i make everybody laugh
so i turned up at the hospital, navigated my way thru, found an immense queue and propped myself against the wall, and waited.
after check-in i'm told to wait and the doctor will see me.
So i wait.
There are no free chairs where i am, so i make my way up the corridor, past lots of other new cripples, wheelchairs, slings, crutches and x-ray folders, and spy an empty seat up the corridor.
as i approach as wingnut comes sailing off my crutches and lands at the feet of a blonde girl with specs, who picks it up and hands it back to me, as i sit down. We start to chat for a while, and get along well, and have a good laugh about things. She injured herself a year ago and is waiting to find out if she should get an arthroscopy. Eventually Christina is called up, and i sit and relax for a bit. She comes back and has to go and get another x-ray and says she'll be back in a while.
Evetually, a vietnamese guy sits down next to me, also on crutches and he and i have a chat for a while. He's studying to be a nurse and is interested in psych and we talk about a wide variety of things, including about the book he is reading, which is somethign about emotional intelligence.
He decides pretty quickly that i have a high emotional intelligence, and am good with people. Then the girl comes back, waves, nervously grins and goes back into the doctors room. Paul and i keep talking, and since no one else of the thirty or so people there is talking we're about the only thing of any interest apart from the hospital staff wandering about. I tell him i could do with a cig and a woman across the way, with two cranky kids, says she could do with one too.
I stop one of the nurses and point to the end of the corridor, where there's an open door and i can see sunlight.
"can i go out there and smoke?"
"uh yes i suppose so."
"thank you"
"coming?" says i to the smoking lady.
I return after a cig and talk to Paul again. Christina comes back out and i ask her what the diagnosis is and all the rest. I wish her the best, flash a smile, and ask her to call me once i can walk again and we can go for a beer. She blushes, giggles and takes the piece of paper with my details and scurries off.
Paul bursts into laughter, and a hispanic girl across the corridor laughs also.
"What?" i demand.
Paul is killing himself, i threaten to hit him with my crutches if he doesn't stop. He catches his breath and gasps out, "That was so cool, you're my hero, man."
The hispanic girl, tells me "that was sweet. She'll probably call you." I don't recall what i actually said, but apparently it was sweet, and Paul is insistent that she will call me as well. Although he did ask, why i gave her my details instead of asking for hers. My reasons are simple.
If i ask for her details, i put her on the spot, and she was obviously embarrassed enough. If she has my details, then she can decide when she's ready to ignore my crippled arse or she can call, but either way she can make the decision without being under immediate pressure. The hispanic girl says that it's a very good idea. So i threaten Paul again and he stops laughing. Apparently, i am "a master", and he is "in awe" of my powers.
We continue to wait and talk as the people come and go and every ten minutes or so, Paul bursts into laughter again.
i'm about the last person treated at about ten to five, after waiting from about two pm.
Doesn't look like a break from the x-rays, although the swelling and the pain in particular places are strangely consistent with a break. No weight bearing and come back next week.
i wave goodbye to my 'single serve' friends, Paul and the smoking lady and make my way out and call for transport.
i have bought a case of Guinness for it's magical healing powers and it's non-magical "make you drunk" powers.
I have a week off work. I guess i should write...
after check-in i'm told to wait and the doctor will see me.
So i wait.
There are no free chairs where i am, so i make my way up the corridor, past lots of other new cripples, wheelchairs, slings, crutches and x-ray folders, and spy an empty seat up the corridor.
as i approach as wingnut comes sailing off my crutches and lands at the feet of a blonde girl with specs, who picks it up and hands it back to me, as i sit down. We start to chat for a while, and get along well, and have a good laugh about things. She injured herself a year ago and is waiting to find out if she should get an arthroscopy. Eventually Christina is called up, and i sit and relax for a bit. She comes back and has to go and get another x-ray and says she'll be back in a while.
Evetually, a vietnamese guy sits down next to me, also on crutches and he and i have a chat for a while. He's studying to be a nurse and is interested in psych and we talk about a wide variety of things, including about the book he is reading, which is somethign about emotional intelligence.
He decides pretty quickly that i have a high emotional intelligence, and am good with people. Then the girl comes back, waves, nervously grins and goes back into the doctors room. Paul and i keep talking, and since no one else of the thirty or so people there is talking we're about the only thing of any interest apart from the hospital staff wandering about. I tell him i could do with a cig and a woman across the way, with two cranky kids, says she could do with one too.
I stop one of the nurses and point to the end of the corridor, where there's an open door and i can see sunlight.
"can i go out there and smoke?"
"uh yes i suppose so."
"thank you"
"coming?" says i to the smoking lady.
I return after a cig and talk to Paul again. Christina comes back out and i ask her what the diagnosis is and all the rest. I wish her the best, flash a smile, and ask her to call me once i can walk again and we can go for a beer. She blushes, giggles and takes the piece of paper with my details and scurries off.
Paul bursts into laughter, and a hispanic girl across the corridor laughs also.
"What?" i demand.
Paul is killing himself, i threaten to hit him with my crutches if he doesn't stop. He catches his breath and gasps out, "That was so cool, you're my hero, man."
The hispanic girl, tells me "that was sweet. She'll probably call you." I don't recall what i actually said, but apparently it was sweet, and Paul is insistent that she will call me as well. Although he did ask, why i gave her my details instead of asking for hers. My reasons are simple.
If i ask for her details, i put her on the spot, and she was obviously embarrassed enough. If she has my details, then she can decide when she's ready to ignore my crippled arse or she can call, but either way she can make the decision without being under immediate pressure. The hispanic girl says that it's a very good idea. So i threaten Paul again and he stops laughing. Apparently, i am "a master", and he is "in awe" of my powers.
We continue to wait and talk as the people come and go and every ten minutes or so, Paul bursts into laughter again.
i'm about the last person treated at about ten to five, after waiting from about two pm.
Doesn't look like a break from the x-rays, although the swelling and the pain in particular places are strangely consistent with a break. No weight bearing and come back next week.
i wave goodbye to my 'single serve' friends, Paul and the smoking lady and make my way out and call for transport.
i have bought a case of Guinness for it's magical healing powers and it's non-magical "make you drunk" powers.
I have a week off work. I guess i should write...