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Being poked, prodded, sliced, and diced by doctors and nurses
in the hospital isn’t fun for any patient, but after
suffering from three near-death experiences, Rick Mulligan
decided to write about it—in a humorous way. From cutting
off part of his finger as a boy to surviving bladder cancer
as an adult, he recounts numerous medical adventures that
are simultaneously funny and sad.
This memoir (although he claims the part about the alien abduction
was likely the result of prescribed hallucinogenic drugs)
may amplify some of the stories, but apart from the aliens,
appears to be based on reality. Much of the humor could be
described as sophomoric and sexist, though never misogynistic.
For example, he relentlessly teases nurses about cleaning
a wound near his nether region, and takes delight in large-breasted
nurses attending to him. “An amply endowed young nurse
came into my room to check on me and had to reach over me
to grab the remote out of my hand under the pillow. In doing
so she pressed a couple of D-cups in my face that caused me
to wake in a panic thinking I was being smothered by two soft
pillows.” That’s one of the tamer references.
An example of this patient’s hijinks includes a prank
he played on nurses, which he refers to as “Caddyshack
the Sequel.” In this case, he purchased three caramel
candies, squashed them together, and then placed them in the
water after one of his therapeutic treatments. After telling
the nurse it was a bowel movement, he picked up the candy
and ate it. The joke was on him, however, when the nurse informed
him the water was full of chemicals, dead skin cells, and
who knows what else. He didn’t try that particular prank
again.
At nearly 100 pages, Hospital Hijinks is a fun and easy read
directed primarily at men, although some women with a broad
sense of humor might like the antics, as well. Written simply
and directly (with sexual references, but little profanity),
the book is short enough to be read and enjoyed in a couple
of hours.
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