Dad In A "Frock."

@Janey1966 (24170)
Carlisle, England
October 19, 2011 4:35pm CST
A "frock" is what my Dad calls the hospital gowns and I think it's quite apt! Anyway, yesterday he went for a Barium Meal (nice) at the hospital and was told to change into his "frock" in some room or other. After he'd done this a guy came in and said, "Would you mind waiting outside in the corridor whilst my wife changes into her..gown please?" "Sure!" So off Dad went, into the corridor, wearing his "frock." Now, he can be quite observant, my Dad, and noticed a rather nice disabled toilet that he described as "huge." When the lady's husband came out to tell Dad he could come back in again Dad couldn't help asking.. "May I ask why your wife didn't use the disabled toilet? It's big enough to change in and there's no-one in there." Apparently, the guy's reply was this; "Erm, she didn't want to go in there!" Oh, great! So my Dad had to stand in the corridor because this woman didn't want to use the disabled toilet. Would you? I'd have no qualms whatsoever about using a disabled toilet. I once worked at a place where the disabled toilet was better than the non-disabled version..and before you ask..I never went in if there were any disabled people in the vicinity. In fact, no workers were disabled, the toilet was there for disabled visitors, which there were none the whole 5 months I worked there. I liked it because it was modern, far away from the office and I could sit in there and think, which is more than I could do in the other one as it was so SMALL! Anyone else have an aversion to disabled toilets? If you're desperate I can't see the harm..
4 people like this
12 responses
@Hatley (163776)
• Garden Grove, California
19 Oct 11
hi Janey I am with your dad on that. I stick with my own doctor whom I have had for years and he is in Tustin about twenty miles from Garden Grove. I went to the bathroom b efore the Access bus was due but for some reason I had to go potty so bad when we got to my doctors office and I was called in I told the nurse Look I need to go potty real bad okay ahd laughed an pointed to the disabled toilet and it was great. I would at that moment of gone in an out house had I had no other choice. when One has to go one has to go.,Thereis even a bell pull if you get sick or need help while you are in there.;they think o f everything.That was a shame to make your dad stand out in the hall like that. some people are so thoughtless. What was the woman doing in your dads room in the first place? just c urious as I have never seen male and female pateints put in the same room?
2 people like this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Oct 11
To be honest, I think it was a communal changing room. Shocking eh? This is an even better reason for going in the disabled loo, in my opinion, rather than sending my Dad into the corridor!
• Pamplona, Spain
19 Oct 11
Hiya Janey, Lol I had to wear "frocks" when I was small too (grin) usually my Sister´s Frocks trouble was she was always much taller than me titch that´s me and I was always much much smaller. Also I had one or two of those delicious "Barium Meals" as well and I had to wear one of those "Frocks" as well ha ha ha. Now I can laugh but those Barium things are really awful and they take your appetite away for quite a while after. Since I never want to try one of those again I eat much better than what I did. No more Pork or Salami for me since then or Sausages as it seems I have some kind of allergic reaction to them.xxx Poor Dad in a Frock. I have no hang ups about using a Disabled Toilet if no one is using it and I am very careful to make sure no one needs it beforehand.xxx
• Pamplona, Spain
19 Oct 11
Hiya Janey, Did you used to wear Frocks then (grin).? I have not heard that word for yonks and yonks. We don´t have those kind of changing Rooms here thank goodness for that you have to go to a Toilet anyway to get changed they make you do that if you like it or not. Frock did´nt think anyone used that description of a Dress any more he he he.xxx
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Oct 11
I have been known to use the word "frock" for "dress" but it doesn't happen very often, which is why my Dad using that word is all the funnier...not that it WAS a dress he was wearing but you get what I mean, I'm sure. I hope!
1 person likes this
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Oct 11
So am I.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160777)
• United States
20 Oct 11
Sometimes they are the only option. I have seen public restrooms where the stalls for regular people were so snug I was in danger of getting stuck. I of course would not occupy one if someone who was disabled needed it. Sometimes they are the only clean toilet as well.
@GardenGerty (160777)
• United States
21 Oct 11
And you do not need to be in a wheelchair to be handicapped either.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Oct 11
That's very true. I've noticed the regular toilet cubicles have become smaller..or is it me getting wider? Whatever, they're very annoying..but when it comes to wheelchairs, I guess they're never going to go smaller are they? Hence the bigger cubicles.
1 person likes this
@bounce58 (17387)
• Canada
21 Oct 11
Myself, I don't! As much as possible, I don't really go in there. Even when the restroom is line up is long, specially at movie theaters, I don't go in handicap stalls (specially when there's people around!). But I think it was last month that I was forced to go in, as my son who's 5 really HAD to go. And it was the only stall available. And I appreciated how spacious it was!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Oct 11
They're amazingly spacious..and I'm sure others would "follow your lead" if you chose to go in a disabled toilet rather than wait in queue. It's certainly happened to me, put it that way. As long is there is no-one in a wheelchair waiting, there isn't a problem with it my friend.
