Among the more amusing experiences the day brought was the constant question, “How are you?” Everyone in the place asked me that at least once, sometimes twice. It’s not the most encouraging thing in the world to be treated by people who fail to deduce that your presence, by definition, means that you are NOT doing well.
Typical exchange:
Orderly: So how are you today?
Me: Well, if I was good, I wouldn’t be spending 4 hours in a waiting room watching Mexican soap-operas, surrounded by disease-ridden immigrants. In fact, even if I was great when I walked in, I’d be feeling suicidal right about now.
Orderly: Someone will be right with you.
I find it amusing that you can tell how important a person is at a hospital based on their clothing. It’s like only the doctors rank high enough not to be forced into wearing pajamas. Everyone else is required to dress like a tool. This is why, if you’re admitted for any length of time, the first thing they do is make you wear the rape-gown that doesn’t cover your ass. They want to make it clear that you don't even rank high enough to get superman underoos or those God-awful plastic sandal-things. It's an excellent way to subjugate someone, by the way. Because it’s impossible to be insubordinate when you’re not wearing pants. Think about it. Two people are arguing: one in pants, one without. It doesn't even matter what the argument is about. Who do YOU think is winning? Exactly.
Generally I try to be as nice as possible to hospital folks. Not because I think that they’d try harder to save my life if they liked me, but because I know that they can, on a whim, opt to put a catheter in me. Combine the threat of a catheter along with the confiscation of my pants and I’m a pussy-cat. Seriously. In fact, I’m lower than that. I’m almost into SLAVE territory.
“How are you today?”
“Ise be greats, massah. Is yuse wantin’ some mo’ o’ my sweet, sweet insurance money?”
After four hours and 18 different queries about “how I was doing” they finally got down to business and diagnosed me with a viral infection. Then they did what the American medical profession is best at: shovel pills down my throat.
“Here you go. Swallow this,” said a man entirely too cheerful and enthusiastic for anyone who owned a penis and spent 6 years in medical school to get the title of "nurse." He held out a pill that was, conservatively, the size of my fist.
“Um…are you kidding?” I asked.
“It’ll make you feel better.”
“What part of ‘I can’t swallow anything’ do you not understand? I’m having difficulty getting down water. How am I going to swallow something the size of my cell phone?”
Mr. Nurse was not in least put off by my heavy dose of reality. In fact, if anything, he seemed even more cheerful. This did not bode well for me. I sensed I was about to become the brunt for 6 years of merciless teasing.
“Would you like me to crush it up and mix it with some water for you?”
“Yes, and maybe you could crush up the remainder of my manhood along with it.”
I should have known it was a losing cause to argue one's manhood to a dude with a nursing degree.
“Hmmm…maybe we should keep you overnight for observation. I’ll be right back with a gown and a catheter.”
I closed my eyes, aimed for the back of my throat and tried desperately to repress the gag reflex. It was of little solace to reflect that they were actions that Mr. Nurse would no doubt be repeating later that night in the company of his life-partner, Jim.
God, I hate hospitals.
