Joyful Girl

Two years ago, round this time, I really hated my job (see Sing it, Johnny, The Camel's back..., and ...you utterly suck). What a difference two years makes. I love my job (see many more recent posts). I really love my job even when I really don't want to like my job.

I have a really awful work schedule this month, and it makes me a rather crabby. I'm working every weekend, I have two stretches of work days where I work 4 out of 5 days, and I'm working 20 miles away from home, where I could be working less than two, had I been scheduled to work at the Greenfield site. I can't see the rhyme or reason for scheduling me this way.

So I'm at work. It's Monday. I worked Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I'm unhappy to be here. One of my patients is talkative to excess. She's nice, but just doesn't stop talking. I'm grumpy. I don't let it show. I don't take my moods out onmy patients, but for a moment, I'm irritated that she doesn't stop talking, and I'm at work for the 4th time our of 5 days in a row.

Just before I leave my talkative patient's room she says, "You're a really nice and sweet person. I wish you had been my tech the last time I was here, because you made me feel at ease." She continues to gush about what a nice person I am, and how well I've been caring for her for a good minute. I am flabbergasted. I thank her, I smile, I thank her again, I tell her I'm happy to that I'm a help to her. I feel the letters A-S-S burn across my forehead.

It gets better. Or worse. My patient wakes up with muscle spasms. I help her to the bathroom. When she's back in bed, she reaches out her hand to me. I hold it. She grasps my hand tightly. "Thank you." She says, "You're a wonderful person." More praise ensues. Again, I tell her that I'm happy to help. Because I am.

I still wish I were at home, in bed, asleep, snuggling my love, and whichever smallish person who sneaks into our bed needing snuggles. But I am happy to be here, helping a stranger sleep better, treating her with about all the patience I hold at the moment. Still, it would be nice if time sped up a bit right now.

Eid Mubarak, ya'll.