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
21 Oct 11
I do not see a problem using one of them at all, after all, it is a toilet. When the need arrives it does not matter. I agree that most handicapped bathrooms are much nicer then the regular ones. And there was no reason that lady could not have used it to change into a hospital gown. Some people are just like that. I don't get it, but whats done is done. How is your father doing by the way? I hope all is well.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Oct 11
I agree with you..I don't get it either! As for my Dad (I saw him earlier as we went to pick Mum up to bring her back here for the weekend) he looked a bit tired but he did have colour in his cheeks. Normally, whenever he's ill, all the colour just drains away from his face but he looked all russety-red, which is good! Also, he's had a corn removed that was growing UNDERNEATH his big toe-nail, causing him great pain, as you can imagine. He's now a new man! He can't understand why it's taken all these months for staff to discover it as he has his feet looked at regularly due to the fact he can't bend down very well to take a look himself lol.
1 person likes this
@inertia4 (27960)
• United States
24 Oct 11
I think most people would not care what bathroom to go into in a need. I am glad to hear that your dad is doing goos and that he has no more pain in his foot. It does not many any sense that they did not find the corn all this time, but at least now it is taken care of.
• China
20 Oct 11
I think you Dad do have a sense of humour.He likes to choose another name for stuffs and it is so appropriate.The lady in question made so much fuss over using the disabled toilet,did she think she would be considered as the disabled if she used it? Or with some notice on its door,"No admittance except the disabled !".
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Oct 11
Yes, my Dad's humour is unique which is the reason why we all put up with his grumpy demeanour! You're also right about the lady..I can't see why she should have an aversion to going in the disabled cubicle. I could (sort of) understand her reasoning if she'd been there on her own..but her husband was with her, so he could keep watch outside for any wheelchair users that may need to go in. I've never experienced this whenever I've been in one of these cubicles (often as a last resort) so it would've been highly unlikely the lady would've either. She was just being awkward lol.
1 person likes this
• China
21 Oct 11
I guess your Dad's humour has brought about a lot of happy in your family.You take after your Dad,there is a good deal of humour in your discussions.
@stephcjh (38473)
• United States
20 Oct 11
I do not see the harm in using them either. I have used them before, myself. they are alot bigger and nicer than the regularly used ones.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
20 Oct 11
Obviously for wheelchair users..but I know what you mean. They're usually a lot warmer (with heating) too. Probably some law against NOT heating them, I would think.
@ShepherdSpy (8544)
• Omagh, Northern Ireland
21 Oct 11
A toilet's a toilet,as long as you're not blocking it's use from someone who'd have need of the accessibility aids in there...slightly OT,but relevant-A radio station quiz had a true/false question on the subject "Has a major clothing chain introduced larger changing cubicles in light of the obesity problem?" and the response was True...so the larger disabled toilet could certainly come in useful as a changing room too..
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Oct 11
That's interesting to know, thanks for that.
@ElicBxn (63614)
• United States
21 Oct 11
I am, shall we say, ample... and I use disabled stalls when I can because the regular ones you nearly have to step into the toilet to get the door open or closed.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
22 Oct 11
I do think the toilet cubicles are becoming smaller..and I know what you mean about virtually being in the toilet itself so I can shut the door, which actually gets in the way. All very stressful!
1 person likes this
20 Oct 11
I've no problems using a disabled toilet but do so only as a last resort. The reason being is that once I had to use one out of necessity and when I came out there was a disabled gentleman obviously in distress waiting to go in. Now I had only used it because the main toilets were being cleaned and there was no access but I still felt bad for using it.
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Oct 11
I've used one when there has been a huge queue..and I have been known to use the Men's at Donington Rock Festival (when Bon Jovi bought some PROPER toilets for us all) in a hangar at the back. I took one look at the massive queue for the ladies and noticed that most of the facilities were for the blokes anyway..therefore no queues. They were proper cubicles as well so it's not as though I was using one of those stand-up urinal thingies as there weren't any! It was a "no-brainer."
• United States
20 Oct 11
When natures calls it is not a pick and choose type of moment. I do try not to use the handicap stalls if at all possible as someone might need it at the moment I am in it. But if I were told in a hospital to use it as there is no other available, I would not have to be asked twice. lol
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
21 Oct 11
Neither would I!
@Amfyre (512)
• Canada
19 Oct 11
Disabled toilet stalls are larger, thus when I have kids in tow I always go in the bigger bathroom/ stall simply because it is more convenient, especially when they were younger and I had a stroller. I am not embarrassed to use it and I frankly don't care what others think about it. However if there is an older person with walker or chair I will use the smaller bathroom. Same goes with a young mom. Most baby change tables are located in the disabled bathrooms or stalls because the space is larger! My mom use to call the gowns "frocks" too!
@Janey1966 (24170)
• Carlisle, England
19 Oct 11
I agree with you. I always find them quite relaxing so I can't understand why that lady couldn't change into her "frock" in there. Her husband could keep watch on the outside, so it's not as though she'd be there on her own.