Stairs Culture

That's what it's come to. I'm writing about the stairs.

Before going on, I (1) want to make sure that nobody got the impression from my last post that I don't want to hear from you, just be patient with me, and (2) want to state that Tasty Deli is the hands down winner for best place to get sandwich within a 10 block radius (of course, 10 blocks west is kind of damp). Had a Cubano yesterday and Hot Pastrami today and they were both winners. And the server recognized me on my second time in the place.

So I've been taking the stairs for exercise, though I now have access to the employee fitness center when I have the urge, which will probably come later this afternoon. The main elevators here are incredibly slow. One of the nurses told me where the staff elevator is and said it's less crowded, which I bet it is, because most of the staff seems to take the visitor elevator, at least when they're going to the cafeteria. Or if they have a cart.  Or to leave for the day.

So the stairs are by far the most efficient way to get from floor to floor. My stairs are labeled Fire Stairs E. I do not know where this falls in the pantheon of stairs in this hospital, but it is the stairway closest to both the main lobby, the ICU and my room. And it has doors that let you off at any floor, which not all fire stairs do. From floors 1-5 it's 28 steps floor to floor, and 5-9 it's 24.

Okay, so I don't want to overstate it, they're fire stairs- darkish and concrete. Used masks and other debris on the floors in a few places. But they're there and they're busy. I'd say that I'm one of the few non-hospital personnel using the stairs. Lots of doctors and nurses and administrators. Mostly going from one floor to the one below or above. Everyone is polite and holds doors. Lots of people go down multiple flights, but only the hardcores go up more than one. I've finally gotten to the point where I'm reasonably comfortable going up from the lobby to 9.

Very distinctive wear patterns on the floors and especially the bannisters. Lots of pipes. Phones for the Fire Marshalls on every floor. Signs with tips for good heart health that do not contain the phrase, "Take the stairs." As people go they talk about cases, about who did what to who, last assignment, next assignment. Shop talk. Sometimes weekend or evening plans. Banal things. I've not heard one exciting thing on the stairs. Which is good. I don't need to hear about someone emitting fluids in some inappropriate fashion.