September 5 - 8....Week From Hell!!!

I’m drained and frustrated. After a really decent Labor Day weekend, I went to work knowing that it was going to be crazy busy but I didn’t know it was going to be hell! This week there wasn’t a day where I wasn’t upset, on the verge of tears or actually all out crying! Wednesday was the worst!

First I should mention that I have new neighbors next door, another doctor’s office. They aren’t strangers to us as one of the doctor’s went to school with my boss and the secretary, Giselle, I’ve known for years. Not to sound like a snob but the caliber of patients they have going through their office is quite different then ours and over the years, my friend has had quite the number of “run ins” with her patients. Wednesday, their office is closed in the mornings so one lady, I’ll call her Stupidrella (LoL!), walked into my office. I had a room full of patients in my waiting room and my boss was running quite behind in schedule so you can imagine what kind of a day I’d been having. Stupidrella marched over to my desk, identified herself as one of the patients from next door and demanded that she see a doctor because she was in a lot of pain with her foot. It was clear to see because she was limping and had her foot wrapped in a tensor. I explained to her that I was fully booked, couldn’t not take her in and that next door will open at 2. She was getting irritated and started her whole sob story of how long her foot’s been bothering her, how much she’s been going through…marital problems…blah, blah, blah. I told her again firmly that I couldn’t help her. She left the office and little did I know but she went next door to my other friend, Michelle and complained about me saying how I have “pissy attitude”. Michelle just laughed it off. We find it funny how people think they can say stuff about another person that works in the building, thinking we won’t say anything to one another! Stupidrella came marching back in and said, “You know what, I’m seeing a doctor! I’m in a lot of pain!” I told her that I wasn’t going to take her and that she’ll have to see her own doctor at 2. “This is fucking ridiculous! You people took a fucking oath to take care of people and here you are turning me away! You shouldn’t be working here cuz you have no fucking compassion and you’re an absolute fucking bitch!” she yelled while standing in the middle of my waiting room. Since I felt no obligation towards her as she wasn’t a patient of ours and she was cursing me, I decided to tell her, “Get the fuck out of my office.” “NO! I will not leave!” replied Stupidrella. “I am not leaving. I’m waiting at least until the doctor comes out. I have to tell your boss how much of a pissy attitude you have and how much of a fucking bitch you are!” I told her that she wouldn’t have to wait and used my intercom to call my boss out in the middle of seeing a patient. “What’s going on here?” he asked. All of a sudden, her voice went a few decibels lower and said, “I’m in a lot of pain with my foot and I need to see you. I’m a patient of the doctor’s next door but they’re closed.” She was going to continue with the sob story but my boss cut her off and said, “What did my secretary say?” “She said she couldn’t take me and was quite rude about it.” She replied. “Well, then you have your answer. You are not better off talking to me about it. I can’t see you. Do you see my waiting room? I’m already running behind with my own patients. Next door opens at 2 and if it’s that bad, you can go to the hospital.” Said my boss and went back into his office. I was in my file room, faxing something when she stood in front of my desk and rambled on about something. I wasn’t really paying attention but the last thing I heard her say before she left was, “Have a good day and God bless you.” I sat at my desk and all the patients were staring at me probably wondering if I was okay and if they should say something. I leaned forward to put my head in my hands and started to rub my temples. I could feel my stress getting to me. I was shaking, trying to breathe deeply and my head was pounding really badly. I tried to hold back but my emotions took over and tears flooded my face. I rushed into my back room and started to ball my eyes out. With great timing, Michelle came over to tell me what the woman said and she found me, sobbing. Eventually, I had to leave the office to go out for a walk to calm down. I was gone for half an hour.

It took a situation like this to really realize that I’m stressed and burning out very quickly. In the next few days, I will have to have a talk with my boss about the soonest possible time I can take time off before I absolutely lose my head!