I can't believe how long it is since I last put pen to paper, metaphorically speaking! It seems that since I returned to work I just haven't been blogging, despite my good intentions...
In my last two posts I gave you a run down on how people sometimes be less than understanding, which has always struck me as odd given the nature of my job. To be honest only the innocent would say that compassion and empathy are two of the prerequisites for any job in the health care services. It is may be the ideal that we should be aiming for but in reality one has to question whether or not this is the case. Caring and sharing? No way, José!
Looking back to the events which sparked off my rather petulant outburstings, it was wrong that I should have had to face that attitude from anyone, but hey! She's only human, isn't she? So am I. Months after that episode took place I happened upon the opportunity to have my say on the subject, hence reducing the culprit to a blithering wreck.
It's funny how these things present themselves. I found myself panicking about how much leave I'm entitled to and dropped down to 'the office' to enquire. My erstwhile nemesis was sitting at her desk, thoroughly unprepared for what ensued. I introduced myself politely, shook her by the hand and then just for good measure told her that I was in fact "that nurse who'd had all that time off sick, when really there was nothing wrong with me!" and left it at that...
Needless to say, it was very much a case of me having the last laugh! Obviously I am not the nice person I am presenting myself as because this is one grudge that I hold dear, largely because it hurt me so much. I actually feel a teeny-weeny bit guilty for having behaved in such a manner, but in the main I feel vindicated and much happier than I did. I mean, the poor woman must have been astounded that I would have the gall to do what I did and in front of someone too! I wonder if she explained what was behind it all, or did she even realise what she had so carelessly done in the first place?
Anyway, that was a few weeks ago. My leave entitlement has been decided upon and I am looking forward to a couple of weeks off at the end of this month. Meanwhile I'm writing this on rest days, following three days out sick. My back locked up on me last Wednesday, resulting in numerous telephone calls to various people at work offering my excuses, etc. To be true I have spent a number of days recuperating in bed as a result...
Yesterday I attended Occupational Health whereby the lovely lady doctor gave me the all clear to work! To be honest I am delighted, my cognitive function has been officially assessed and it's good which means that I AM SAFE to work. Little did I know that I would also have two needles stuck in my arm, the first to deposit the annual 'flu vaccine and the second to secure blood to for testing, hepatitis this, that and the other! Have I ever mentioned how much I hate needles?
Afterwards I took Gypsophillus to visit our lovely, friendly vetinarian. She's passing blood in her water again. Ironically the first person I set eyes upon was my Divisional Nurse Manager! This could have been a little awkward, except for the fact that she's a lovely woman whose job it is to be tough and anyway, we're both grown-ups, aren't we? Her dog was sick (poor thing even smelled sick) and my dog was sick, end of. I didn't mention the fact that I am fit for duty, that I'd be back to work on Wednesday, nor did she...
The end all of it is that I got two needles and Gypsophillus got one! Oh yes, and I actually think she got the raw end of the deal as she had her temperature taken - rectally. Funnily enough she snapped at Derek the lovely vetinarian, I can't imagine why, can you?! I'll tell you what's even funnier and that's the fact that this is the first time that she's behaved badly with him.
In the past she's unhappily savaged a number of vetinarians, all of whom thought they knew better than to heed the warnings, she's had to be sedated to have her toe nails clipped and she frequently embarrassed herself in the waiting area! They say that animals know about these things, don't they? Derek and his lovely staff can be found at the Pet Hospital, Kilbride St, Tullamore telephone (057)9351390.
It seems to me that compassion and empathy should also be prerequisites of vetinary medicine. Unlike humans a dogs bit is generally worse than its bark and those that fail to hear it suffer, I think I've been spending too much time in the company of my two lovely ladies of late. Maybe that's why I was such a witch, I mean fancy having the last say...?
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