go...is the view...right on a river so its really pretty...

i go when i don't feel safe...suicidal, too many memories, or when there is a medicine change that needs to be monitored. its a locked ward, floor whatever. usually i get my own room (its so much easier being crazy in a single room). there is a common room with a big screen tv with dvd/vcr and tons of movies. everybody eats together. there is a stocked fridge and cereal, bagels fruit etc available for snacking too.

groups are held 2-3x daily and 2x on weekends if i recall. the nurses were great...they check in with you daily to see how you are doing. i saw the pdoc 2-3 x each vist which lasted anywhere from 4 days to 10 days depending on what i was in for.

food was okay...not great. no phones in rooms only at nurses desk and in common room. you could make 1 call/shift for free at desk which was good since i didn't have a phone card (they take your phone etc). if you are going put all your # in your pocket so you have them to call your friends...it makes it easier than trying to remember things.

is it a great thing? no but if you need it you need it. oh one thing my hospital does that my friends found upsetting...they don't list your name on the hospital records so that if someone calls to find out how you are they don't show you...so my friends didn't know where i was...they knew i was suicidal and thought i had gone to the hospital but then i couldn't be found so needless to say they were upset...and with no family to reach....it was upsetting. that's why i take a list of # with me now.

also you have to provide a list of who can visit you...people just can't show up and visit...(altho i would imagine if they did and you were okay with it i guess they might be allowed in) and in my place they do look thru bags and such to make sure nothing unsafe is brought in...but that was just after another patient had committed suicide so things were a bit tense.

there are showers and washers & dryers too...

i have had to stay at chez bin i think 5 times the worst was for the med change because honestly i felt fine it was just to be monitored for the new meds and the blood levels and stuff...and then when they took me off the meds i had to do the same thing. the other times i was a mess and needed to be there. like i said...enjoyable...no.