Visiting an Old Employer
We went walking around the hospital complex earlier. Because we didn't want to pay visitor parking, we parked a couple of blocks over from our destination and walked. We passed the building where I used to work and crossed two streets to get to the main building. Since we both had cigarettes, I looked to see if the old cut-through was still there, it wasn't. We walked over to the other doors any way. The hospital has recently gone non-smoking and have red markers on the sidewalk where you dare not wander with "smoking materials."
Of course, the door we went to was locked. It is Sunday, so I didn't expect a full staff, but still. One of the workers was out smoking (beyond the red square) and directed us to push the bell. No one ever came. She eventually came and swiped her card to open the door for us. I've been to this hospital a few times over the past decade, so it isn't new to me. Prior to that, I worked there for 14 years, so I used to know my way around.
There are signs to let you know where you want to go. We wanted Lakeside. I used to work on the 7th floor of Lakeside, so okay, we could find that. We found a sign for Rainbow Babies and Childrens and McDonald Hospital for Women. I knew we wanted to go that way. Bill was skeptical. Finally, the sign changed to "other Hospital buildings." We were on our way. The hospital as I knew it is still there. Now, though, you have to go through miles of corridors to find the older areas.
We got to Lakeside and went up to the sixth floor. The signs on the floor were backward as far as we were concerned, but we eventually found the room we wanted. Bill's brother was asleep the whole time, but we were able to talk to his wife. As we left, I wanted to take a different route just to see what was new.
The lobbies and patient waiting areas are really quite attractive. Everything is connected by corridors, glass, and lots of wood. It really is a nice place except when you're waiting for someone to get out of surgery or something. It is definitely more public than the old waiting rooms were, but they did a nice job with University. The way it is set up, you could walk for miles and not see the same thing twice. I think some day I'd like to just go wandering around the place.
It has changed a lot since I worked there. I think having that experience makes it less threatening when I go to visit people there. My father has had some wonderful care there as well. Whenever I'm there, I look for people I used to know. It has, of course, been 11 years since I was an employee. I doubt too many of them are left.
Of course, the door we went to was locked. It is Sunday, so I didn't expect a full staff, but still. One of the workers was out smoking (beyond the red square) and directed us to push the bell. No one ever came. She eventually came and swiped her card to open the door for us. I've been to this hospital a few times over the past decade, so it isn't new to me. Prior to that, I worked there for 14 years, so I used to know my way around.
There are signs to let you know where you want to go. We wanted Lakeside. I used to work on the 7th floor of Lakeside, so okay, we could find that. We found a sign for Rainbow Babies and Childrens and McDonald Hospital for Women. I knew we wanted to go that way. Bill was skeptical. Finally, the sign changed to "other Hospital buildings." We were on our way. The hospital as I knew it is still there. Now, though, you have to go through miles of corridors to find the older areas.
We got to Lakeside and went up to the sixth floor. The signs on the floor were backward as far as we were concerned, but we eventually found the room we wanted. Bill's brother was asleep the whole time, but we were able to talk to his wife. As we left, I wanted to take a different route just to see what was new.
The lobbies and patient waiting areas are really quite attractive. Everything is connected by corridors, glass, and lots of wood. It really is a nice place except when you're waiting for someone to get out of surgery or something. It is definitely more public than the old waiting rooms were, but they did a nice job with University. The way it is set up, you could walk for miles and not see the same thing twice. I think some day I'd like to just go wandering around the place.
It has changed a lot since I worked there. I think having that experience makes it less threatening when I go to visit people there. My father has had some wonderful care there as well. Whenever I'm there, I look for people I used to know. It has, of course, been 11 years since I was an employee. I doubt too many of them are left.
posted by Vickie at 3:08 PM
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