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2022-World-Cup-brings-joy-to-hospitals : Shots – Health News : NPR


Hospitals can be deserted places when the days get cold and long — especially during the holidays, and especially during the winter of the third pandemic. But this year, cartoonist and doctor Grace Farris, who works as a therapist at a hospital in Austin, Texas, was surprised and delighted to see her patients and colleagues rally around around a new kind of holiday connection and spirit — rooted in this month’s World Cup soccer playoffs.

Dr. Grace Farris narrated, "If you've ever been in a hospital, you probably know that the TV is always on." A TV hanging on the wall in the hospital room showed two people talking to each other.  Someone said that, "Where's Chandler?"

Recently, however, instead of Laughing Friends, Law & Order dialogue or gritty local news, there's a dot.  A voice shouted down the hallway, "GOOOOOAAALLLLLL!".  A sign on the wall shows the way to the cafeteria, the ICU, and the radiology department.

As a doctor at the hospital, a "hospital," Now I realize it's vacation even when I didn't know I needed it.  A soccer ball hovers above this and in the lower right corner a small sign says "everything is fun".

Usually, after some delicate behavior with patients, I jump into the medical field.  Farris was standing next to a bedridden patient.  A label pointing to her reading "typical doctor communication style".  She told the patient, "Blah blah blah red blood cells blah blah blah".

But now the script has been flipped.  Farris is now in a different room with another patient, standing by her bed.  The patient is on the TV showing the World Cup.  A blood bag and IV tube were connected to her arm.  The patient said, "Some of the players are teenagers and they are very bold!  But the elders are seasoned with experience."

In the hallways and staff rooms, I found empathetic colleagues throughout the hospital.  A group of three people work with masks on stands around holding phone screens.  Someone said that, "Did you see Pulisic?" Beside her, a doctor said, "What is offside?" The third person, wearing a robe, said, "It's easier to show you."

I had never played sports before, but the World Cup made me and a group of my colleagues in other hospitals convert.  Farris is listening back to her patient watching the World Cup on TV. "I couldn't walk anymore, but growing up in Mexico, football was in my blood," patient on hospital bed day.  She is an elderly woman wearing glasses.

Karim EL Hachem, a doctor in New York, also had World Cup fever.  He caught part of the match between Portugal and Switzerland in the innings.  He and a patient were watching the World Cup match passionately. "Phenomena!" he cried. "Lots of goals!" patient said excitedly.

Vasundhara Singh, another doctor in NYC, loves to watch the World Cup with his patients.  Aerial view of a football field covered with dialogue bubbles coming from different directions.  Singh said, "It offers considerable jokes and fun chat." Another bubble said, "OH!" "Let's go!" "Target!" "Vamos!"

Russ Kerbel, a hospital in Los Angeles, said he noticed ER staff checking the quarterfinals on their phones.  A group of staff members in scrubs and masks all pulled out cell phones.  A sign behind them said "hurt".  Audio commentary coming from two phones saying, "This will go to a shootout".

In Porto Alegre, Brazil, patient Guilherme Barcellos was hoping he would get to see Brazil play in the semi-final while he was in hospital.  The global view is overlaid with soccer ball stitching hovering in the foreground.  Barcelona said, "We started to think we could win." But instead, Brazil went out.

A small gingerbread house next to two greeting cards was erected.  One reader: Happy holidays!  The other said: Get well soon.

Faris went on to narrate: “Listen, I know the World Cup is mired in corruption and scandal, but the holidays are tough.  Especially in the hospital.  A group of Faris's colleagues gathered around the TV screen and heard the commentator say, "GOOOOAALLL!" Holiday wreaths and bows decorate the room.

From where I'm standing, the World Cup is a great game for a hospital break, an excellent, home run, match.  Faris stood next to a patient on the bed.  The World Cup is showing on TV.  The patient said, "Aren't these people amazing?" The audio commentator exclaimed, "What a beautiful ending!"

Dr. Grace Farris is an associate professor of medicine at the University of Texas at Austin’s Dell School of Medicine. Her latest book is mother milestone. You can find her on Instagram @coupdegracefarris.

Comics edited by Meredith Rizzo and Deborah Franklin/NPR.

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