bits and pieces of today
I looked at the next name on the list of patients to call. Ah, crap. It was Mr. Manic.
When Mr. Manic was off his meds, it was impossible to get a word in edgewise or extricate yourself from a conversation with him. But even when he's stable he has a tendency to ramble, and I was praying that someone else would answer the phone.
ring
"Hello?"
Oh good, an older woman.
"Hi, this is Dr. Arrs office calling with a message for Mr. Manic; could you please let him know group is cancelled for this afternoon?"
"Group?....oooooh for Bob (Mr. Manic's first name). Ok... let me write this down. Tell Bob his group with Dr Arr is cancelled because Dr Arr doesn't want to see him anymore."
Uh?
"No, no, no ma'am. Group is cancelled because Dr. Arr is out of town unexpectedly today."
"Okay. Dr.... Arr... will... call you... when... he... wants... to see you... again..."
I'm starting to wish I had gotten Mr. Manic instead.
"No ma'am. Group is cancelled, FOR. TODAY. ONLY."
"Oooooh, ok. Don't go... to group... today. Got it."
-next!-
ring
"Hi, this is Dr Arr's office calling for Bob."
"Speaking."
"Hi Bob, just wanted to let you know that group for today is cancelled."
"Oh. Ok. Why?"
"Dr. Arr is out of town. Group will resume next week."
"Is this Dr. Arr?"
Errrr.... wot?
This is a first. I've been confused for other people on the phone, but never a 66 year old man.
=
First unheard message
Hi, this is Bob in the print shop, I can't access the file you gave me the link for in your reproduction request, so if you could just put it on a floppy and bring it down to me, I'll get started on it as soon as I have it. Thanks. Bye.
The file in question is a 395 page pdf file. A floppy holds 1.44 megs of data. The pdf file is almost 4 megs. So. Um. Yeah. Not gonna work.
Flash back to 4 days ago when I submitted the duplication request...
"Now, Bob, I've put this on the "Public" drive, do you want me to walk you through to make sure you have the permissions to open, read, and print the file?"
"Nah, I can get to it."
Sigh.
=
Mr and Mrs Smith are 2 of my favorite patients. They are so damn adorable. He's 87 and she's 79. They both look and act at least a decade younger.
I know the story of how they met. I know how she pursued him, how shy he was, how she eventually charmed him and won him over, and how they are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year.
I also know he's not doing all that well, and why.
Mrs Smith called me today and asked for an emergency appointment with Dr Harvard. I worked out the details and had her come in.
I saw her in the hallway. She gave me a hug and thanked me for being so helpful. I was just doing my job.
They stopped by my office to get a follow up date. Mr Smith was in his wheelchair, his cane on the footrest, his hands on the cane, his head on top of his hands. I patted Mr Smith on the knee. He looked so sad. I wanted to cry.
"I hope you feel better really soon Mr Smith."
He looked up. "Oh, I'll be allright."
Mrs. Smith said "I take good care of him, I give him lots of lovin'!"
"Oh, I'm sure you do. If you don't mind, I'll give him a little of my own" and I gave his arm a gentle squeeze.
"Lots of lovin' and some of these, right on the tush!" Mrs Smith said, making pinchy motions with her index finger and thumb.
I laughed. "Well... I think I'll let that kind of lovin' be yours exclusively." I paused and looked at Mr Smith and gave him an exaggerated wink "Maybe I'll get in on that next time, if you've been good!"
Mr Smith chuckled and finally smiled.
Both of them left smiling.
And I felt like I had finally accomplished something meaningful in this job.
When Mr. Manic was off his meds, it was impossible to get a word in edgewise or extricate yourself from a conversation with him. But even when he's stable he has a tendency to ramble, and I was praying that someone else would answer the phone.
ring
"Hello?"
Oh good, an older woman.
"Hi, this is Dr. Arrs office calling with a message for Mr. Manic; could you please let him know group is cancelled for this afternoon?"
"Group?....oooooh for Bob (Mr. Manic's first name). Ok... let me write this down. Tell Bob his group with Dr Arr is cancelled because Dr Arr doesn't want to see him anymore."
Uh?
"No, no, no ma'am. Group is cancelled because Dr. Arr is out of town unexpectedly today."
"Okay. Dr.... Arr... will... call you... when... he... wants... to see you... again..."
I'm starting to wish I had gotten Mr. Manic instead.
"No ma'am. Group is cancelled, FOR. TODAY. ONLY."
"Oooooh, ok. Don't go... to group... today. Got it."
-next!-
ring
"Hi, this is Dr Arr's office calling for Bob."
"Speaking."
"Hi Bob, just wanted to let you know that group for today is cancelled."
"Oh. Ok. Why?"
"Dr. Arr is out of town. Group will resume next week."
"Is this Dr. Arr?"
Errrr.... wot?
This is a first. I've been confused for other people on the phone, but never a 66 year old man.
=
First unheard message
Hi, this is Bob in the print shop, I can't access the file you gave me the link for in your reproduction request, so if you could just put it on a floppy and bring it down to me, I'll get started on it as soon as I have it. Thanks. Bye.
The file in question is a 395 page pdf file. A floppy holds 1.44 megs of data. The pdf file is almost 4 megs. So. Um. Yeah. Not gonna work.
Flash back to 4 days ago when I submitted the duplication request...
"Now, Bob, I've put this on the "Public" drive, do you want me to walk you through to make sure you have the permissions to open, read, and print the file?"
"Nah, I can get to it."
Sigh.
=
Mr and Mrs Smith are 2 of my favorite patients. They are so damn adorable. He's 87 and she's 79. They both look and act at least a decade younger.
I know the story of how they met. I know how she pursued him, how shy he was, how she eventually charmed him and won him over, and how they are celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary this year.
I also know he's not doing all that well, and why.
Mrs Smith called me today and asked for an emergency appointment with Dr Harvard. I worked out the details and had her come in.
I saw her in the hallway. She gave me a hug and thanked me for being so helpful. I was just doing my job.
They stopped by my office to get a follow up date. Mr Smith was in his wheelchair, his cane on the footrest, his hands on the cane, his head on top of his hands. I patted Mr Smith on the knee. He looked so sad. I wanted to cry.
"I hope you feel better really soon Mr Smith."
He looked up. "Oh, I'll be allright."
Mrs. Smith said "I take good care of him, I give him lots of lovin'!"
"Oh, I'm sure you do. If you don't mind, I'll give him a little of my own" and I gave his arm a gentle squeeze.
"Lots of lovin' and some of these, right on the tush!" Mrs Smith said, making pinchy motions with her index finger and thumb.
I laughed. "Well... I think I'll let that kind of lovin' be yours exclusively." I paused and looked at Mr Smith and gave him an exaggerated wink "Maybe I'll get in on that next time, if you've been good!"
Mr Smith chuckled and finally smiled.
Both of them left smiling.
And I felt like I had finally accomplished something meaningful in this job.