Ode to Carraway

For those who actually keep up with the Bham news you know that Carraway hospital is closing it's doors this week. Now most of you probably haven't even stepped foot in Carraway. But of course, me with my oddball eyeball job, I've been there lots! It was actually one of my first hospitals to visit all by myself when I got this job. When first visiting a hospital I have to find my way to all critical care units, which in most hospitals are nicely organized and grouped together. But with Carraway being a tad old and very sketchy, ICU and NICU were far apart. So I end up getting on this elevator that was like seriously probably the original model elevator invented and made the creepiest noises ever! I've never been so scared in my life to get on one, I don't even think it had an emergency telephone in it! So I take this life chance and ride it to floor 6 (where I was told NICU was). I get off and seriously feel like I've stepped into some type of horror film. There was no one in the halls, only every other light was on, and just a bunch of empty hospital beds in the halls and rooms! I looked around a corner or 2 hoping to find some sign of life but NOTHING! My mind quickly raced to some scary movie and I jolted back to the elevator!!! Of course, the same creepy elevator picks me up! I later discovered it was floor 5 not 6! And every time since going to NICU over 3 years that same elevator always opens with the same sketchy noises. (there are 3 other elevator possibilities!) I now take the stairs...every time!

But overall, Carraway has some of the nicest nurses and staff. Every 2nd Tuesday of the month I do the nurse orientation and at least 75% of the attendees are truly interested in what I'm saying, which is a good percent in my opinion! :) It's been around for 100 years...that's a long time! It was THE hospital to go to back in the day.UAB had nothing on them 40 years ago or so. But my strongest memory of Carraway will always be that blue star...once I learned where and what it was as a young child, I always looked for it when I traveled through downtown. Maybe someone will still pay that power bill and my star won't fade too soon...but for now...so long Carraway Methodist Hospital...so long!!!