Hank Has a Hospital Stay

Hi! My name is Hank. That's me with my parents. Last week I wasn't feeling so great. I needed some tests at the hospital, and I spent the night there. I was scared. But I learned a lot about hospitals, and now I'm not scared of them! Here's how it went.

Well, when we got to the hospital I was so nervous that I wanted to go home. I was only there one time before, and that was when my little brother was born. Everyone was excited then.

This time my parents looked worried. That made me feel a little worried too. But I got to bring a special toy with me. I brought Ralph the Rabbit. Holding him made me feel better.

A nurse came to give me some tests. He had ice cream cones on his shirt.

He said "Hank, these tests help me learn about how your heart and lungs are working. And they can help us find out why you're not feeling well."

The nurse put an arm band on me. He puffed air into it until it gave my arm a squeezy hug. Then he put a red light on the tip of my finger. Those tests felt different because I didn't have them before. But they didn't hurt at all.

Then the nurse needed to test my blood. For that test, I felt a small pinch in my arm. But then I got to pick my own bandage! I picked spaceships. Ralph got one too.

I spent the night in the hospital. The bed was not like my bed at home. It had lots of buttons, and it could move up and down. There was even a button I could press to tell the nurse I wanted him to visit me!

My mom got to spend the night with me, so I wasn't alone. I had my very own TV, and I got to pick what we watched.

When it was time to go home, I rode out of the hospital in a chair with big wheels on it. The nurse pushed it. He even went a little extra fast when I asked him to.

After I got home and got some rest, I could play with my brother again. He didn't say it, but I think he missed me.

Hank felt much better after his hospital stay. And if he ever needs to go back to the hospital again, he won't be nervous because he knows what to expect. And now, so do you. After hearing Hank's story, are there any questions you have about staying in the hospital? What special things will you bring with you?