Sunny Side

I realized recently that I've only mentioned work and my job when I was talking about really sad matters. So, here is a blog to share some of the more amusing aspects of my job and what goes on here. It shall be a random blog with no rhyme or reason.

Most common question: So... If you don't mind me asking, how old are you?

Runner up: Do you have a sister? You look just exactly like...

I really do love my job, and I love my patients. And because of the type of floor I work on, we have a lot of repeat patients so I get to develop a friendship with quite a few of them. Some of the things they ask me make me laugh. For example, I had never considered the fact that to most everyone down here, I have an accent! I've had lots of people tell me that, and honestly, it makes me very happy. I tend to pick up accents fairly quickly (case in point: my funny upstate New York accent that appears at random), and I never, NEVER want to pick up a southern accent.

It also amuses me when my patients somewhat nervously and very tentatively, as if they might offend me, ask me, "How old are you?" When I tell them, their next response is generally something along the lines of, "Well, my goodness, you look like you're 'bout 12."
I've decided that I must have a very familiar face because I have had a large number of people ask me if I have a sister. One time when asked this, I actually knew the person that they said I looked like. That was odd because I am pretty sure I look almost nothing like her. But the best was just this past week when my patient's husband said to me, "You look just like my grand-daughter!" He then hunted for a picture to show me, but alas, could not find one. Apparently, she's a redhead, and she looks and even sounds just like me....

Another thing that I love about my job is the people that I work with. I found it funny that when I first started working everyone was a little unsure of what to do with me. Why, you ask? Well, believe it or not, I am actually extremely shy in general. The exception to this is when I'm in situations where I feel comfortable. Anyway, for a long time, they were afraid to joke with me about things, and most of the time they would talk to me as if I were a very delicate glass ornament that might break if you spoke too loudly or said anything beyond common small talk. Thankfully, I got less shy as I became more comfortable, and now they laugh and joke with me all the time. They're wonderful, and I've really had fun getting to know them.

Oh yeah, one last fun story. A while back, I had a patient whose pastor comes to visit her fairly often. He happened to be in the room along with her sister, and when I walked in, he asked me, "Are you gonna sing for us?" I was not real sure what to say to that, so I laughed and told him that I don't generally sing in front of people. He insisted that I sing. After a short while of going back and forth like this, I said, "I'll sing if you'll all sing with me." That was my compromise, and they took it... So we all sang Amazing Grace. Fun times...

Anyway, there's a quick snapshot of the brighter side of work. If I think of any more funny stories, maybe I'll post them later.