Yesterday I was ‘in mood’ as my siblings say. I prefer the expression ‘Being cross’. Someone uses more blunt words to describe me in this mood. When I am not at my best, I tend to withdraw into a room by myself so I won’t sour the world with crappy karma.
It wasn’t a pleasant day. I interacted with far too many frustrating people. A handful of patients are either a) not doing what was recommended or b) doing drugs and alcohol or c) not going to counseling for a variety of reasons. These are not uncommon matters for a physician to face. What was irksome was these same patients are demanding or needy that I ‘do something’ about their messes and do it ASAP.
One man, a professed Tea Party person, wanted to spend his appointment gloating how ‘they have won’ and they will soon take over – apparently to dismantle the Federal Government and shoot ‘illegals’ and/or anyone in disagreement with them. He is on Medicare, and he wanted a break in his medical bill as he “can’t afford things” (said right after the disclosure he continues to smoke two packs per day).
The news is depressing. Everything is ‘us vs. them’ and everyone is acting like children or louts and with oh so atrocious manners.
Twice today I was nearly run off the road because I was going 65 mph in the right lane of the highway whose speed limit is 65 mph. One impatient person did not even pause to get off his cell phone to flip me off. Another of these cellphone driving villains had a “Palin in 2012” bumper sticker on her SUV. I am beginning to suspect the Mayans were onto something after all.
I should do some stretches and go to sleep. I should consult St. Francis and ask him for some interventions of peace and patience.
I am looking forward to the weekend with The Best Friend. Tomorrow we fly to Wisconsin (Land of Cheese) with their antique malls, cheese curds, Blatz beer, and perhaps (if I am lucky) some fall colour.
17 comments
September 16, 2010 at 2:33 AM
Cubby
The Teabaggers remind me of the villainous Hunter tribe in “The Lord of the Flies”. A bunch of children who discover they have some power and wield it in gang-like fashion with no sense of consequence, hurting even themselves.
Every time you see this patient you get upset. Can’t you tell him to piss off for good?
As for fall colors, here in southern Ohio it is so dry the leaves are going directly from green to brown and dropping early. It’s going to be a dull fall here.
September 16, 2010 at 2:59 AM
Will
Do you have one of those, um, cheesy cheese hats they wear at the Wisconsin games? I think it would look very sharp (chedderesque?) along with one of the famous Chemises de Spo.
September 16, 2010 at 3:41 AM
Lemuel
I can understand why you would be so out of sorts.
BTW, I do not think that I have heard someone use the term “cross” in this context since my paternal grandmother. It brought back fond memories of her.
September 16, 2010 at 4:23 AM
Hanuman Das
On two packs a day, he probably won’t be around much longer. Forget about him for now and enjoy your trip!!! 🙂
September 16, 2010 at 4:30 AM
Blobby
Get OUT! They do not still make Blatz – do they??
No offense to your profession, but if I were (or Medicare, in this case) were paying my psychiatrist, I ain’t there to yak about politics. …but that’s just me.
Next time, tell him that most Tea Party-ers didn’t seem to be for a ‘public option’, such as Medicare and that going forward he can pay out of pocket at the full Medicare Fee Schedule rates.
September 16, 2010 at 5:04 AM
Peter
Maybe the Tea Party people are the long lost Mayan. One thing in favor for them, they wont rule for a long time… as the end of the world will be near in 2012! 😉
September 16, 2010 at 5:32 AM
Birdie
Fall colors so soon? I’m at the latitude where the colors are my annual birthday present. While I do love those colors, it means the end of my topless days—in my convertible.
September 16, 2010 at 5:32 AM
Birdie
Wait. That doesn’t sound right.
September 16, 2010 at 6:41 AM
Chris (in Phily)
I hope you can get some distance from your stress on your trip.
There was a time I thought we could as a society (or nation) pull ourselves back from the bink of madness and now I am not so sure that is possible.
Everything seems to be at extremes. The crimes have gotten more violent and desperate. I can only take care of myself and my family (which is really only any of us can do). I focus on myself and them and that has helped keep me sane.
While I am glad to be employed I can trends at various companies here in my area of outright cruelty to their employees, upper managemnt getting more greedy and deluded, and people getting really stressed out over it. I really do not see things getting better; for a while at least.
On the teabaggers; Christne O’Donnell won in Delaware and I am not surprised. Alot of these elections swing by getting the vote out and she got her people out. Mike Castle, the apponent, has been in office most of my life so people want to get rid of incumbents and they seem to want to pick any one that is not part of the establishment and they are desperate. Some of the things O’Donnell has said are wacky and she make Sarah Pailn sound sane.
I am concerned the country will swing radically conservative now. Moving to Toronto sounds more and more appealing (Randy talk about moving there or to Germany; he things with my and his german hertiage they would let us in 🙂 ).
Have a good trip Michael.
September 16, 2010 at 8:00 AM
dash
Just as it is good manners to arrive a little late to a party, in Arizona it is good manners to drive at least 5 miles over the speed limit. You won’t get pulled over and people will think better of you.
September 16, 2010 at 11:40 AM
Laurent
You should have reminded that Tea Party person that under their regime he won’t have any medicare or social assistance of any kind since there will not be any government. I wonder what he would do then, can’t afford the doctor, too bad just go and die somewhere.
September 16, 2010 at 1:32 PM
Urspo
hohoho
I have only so much time; I focus on patient care, not their politics. And this helps bring down black/white thinking for both patient and physician.
September 16, 2010 at 6:00 PM
Benton Quest
Teabagger man: Stupid should be painful.
September 16, 2010 at 7:11 PM
jefferyrn
Have fun in the land of cheese. I love cheese. But not with tea. It is good with wine!
September 16, 2010 at 10:01 PM
rg
You know, when I’m “cross” I find eating an entire bag/box of Oreos (Yes, it has to be an entire bag) and a gallon of cold milk, changes my outlook drastically. Of course, I don’t poop for two days afterward, so there’s that….LOL
September 16, 2010 at 10:59 PM
Walt
Well, it’s all been said. I liked cubby’s comment. If these people do gain any power, they won’t end up liking the result. We’re lurching toward the fall, the crumble, the disintegration of civilized life. This must have been what it felt like to live in that time between the end of the Roman empire and the middle ages. Without Oprah, of course.
Bring on the Inquisition!
September 17, 2010 at 6:09 AM
grumpy
Our nation has grown to large to govern. Consensus is now an illusion.