Patient Hospital Visitors Bring Food Eslpod Visiting Visit

When Americans are sick or injured and have to stay at the hospital for a period of time, their friends and family members often visit them to try to "cheer them up" (make someone feel better and happier).

Many visitors bring the patient a "bouquet" (floral arrangement; a pretty group of flowers) of flowers or a small plant to "brighten" (have lighter, sunnier colors) the room and freshen the air. Visitors might also bring music for the patient to listen to, or videos to watch. Other visitors might bring the patient his or her favorite foods, since the food served in hospital "cafeterias" (places that serve food to many people) is "notoriously" (famous in a bad way) bad. Of course, the doctors often want to control what the patients eat, so the visitors might have to "sneak it in" (bring the food secretly, without being seen).

Mostly, the visitors simply spend time with the patient, trying to "distract" (help someone stop thinking about something) him or her from the pain, discomfort, and worry. They might tell stories, look at photographs, or watch a movie together. People who share religious beliefs might "pray" (speak with God) together for a "speedy" (quick) "recovery" (return to good health).

People who cannot visit the hospital might send a card with a small gift, like flowers or a "stuffed animal" (a small, soft toy in the shape of an animal, normally for young children). Sometimes when a student is in the hospital, his or her classmates create a large "get-well" (designed to help someone feel better) card or "banner" (a large piece of paper to hang on the wall) and have everyone sign it.