Surviving As a Patient in the Hospital

To pass the time while laid up in a hospital bed — the eighth time in 2024 — I was watching and listening to some entertaining videos on YouTube. The selection seems endless and for all intents and purposes, for individuals, it is. I doubt I could watch every video that could possibly interest me, even with a, not so luxurious, week-long hospital stay — but I tried.

Who expects to have some mind-opening revelations with IVs in our arms and EKG electrodes attached to our torsos?

First things first here as I write this, in that very same hospital bed (I should get one for home).

The hospital staff, especially the nurses and nurses assistants, have been wonderfully helpful, cheerful, understanding and supportive to all the patients here at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) in La Jolla, CA. Salute to the frontline workers filling the trenches while taking care of we veterans. You know, a young man delivering meals stopped for a moment to help me get situated In my bed. Great people. No one ever says “not my job,” at least not without helping we patients find someone who can help solve our dilemma.

These wonderful people do their jobs well and did much to keep me from falling into a terrible depression this year.

The one quirk in this latest “visit,” the broken clock on the wall that’s perpetually stuck on 6:39, so it is right twice a day, although I had to check my iPhone to know. It is something to laugh about now.

Back to the YouTube intervention. From the big wave surfing, to the candidates for the Darwin Awards, to all the music-related videos, including an interview with Beat guitarist Steve Vai, which included Steve talking about his bouts with depression. Wow, That’s brave.

Much of the interview was about Vai’s career and his gear, in particular his Gem guitar made by Ibanez.

For an interview about Vai’s experience with the music business, go to Rick Beato’s inaugural edition of “Sounding Off” with the legendary Beat guitarist. Vai shared the most important advice he received from the incredible Frank Zappa when he first joined Zappa’s group: “Keep your publishing.”

As I lay in that hospital bed, between one intravenous antibiotic and another, between one reading of my vitals to another, the three-square meals, between the many, many times I stood next to the bed so I could pee into one of those handy bedside urinals — you may have seen them when you visited someone laid up in one of those hospital beds — I could watch TV or my phone. The V.A. has a service that provides a nice selection of movies we can watch, plus local TV and cable, but after a while the usual TV watching gets boring so I switch to YouTube on my phone with my excellent ear buds. They provide great audio to go with the excellent videos, especially the surfing videos that often have great music for mini soundtracks. Kai Lenny is one of the greatest Big Wave Surfers in the world, so I’ve provided one of his videos to peruse …

… but there are many Big Wave Surfers — men and women, boys and girls — like Ridge Lenny to see. We can watch some local surfers like Eden Walla from San Clemente, who won the 2024 Super Girl Surf Pro title at Oceanside.

Then there is always the music, like Texas band Khruangbin …

… Beat …

… Frank Zappa and his band with Steve Vai …

And so many more. Like Jeff Beck, who had a great band in his later years.

It isn’t easy being crippled after living an able-bodied life for over 60 years — but it could be so much worse. I’ve watched one fellow veteran die and another’s body being wheeled out of the Emergency Department to the morgue.

In 2024 I’ve been an inpatient at the VAMC eight times (so far).  I don’t ponder what 2025 holds for me. If I’m lucky I’ll do a little traveling to Hawai’i and possible Half Moon Bay for big wave surfing, or someplace up the coast. Maybe down to Imperial Beach if it isn’t closed due to contaminated runoff from the Tijuana River. Winter storms are the best for big surf.

 

One thing for sure, I’m not going to get my Depends in a twist over Donald J. Trump and his cabinet of grifters and crooks. Jeez … The president-elect convicted felon is appointing another convicted felon (who actually did time in a federal prison) to be the top trade advisor, a guy who seems to love tariffs.

Nope, as long as I can spend my days watching YouTube and streaming channels on my smart TV and phone, I can get through just about any of life’s travails.

I’m grateful for my health care by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Who knows how long it will last? Project 2025 calls for the elimination of VA health care funding, but I’m grateful it is still available.

My health issues have changed my outlook on life. I can spend my hours thinking about the negative moments and conditions in my personal history, or, think about all the beautiful things in ln life, like these two rascals (pictured below) and my crew of great friends along with my family.

Take care, don’t let negativity get you down.

•••• •••• ••••• •••• ••••

Post Script: Sure, I’m a bit of a Frank Zappa and Steve Vai fan, but I’m also a Deadhead …

… a fan of Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Genesis, Rollins Band (featuring Henry Rollins) …

… Greg Koch featuring the Kock-Marshal Trio …

… and so many others, like Led Zeppelin …

… Joni Mitchell …

… one of the great American songwriters. And of course Jimi Hendrix …

…The greatest guitar slinger ever.

Enjoy your life.