“Be careful of your thoughts; they may become words at any moment - Ira Gassen”
Well by Wednesday of this week it had already been a long week for Mike with back to back testing and chemo. For me, it had been a busy week as well at work with deadlines and work related visits that included preparation, it just was what it was…a Wednesday that you wished was a Friday. With Mike’s schedule all things are in no particular order, so his chemo being scheduled for the AM, his MRIs were not set for 6PM the same evening. Fortunately, Mike’s chemo was post-poned to his testing schedules, so he was able to go home and I swooped him back up at 530 to go to his MRIs.
Anyone who has been to MD (and no offense) but your scheduled time IS NEVER the time you actually get in. We arrived and sat in the waiting room with other patients and care givers and as always mingled and got to know them all. There was one patient, Steven, who was there with (at the time we did not know) his father, and was there for a brain scan for his brain cancer. He sat there asleep in his wheel chair, which is not uncommon in the waiting rooms, so we were not able to talk directly with him. They called him back along with Mike at the same time. As I watched his elderly caregiver struggle to push him into the area where you change for the MRIs, Mike quickly offered to help, but was stopped by the acting nurse on duty. So they all went on to get scanned.
I sat there to myself reading the latest tabloid (and yes! I love that Kate Middelton is wearing hose! I myself go bare, but it is quite elegant for her – and US Weekly seems to agree!) Anyhow, I am there minding my own self and the elderly man that had just wheeled his son into the changing room peeked out quietly and asked for assistance in getting his son into the proper attire. (2) Nurses came quickly; seem to evaluate the situation and left to get some more help. I was so happy to see that, obviously this man was not able to do it himself and I would not expect anything less than that from the MD Staff.
A few minutes pass and everyone is where there are supposed to be. In the corner of my eye, one of the nurses came up to the front desk to talk to the MRI operator and they began conversation about Steven. “Did you see that guy all asleep and stuff?” The MRI guy “yes, I was not about to help him, that’s not my job. Haha!” The nurse laughed “Yeah, where they expecting me to do it?” I looked around as this conversation was going on, and I suppose they were speaking soft enough for the others not to hear and I have GREAT hearing, or they heard and ignored.
I sat there and was completely peeved! I stewed for a moment and knew if I walked right then and there I would have made a scene. I waited till the other nurse left and said a quick prayer to GOD for what I am about to do. I calmly walked up to the desk and asked the MRI guy to step to the side in the hallway. He looked bewildered at first but obliged and walked over. I went on to tell him I heard all he and the nurse had said and as a care giver, I am disgusted in their behavior and feel that if they are “having a day” take it to the break room, not in front of patients and caregivers that spend their days and nights at MD and depend on them to have the most compassion. He looked confused as to “what was I referring to?” I looked him square in the face (and at this time, it was almost 9, so I was tired and hungry) and said, do not play dumb, I heard you and the nurse, no one else did, be thankful and I am leaving it at that. Surely enough within 10 minutes as patients arrived he was the most bubbly person you had ever met – you would have thought I zapped him with my Cart-Wheel stick!
In closing – when you are in a situation that feels uncomfortable and you are not sure what to do …go with your gut --- I did. I believe too many instances go un-noticed and if you have the chance to stand up, do it – especially if you believe in it!
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